Dead Markets

Discussion in 'Freight Broker Forum' started by 6wheeler, Oct 13, 2017.

  1. Pepper24

    Pepper24 Road Train Member

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    IMO you can make a living running load boards.I did for first year and half after I got my authority.I did know a broker in my home town personally ,we had worked at the same trucking company before and I would usually run his freight out and use load boards to get back.Its the same story when freight is good loading of boards is easy when it gets tight it’s more aggravating staring at that laptop searching for that good load.Relationships with good brokers will come even opportunities for direct customers.The customer that I run for nowI happen by accident by talking to a driver at a truck stop who told me how to go about running direct for the company that I run for now.Just talking to guys you meet can help friends,family where do they work might be helpful getting you in the door of a company.
     
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  3. boredsocial

    boredsocial Road Train Member

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    Always remember to trust... but verify. No matter how cozy your relationship with a customer or broker becomes it's wise to understand exactly where the rates are. It IS normal to provide below market rates in the busy season, but that needs to be exchanged for above market rates in the slow season. Rates that were very fair 2 years ago would be very poor this year. Rates that were very weak in 2014 would have been amazing in 2016.

    I'm not advocating for breaking up long term relationships that have been mutually profitable for years. I'm simply saying that some % of the people out there have a really 'good friend' who has been chronically underpaying them since the dawn of time.

    Knowing what industry standard rates are at any given time isn't something I would ever delegate as the owner of a company.
     
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  4. Pepper24

    Pepper24 Road Train Member

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    I can tell you if you’re pulling a flat some companies that I found that are easier to work direct for are example concrete plants like sakrete the bags,concrete pipes or blocks,brick yards,nurseries plants,bushes,trees I personally would try to talk to.Try and ask for enough rate to return empty in agreement to reload for them only ,some will do it depends how busy and how hard it is for them to get trucks in to load.
     
    Last edited: Oct 23, 2017
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  5. Bigrayon

    Bigrayon Road Train Member

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    I just got back from Florida and yes I dead from Gainesville FL to Atlanta GA, I don't work for free, that is what a back Hall is
     
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  6. TallJoe

    TallJoe Road Train Member

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    I went to Miami, FL for $4000 and did not even hope of any miracles down there, then deadheaded back to Atlanta, Ga and picked up a load for 1200 to Green Bay, WI (cheap and light, easy on and easy off) so from there I am going to Salt Lake City, UT for $4000 - this is still about 2 dol a miles on that many miles (4500 or so). Dead Markets contrasting with some more generous ones.... I cannot really find anything in between. Is there a gray area somewhere? Salt Lake City, UT - another dead market, the last time I was there, I went to mountains, past gorgeous Provo Canyon to pick up a heavy salt load to OH, maybe 1.20 a mile, that was back in April. Having looked at the DAT, I'll probably go back to FL from there.
    Salt Lake City surprises me though. Such a boosting and thriving region. Don't they make anything of essence there to ship out or is it too many resident trucks? I mean I understand Florida as a dead market, but the Mormons land with their business oriented minds and propensity to work hard and all....there should be plenty of freight. I must be missing something.... Just a reflection.. Being born and raised catholic I was once appalled by the work of Max Weber "The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism" where he argued that Catholics are too deficient to build businesses and live as efficient lives as Protestants but with time I see he was somewhat onto something. S.O.B.
     
    Last edited: Oct 27, 2017
  7. BoyWander

    BoyWander Road Train Member

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    As far as I'm concerned, the entire country is a dead market at the moment.

    Can't get a decent rate anywhere. Couldn't even get $3000 Chicago to GA today. Or even DFW or Houston. Who takes all this crap?? Shame on you all.
     
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  8. TallJoe

    TallJoe Road Train Member

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    Shame on you too. Perhaps you and your novel - like thread with super rates, inspired too many...They wanted to be BoyWanders too.They went ahead to the Lone Mountain dealer, somehow got their Big Cabin Volvos too and now you have competition....
     
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  9. boredsocial

    boredsocial Road Train Member

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    Yeah my produce season finally died with a whimper today. Now I'm going to get sick probably. Happens every year.
     
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  10. boredsocial

    boredsocial Road Train Member

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    And you take this crap now. It's going to be like this or worse from now till sometime in mid April. My advice is to run less hard and recharge your batteries as a human. That way you can work insanely hard again when the summer rates return. In a lot of ways us spot market critters are like animals. Now that we've stuffed ourselves on the bounty of produce season (even if you weren't hauling produce the produce was driving the market rates) we have go go hibernate until next year.
     
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  11. TallJoe

    TallJoe Road Train Member

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    Common! I was hoping for it to last till Christmas....before it turns bad. Can't you do something?
     
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