4 mth old Company Needing help

tell them you cant run anything for less than 2.00 a mile which is true if you want a reasonble profit,,,, oh sucks but get a refer. better lane more options better all the way around.

 

It's going to take time to build your clientele (networking with brokers, making contacts, maybe finding some shippers that could use your truck on a dedicated gig). Build some good reputation and street cred.

Look into using truckloadrate.com to help you establish a rate window based on current industry averages. You (should) know what you need to run, so use that knowledge to help you find the loads accordingly. This might mean diversifying your equipment and training. If van or reefer isn't keeping your lane density at a sustainable level, you have no choice but to modify your plan. Also study up on Freight Lane Density Strategies.

Here read this: http://www.getloaded.com/comment/4#

 

Kentucky is not a dry van state for the most part, most manufacturing outbound is flat beds. Checked the loads for the last 30 days for open loads and found 357 flatbed loads out bound at over 2.10 per mile, 127 dry van loads outbound and to be honest the best was 1.45 per mile.

The loads and rates were drawn the same way your husband would find them off the boards, no private or subscriptions just open.

I do know that Kentucky is a heavy manufacturing state and now spring is coming the construction and pipeline material will start moving north.

 

I've always had good luck getting inbound and outbound solid rates with anywhere I went to KY with a dry van. CHR has your truck pegged as cheap. Everything you do and pretty much say goes into their computer profile on your MC, stop hauling it cheap for them and stand your ground. Don't haul cheap for Landstar or any of the big boys, they won't forget. Sounds like hubby also needs to adjust the way he's rolling. Trucking Monday thru Friday doesn't work so well starting out. He needs to try something besides going out from the house and right back in. Plan on staying out eight to fourteen days and work back home on a good rate, then take whatever time off he wants. Five day a week trucking ain't going to work just starting out..don't be afraid to lose a day here and there to get a rate.. yes that has a cost too.. much less than running cheap from my exp.

 

US,

What lanes have you seen this? I'm calling on dry van freight out of the Philly area, anything over 400 miles it seems to be going for $1.35 and lower, it's brutal out there.

 

I'm sorry, but why are you folks not pounding on doors ? Brokers shouldn't be used unless necessary. Your husband should go in person and make acquaintances with local shippers. A lot of these smaller shippers want service... he needs to sell himself and you need to do your part as well and find places for him to contact while he's out.

If he wants to make it, he is going to have to offer something that the next guy doesn't... find a niche.

Good luck

 

Western Ky to TX ,

West Ky to PA

West Ky to IN

 

Broker, direct, doesn't matter. Building a good reputation with any broker and there can be better money than in a lot of direct freight. Also very hard to service direct freight with a single truck. Hell, we have a tough time with 6 trucks.

Best thing to do in looking for better rates is to look at many regions besides what you are going into. After a while you will start to find the same freight coming or going from an area allowing you to make a more strategic decision on what you take. Increasing your rate is not always about getting more money on a load. You can get the same rate, cut your DH down and be making better money.

But I also think you said you are making $2 on all miles with a dry van. You are doing better than 90% of drivers in this segment. Assuming you are talking at least 2000 miles a week.

 

The other thing that I'd say that Bill has taught me by talking is . Building a relationship with the Customer / Broker one broker in area 1 can direct you to return freight in area 2 ... Etc

These people will pay for performance & reliability .. Messing with 100 different people can lessen your worth over all to a particular broker but working directly with 3-5 or slightly more can have its advantages as they learn your habits and your reliability to pick their loads up ..

 

Cutting my DH miles has made my money come up more than anything.
I still bounce home sometimes cause I want to go home and refuse cheap freight.