mercer transportation

Holly Molly. I just shipped my King satellite dish for my truck back to the manufacturer for repair.

UPS charged me $128.00 to go from Indiana to Bloomington, Minnesota.

I about fell over when he told me that price.

I hope UPS is paying out $5 bucks a mile this year, obviously they are getting it.

Them $1.80 rates I seen listed was obvious they are getting over on the driver.

 

Hmmm interesting my washer fluid stopped working so I got out and look. The hose failed lol instead of washing the windows its washing the engine. Just stopped at napa and got 4 ft of hose for $4. Lucky it's like 3 blocks away.

And of course I didn't get long enough one lol

 

I actually wish fuel prices would sky rocket. Like go back up to 4-5$ a gallon.
With fuel surcharges, we make more money as the fuel prices goes up. Actually quite a bit more profit. I know it sounds crazy but watch the rates vs. fuel cost. As long as your fuel average is above 6.2 mpg you should make more money with higher fuel surcharge with goes with higher fuel costs.

 

I've given up on trying to explain this to ppl, for some reason alot of ops cant wrap their minds around it

 

Yup 100% agree fuel has dropped almost 20 cents over in Indiana. My fsc hasn't changed yet.

 

Oh I understand it. Like you said, you need to average 6.2-6.5 mpg. But you also need to be buying fuel at around 10-15% below national average at $4 a gallon and 6.5 mpg to start pocketing any of it. Now the higher the fuel price and/or greater your mpg, the more you pocket above that. That's completely true.

I'm one of the lucky few who average under 5 mpg so my game is a little different. Any time my net grows, I'm happy. I don't care if it is a sharp spike in rates and fuel stays the same, or rates are flat and fuel falls.

FSC is a good component of profit for some. But I wouldn't base the idea of an operation around it.

 

2.355 at Love's in nowhere Texas on 287...wish I had a tanker. LOL

 

Rates seem to follow the direction of fuel prices. I like high rates more than low fuel prices so I wish it would skyrocket. I do avg. over 7.3 mpg so yes the fuel surcharge is a money maker. I can't imagine driving a truck getting below 6 mpg. Bad fuel economy makes me think its running very poorly or something is wrong. I have averaged 8.0 mpg in the past. And hoping I can get it over 9 next summer.

 

With the truck in your Avatar?

 

I would rather have low fuel prices and high rates, but the world isn't always like I want it to be.

As far as my fuel mileage is concerned, don't let it concern you. I told you my game is different. And many a "big horse" ride struggle to get around my 475 CAT what idles every night. I reckon it runs fine enough. My deadhead is also fairly close to 37% for the year. I find the stuff that works for me, fuel surcharge or not. I make enough, steadily enough.

Rates do not strictly follow fuel prices. There is also truck capacity and volume of freight. Volume over last year is down 50% according to DAT. And Mercer is not immune to a drop in load board freight. And on the other side of the coin, truck capacity is up over 25% what it was last year. Rates will do good to hold through the holidays.

I'm not doubting or denying what you claim. I'm saying there is more than one way to play the game.