O/O finding your own loads?

Why do you think 2 is good? You can ask for 3-4-5? If somebody offers you a 120 mile run, but it ties you up for the whole day, you can ask for your $1200, that will be $10 per mile

 

..... dune just told you what you are asking for, but hey.....go right ahead and take that $2 a mile.

 

I feel obligated because i dont think your going to catch on real quick.

Setting your rate is more than just the amount of miles. Its the deadhead, the loading at the shipper, the drive to the rcvr, the unloading, and alllllll the hours in between that you have to deal with bs for each load.

 

If all you want is $2 a mile, why have your authority or book your own loads? You can lease to a company that dispatches you for that money or better

 

First thing you need to do before you even ask for a rate is set down and figure what it cost to run your truck. For example it cost me .40 cpm to run my truck because I have a very low truck payment and no house bills, no wife, and no kids. Once you figure out the rate it cost to run your truck then you can book loads based on that.

 

You’re going to get burned out real fast going for $1200/day at $2/mile. I charge by the hour based on normal load/unload times, and calculating miles divided by average road speed. Sometimes they don’t like my price, and I don’t take their loads. Other times I get exactly what I want, and the broker is happy as well. I have no problem turning down cheap freight, and deadheading to where the money is. Those guys that say “it’s better than nothing” while hauling $1.40/mile flatbed loads are the reason why they are still only hauling $1.40 loads.

 

Good advice here. I'm fairly new too and you should listen to these guys. Don't be thin skinned. There's' a lot of advice here that will make you money! My experience is that DAT was good for the first week and since then it's worthless. I'm hauling for the same 3-4 brokers but am not brave enough to cancel my subscription until I've seen the changes throughout a year....maybe two. If you want more money haul shorter loads and don't give in to brokers. Post your lanes/preferred lanes and some folks can probably hint to you where the money is.....or isn't.
Most aren't going to give away their own secrets.

 

Nothing is standard. Some areas you go to for 3.5 and leave for 1.50. DAT loadboard has a 15 day average rate tool for specified lanes. That's a good benchmark. More real than what ITS has to offer. The minimal goal is to have at least the average, which means always ask for more, so that you're above average, not the one who's bringing rates down. Rate per mile is just a way to compare things.Dry vans are the cheapest, in theory.

Practically, 2 dol a mil can be livable but for all miles, loaded and deadhead. A full time trucker can gross with that 200K in one year out of which you should get to keep about half.