A fair rate check for a dry van out of Chicago, IL as of July 2017

For a 53 ft dry van, general freight (neutral, clean commodity) - up to 45 000 lbs, between 250 - 500 miles distance - a day long run;
What's the rate that is considered a fair rate; by that I mean a rate by which a broker does not take advantage of an ignorant owner operator, yet the owner operator leaves the broker enough margin, so both shake hands and are content.
What fair rates should I expect on the following lanes as of today:

Chicago, IL - Columbus, OH
Chicago, IL - Omaha, Ne
Chicago, IL - St. Louis, MO
Chicago, IL - Kansas City, MO
Chicago, IL - St. Paul, MN (twin cities)
Columbus, OH - York, PA

Can I get some quotes from both brokers and owner operators please?

 

the latest rates i received on those lanes were
Chicago, IL - Columbus, OH - 950
Chicago, IL - Omaha, Ne -1000
Chicago, IL - St. Louis, MO - 800
Chicago, IL - Kansas City, MO - 1100
Chicago, IL - St. Paul, MN (twin cities) - 1000
Columbus, OH - York, PA - 950

was it ok or too cheap?

 

Yeah!!!! I kind of realized that when they would not give me stupid Pepsi load out of Carlise, PA to Grand Rapids MI for more than 800, 725 was the most they offered 45 minutes before their pick up time.... I ended up deadheading to OH stateline to get 750 to Fort Wayne, in. Going past OH sate line does not do much good, if you want to head back west, it seems.

 

The rates out of Chicago to California West coast, notably, LA area, are one of the poorest in the country; 2200 - 2500 for the most part of the year so far, to get 3000 off of a load board is not that easy. The interesting part is that the same rates are easy to get from here to places half way to LA area, Denver, CO, Cheyenne, WY, Salt Lake City, UT (2500-2800). Also, from Omaha, NE, as of last week you can easily go to LA for 2500- 2800!. So why not to go to Omaha, NE for 1000-1200 and from there take 2800 to LA making Chicago - LA worth 4000? Or even why go to LA from Chicago for 2500 instead of going to SLC for the same amount and from there to deadhead empty or get at least 800 -1000 to finish in Ontario,CA? I guess another question would be who goes to CA for 2200 out of Chicago? It must be rail freight rates, sending a trailer/container on a train, giving some competition here.

 

3000 is pretty "decent" relatively speaking. They take it, cram a few partials to it and ship it on train. Especially to Fontana,CA.