average per mile

No first hand experience but 99% of posts on this forum say stay away from Florida because the rates suck so I would venture a guess that you're right in the ball park.

 

Rates going into Florida are decent rates going out suck.

 

some of the mega's are paying there owner op's .89 + fsc

 

True that, EZ. However, not all the same. I lease to a mid-mega as follows: per mile (more than .89) + fsc. Pay all dispatched miles including deadhead, + fsc. Pick up most miscellaneous expenses. Free bookkeeping. Free dispatch. Corporate discounts on tires and fuel. (BIG fuel discount.) Road service support, no charge for service. Free registration/plates, IFTA and IFTA reporting. All in all, my net is higher than any company driver income, I have load refusal, average 3,000/week. I'm learning how to make money before stepping into the O/O arena.

 

Others may earn more than I do, but I'm doing OK.

 

You can't just arbitrarily say what a good rate is or what a bad rate is. The key to it is to learn what markets pay what and then figure out how to capitalize on the good stuff. $2 per mile out of FL for a dry van might be a great rate. $2 to go back in? No thank you. What if I told you you could get a load paying the same gross to the same destination but you had to go empty to Georgia to get it? Which load would you take? It is things like this you learn with time as to where/how to make the best use of your time and make money.

 

I think you need to do some hard number crunching and get to a breakeven number for your business. Then make your decisions on load selection, freight lanes.