Is freight starting to pick back up yet?

I prefer reality over cheerleading. I'd love to say it's going to be ok, but there doesn't seem to be anything in the big picture on which to base that ideal.
I still want to reinstate my authority, but the big picture needs a lot of Photoshop first

 

Still the same old lower than normally crappy rates in the northeast but minus the dirt cheap diesel prices we have been enjoying. Fuel continues upward by the week. I would stick to whatever it is you are doing for now.

 

Everyone wants to own their own truck and have that independence and i cant blame them but times have changed.
Too many ppl on landstar mercer etc. Old timers with those companies r established and running lean as can b and doin good. New guys are taking eating the golden apple guarantee to unfortunately fail which is sad bc some do have families.
Heck my buddy works for a flatbed company that leases out their trucks that have expired warranties and he got a 2013 kenworth for 6 grand. They gave him practically an open credit card to cover expenses at a wooping 18%. He has had the truck 1 month and has spent 4 grand on repairs/downtime. He also lost $1000 for going home for one wk...Even though u r home the payment is still due..

 

Not even if it covers fuel???!!

(sarcasm)

 

I do think that if Trump gets elected, consumer confidence may increase a bit as well as corporate investment. Might even rescue the coal and fracking industries. That should help, but if businesses keep replacing human workers with robots, many of those displaced workers will look to trucking as their only alternative, which would dilute the ability to charge better rates. I'm pulling this theory out of thin air, but I think it makes sense.

 

People shopping online is a factor in stores closing or not opening.

 

Yup, I almost never buy anything in stores except food and clothes

 

Indeed it is a factor, but additionally, credit cards are maxed everywhere, cost of a new pickup is $65k, wages declining or stagnant, insurance costs, etc., etc.,....consumption of tangible goods is down because few have the money to spend. Basically i just reiterated an earlier post. Sorry for the doom and gloom, now I'll try to cheer up by watching the news

 

I had that happen to me twice yesterday working on a weekend load.

Had one going to Wildwood Fl. I called on it to ask what the rate was since they did not have a price or the weight listed. Only that it needed ramps.

They said their client offered to pay $1150. From Ashland, Va that comes out to about $1.54 mi. I tell her I'm sorry, we are not even in the same ball park. She asks what I need to do it,.. I tell her I need a min of $2000.

Its roughly 754mi,.. my house is 30 mins from Wildwood. She says she will keep me in mind. I call on some other loads. She calls back and asks if I would do it for $1800. Since it would get me home for the holiday weekend,.. nothing like sipping on suds and grilling up steaks in the Fla sunshine,.. I agreed. An hour later I still dont have the confirmation. I call back to find out where the problem was. They already had a carrier packet from us so that shouldnt be a problem. She says oh,. we got the load covered. Sorry.

WTF?? All that,.. and then they cant even call back to tell me they canceled us. I could have been working on a load instead of expecting confirmation. Might as well been beating my head into the steering wheel for an hour.

Hurst

 

Worthless TQL. Not says big I'll never use but last option. At least never had issue getting paid from them.