Flatbed load rates drop significant

ch robison had a very dismal report this past week. swift cancelled an order for 450 trucks. roadrunner had very disappointing earnings this past quarter. they were expecting stronger revenue compared to previous quarters and got destroyed.

 

What goes around comes around. We all have our highs and lows.

From Dec till about early March last year I couldnt get a good paying load to save my life. Had to really tighten up. Then by April things were picking up and then I had all my down time over the summer. I had a really difficult summer with everything.

Even in Sept when I got my truck back on the road, first 2 weeks I was getting upset at the rates and loads. Now my dispatcher is coming up with some fantastic loads, keeping me busy and moving me from one good freight area to another.

I dont want to sound like I am rubbing it in or gloating,.. but I'm doing really well, all things considered. A lot of good paying freight still moving out here.

Hurst

 

Haven't posted on here in a while, But rates have dropped like crazy. My Mexican Customer are not buying enough nor shipping back products and when they do is a bidding war with others. My top 4 Customers out Florida dropped Significantly since the beginning of the year, but it started in late 2014. The Midwest Freight sucks especially the Chicago area. Moving freight under $1.60 is just a waist but also waiting 2-3 days for a Good run paying good. Some guys say they don't care how much they are getting paid as long as they make their monthly quota. Now it takes 18-20 days to make what we made in 7-12 days. Unless you got customers all over The U.S like these Big Corp, you will always end up on the load board. Lets just hope 2016 will pick up. 2015 has been recklessly with rates.

 

Well it started falling in Montana today!

 

That's just brokers adding profit to there bottom line. Don't let anyone else try and get you to think different.

 

With any luck, things will start picking up.

Looks like that CARB crap is about to get real. That new scale on the 15 is setup for smoke check. And ready to open for business any day now.

 

Black smoke Til I choke


Gentlemen: if you run your business via DAT trend lines, or whatever other bs that load board brokers sell you...you are fighting a losing battle.

I hear folks say that they'd never go back to being an employee because of the freedom owning their own truck offers.

If you'd make more working for someone else:what freedom do you have? You don't even have money to spend.

If being a business owner doesn't afford you opportunities more so than an employee position would: you aren't running a successful business.

If you are living on the edge of your budget you won't gain anything by running a business in the same fashion.

To quote Dannythetrucker: "I'm trying to make money with a truck"
This is a business. This is what you are out here to do. Freedom is great. With no funds: tell me more about the freedom you have?

 

I can feel it over here in NE. Alread took 2 cheap loads to try to hop around and find something paying decent. I finally have a decent load after I drop this morning. Have to DH 120 mi to get to it.

Thinking with all the weather down south and out west where you are... carriers sent all their trucks here. Now too many trucks fighting over what is available. Time for me to head out and run another lane till the that one dries up.

All in all it could be worse. We're just going to have tighten up and roll with the punches if we're going to survive this.

Hurst

 

We have hauled a certain load from AR to N.H. a few times. The same broker called to ask us to haul it for $1000. LESS than we did it a few months ago. Said no, of course, and , wow, magically, they offered up that additional grand without blinking. WTF ! If we were fools enough to take it, where would that grand have gone ? We are sitting home for weeks but we are NOT wearing out our truck hauling ridiculous rates. Please stand firm with requiring rates that not only cover costs but allow for maintenance and profit. I do actually hear of O/O's that convince themselves that if they cover fuel and insurance that week and come out with 600 in their pockets that it's OK for now, I'll do better later . There is no later ! Are small O/O going to be extinct ?
We mostly use the load board., have tried and are still trying to get direct shippers but it seems they like this system too well. Their load get put out to bid to brokers, brokers put it out to bid to truckers. The truckers gets squeezed into poverty. The shipper gets his stuff shipped, broker makes a living.

 

I"ve talked to a few of our direct customers. They say they're still paying the same rates to ship their loads.

But the trucks aren't still making the same.