Flatbed load rates drop significant

Thats pretty much what I am hearing as well. Some shippers cut back a little bit. But mainly hear that brokers feel they dont need to pay as much because fuel.is cheaper. Thats what I keep hearing them tell me when I call in to report their load is delivered and the broker acts like they are doing me a favor by offering a back haul to where I loaded from for $1.60 mi. I ask if they can bring it up. First response is that fuel is cheap and I should make plenty of money.

Construction went that route.. paying less and less offering overtime to compensate. I dont want to have to work 60 hrs to earn what I should be making in 40hrs.

Money is tight.. but I'm far from broke.

Hurst

 

I pick up furniture in Fontana every week, and there are 2 places that have flatbeds and stepdecks lined up 6-10 deep-every week.

Sierra Building Products
10714 Poplar Ave
Fontana, CA 92337

AEP Span
10905 Beech Ave
Fontana, CA 92337

The Sierra place sometimes has trucks lined up in the street all the way up to Slover blocking my exit from the whse where I pick up.

Watch out though, CRE driver training center is right there and the trucks are wandering around this area everywhere!!

 

Also if you're in Phx, check out Schuff Steel & Pavestone.

OMCO on the West side was booming last year making solar panel supports.

 

Hurst

Tell them your truck. Insurance. And maintenance payment are still expensive.

 

Whole companies surviving off broker loads these days.

 

I dont even waste my time. It would only lead to a back and forth debate.

I try not to piss them off,. as I have called various brokers when I am in a spot and my dispatch cant find anything,.. a few times they have offered me loads not posted that paid well enough to haul.

Hurst

 

I wouldn't do what I do just to survive. I'm thriving.

 

Same, in the 2 1/2 months since I got my truck back on the road, I'm almost back to where I was post repairs.



Hurst

 

in my area there is a lot of freight, but also a lot of rate cutters. now they don't really bother me, cause hey it's their right. what gets me is our co, or dispatcher who will cut our rates to compete. our co was told if were drop our rates we would see more freight, so my co did.

for 185 miles we get $40.00 less on a specific run than we used to. these are 1 of our daily runs, but that is $40.00 a day less add the weeks, months e.t.c. I also talk to a lot of other drivers for small o/o with their own authority & 5-8 trucks & they tell me they have their rates & they do not budge no matter what... and they get all they can handle.

I think a lot of people like my big co & especially my dispatcher looks at it different. if I am not moving, THEY are not making any money. so they don't care as much as me about rates. just so long as the trucks are rolling, they make theirs. when a person makes money just by a phone call & a little paperwork, they are just never going to be concerned about YOUR PAY.

My y.t.d. is over $30,000 less than last year but I have been at home, not on the road running for fuel. this rate scenario plays out year after year.

 

My buddy here in Houston just got dropped by his carrier because he wouldn't take the loads that lost money. He would rather do a local run and make less money than burn fuel and come back empty because they can't find a backhaul.

All they see is there cut at the top and don't care about o/o's making money.

edit: they are a small 8-10 truck co