CDN freight rates

Depends where you wanna run and what you wanna haul. Van rates by and large are in the toilet and have been for years, although some guys are making out okay with LTL. I would do a google search on load brokers in the area you wanna go and get an idea that way.

One thing I would advise is this. Pick a lane, stick to it and service the living crap out of it and a good customer base will follow in time.

 

I'm in Ontario, but I think you could do better overall staying from MB west honestly. As far as $2.00/mile avg., I would hope you could do that average, but the last time I even bothered to check van rates (which was last fall) they were doing something like $4700 from Toronto to Calgary for a tridem. (Which is nuts in my view as you would be lucky to do $1.20 a mile on the way back.) I know with a tri stepdeck I can do better running out of AB to MB and reload outta MN to Ontario, could maybe work the same for a dry van.

Now just to cloud the issue farther, at one time you could load outta Vancouver to Ontario or Quebec for decent rates and get a good rate back west as well. That said I haven't stayed in Canada only for three years now so things could have changed again.

 

What are your costs per mile ??? Do you idle in the wintertime??? If you do, let's say you'll average 5 MPG (4.54 Ltr at $1.20 per = $5.50 a gallon = $1.10 per mile for fuel. You need at least $30.00 an hour average for a wage = $30.00 / 60 MPH = 50 cents per mile. Tire cost for tractor and trailer 16 cents per mile. Insurance Full Package $15,000./year / 150,000 miles = 10 cents per mile. Servicing costs $2.50 per hour for the engine = $6250.00 = 4 cents a mile. $2.50 per hour may seem high but that is factoring in an Overhaul at 1 million. I'm up to $1.90 per mile already and you have yet to make payments on the truck and trailer. Let's say your tractor and trailer payments are $4500. a month = $54,000. a year / 150,000 miles = That's 36 cents a mile, now you're up to $2.26 per mile. Go to work as a driver for Flint, CleanHarbors, even McMillan pays Union wages. Load Boards is where the cheap freight is advertised.

 

PB's numbers are good. I'm not really versed much in vans so anything I tell you is 3rd party info at best. I do know a guy running ON to AB steady with LTL and I believe he gets the bulk of his freight from load pimps, he says he does okay. There again, his idea of okay and anyone else's could be vastly different.

 

In today's market you're at least $.70/MILE short of what I'd even think about turning a wheel for with my own truck/trailer...

I didn't see anything in those figures to allow for contingency planning, future equipment upgrades and replacement costs or capital purchases...

If you're working your own truck/trailer for that rate.... congrats to you for your luck so far but in reality, you're not doing anyone any good.