Current Van rates dropping, is there an end to this?

I'm not sure the Herd is that thick honestly. Alot of guys either retired or found other work because of the scamdemic. Plus, if this mandate crap goes through, I think that will thin the Herd more. I will concede one thing though, I have run into and been contacted by more "investors " than I ever thought existed. Folks that don't drive, who just want to own a truck and "rake" it in. I think those folks are gonna go by the wayside pretty quick when the money slows. The pot gets pretty thin pretty quick when there are alot of folks eating out of it. Not enough to go around. Plus, honestly, I really despise the "investor" crowd anyways. Good riddance there.

 

Borrowing money to buy a Depreciating piece of equipment at the height of the market. Not a very good investor, I’d say. I agree, good riddance to the Speculators. Greed drives it all. Never fails to blow up. Should be some good 2 yr old Trucks on the Market soon, for around $75k.

 

There aren't any full store shelves around these parts and haven't been since the spring of 2020. I live about an hour away from OP pulling a reefer. Volumes and rates have definitely been down the past few weeks. It isn't terrible bad, not yet anyway.

 

Do you guys have any rate sheets that look like this?

 

I agree, have had customers before. Pro’s and cons but much rather work spot

 

Central Valley CA companies you know the ones haul loads from Midwest to CA
For $1.35 a mile. That’s according to a few brokers I deal with.

 

Stores around me in a suburb of Detroit are fully stocked. Walmart, Costco, Target, all the shelves are full

 

Looks pretty much what I’m seeing for rates. $2800 for 1000 miles looks pretty good. But it was $2200, when fuel was $1.25 a gallon less, before Covid. Net increase after fuel cost only $400. Not exactly a windfall. Roughly up 25%. Now factor in inflation, the current wild card. The rates right now are what they should always be, in order to remain profitable and make it worthwhile. It’s easy to get blinded by Gross Revenue. I’ve done it often, only to see in retrospect the actual results. It’s easy in Trucking. Repairs and unforeseen bills. Where’s all the money I made????? Often were just playing with money, not keeping enough. One glitch, one cost, one lost trip, affects the bottom line. Meanwhile fixed cost are still due. One Dock Worker laughed and said “ You Truckers are always about the next trip” I had to agree. Good to be positive and look forward, but you have to sometimes look back to see if any real progress is being made.

 

Can’t even walk through the aisles, pallets full of stock.

 

So many folks hearing so many stories of good times. Just too good to pass up. It reminds me of the modern day equivalent gold rush. In the end some will make it, but most others won't. I've done the numbers and talked with alot of these "investors". I just know how they plan to make a profit. By the time they pay for equipment, maintenance, driver, compliance, govt taxes (fees), fuel, dispatch .....I just don't see how there is enough left to make anything off of. Problem is, all those guys
Know nothing about trucking.....at all. So they are paying people who do.....to do it ALL for them. They are all, completely hands off.