Finally got my own truck

I am sure that through repetition and constant good service (new and reliable equipment helps here), the niche will be curved out. There is not that much wisdom they can offer you here when it comes down to loadboard loading. The market determines your pay, no matter how good a negotiator you are they will not pay much more than 1 dol a mile to Chicago (for instance) when they have 1000 similar trucks ready to go for that much. My observation is that by settling down on specific lanes you can see that there are repetitive brokers and earning their trust through repetitive good service will establish a relationship. This is what worked for the small carrier I was leased on to before going on my own. They did not have a direct freight but did not work off loadboards either. They had their set of brokers to call and vice versa. That relationship made it possible for them to get constant freight for higher than market rates. It may not be very profitable to run the same lanes instead of reacting to the market hot zones, but how else can you find consistent and systematic runs, which is what I am looking for anyway. I'm on a load that pays 2200 from Dallas to Tampa, Fl form the same broker 3rd time in a row. He told me to call him directly whenever I am in Dallas to see if he's got anything. I tried to find anything better on that lane and I could not. There were some better offers but to Miami or multiple stops taking one day more to finish. Also the load Chicago - Dallas I took from the same broker who paid me 2000, the first time pulled for them they paid 1700 back in January. And they called me this time, which was nice a change. I hope I'll find a few brokerages to find freight directly from on this chicago-texas-fl-chicago triangle. I don't know what others are making on these lanes but I know what I can get consistently which is the key. The only problem is to get back home. It must be cheap no matter what I do. But if I can get consistent 4 k after fuel on these triangles and repeat it three times a month, I should be in a good shape.

 

lol!! I'm guessing that's not a secret new model truck that Volvo is testing?!?
What is it all coming to?

 

Why blonde over brunette? Why skinny over chubby? A matter of preference i guess.

 

I never said don't take cheap loads. You do what works out here. Cheap or deadhead if it averages out, do it. You did go to GA and it is a little early yet for vans down there, even reefer is sketchy. Just careful with what you think about GA. It's not always a cheap area. It'll be name your price around Atlanta when it gets to hopping.

 

Going to Chicago from the southeast doesn't always pay cheap. Admittedly most of the year it does probably like 999 times out of 1,000 lol. But when you're in the right place at that right time it can pay 3x that. If you do this long enough you'll score good loads up to there now and then, if you're working random spot. If you're doing the same triangle or whatever, forget it.

I'm not saying to sit your truck until you get that unusual high spot rate to Chicago, because you'll starve. But I've booked solid rates going up there every once in a while over the years. My buddy lives there and I have seen him do it to. Although mostly he #####es about cheap loads going there lol. Look, I'm not trying to cause unrealistic expectations here. Just trying to open up minds.

 

Yup,new Volvo. This one was CNG daycab.

 

Great things, he's hanging on by a thread.
He's has to fight every day for every dollar.
And he's got 4 more years and 9 months of this.

This story has a long way to go.
It's good reading though.
We're all riding shot gun with him free of charge,
He's paying all the bills. Lol.

 

It isn't too hard to figure what your cost per mile will be. Start from there and ask yourself what level of profit you wish to achieve. The number you come up with is either something the market will bear or you'll find yourself sitting a lot.

I see most fully independent guys falling into two types. Either they run the business as a means of obtaining a certain level of personal income and are not out to run a profitable business offering a year round service. Or, on the other end you have guys that operate year long and are out to run a profitable business where personal income is secondary to business income. I pay myself a salary and that's it; my goal in this is to provide a service and maximize the business profit as much as I can.

You take money loads and cheap loads but at the end of the day if the mix of freight you're hauling meets your expected level of profit than that this all that matters. Where arguments arise is from this difference in what we think a one truck or small operation should be. I don't think individuals in these two camps could ever see eye to eye on these issues; they're approach to this is so different from another.

 

I feel your pain. Best post you made in this whole thread.
Give these wanna be owner/ops cheerleaders a reality check,even though they won't heed your warning.

I've never thought about how many hours a week are spent Watching load boards and calling brokers.
That's all sleep time for a company driver.