Flatbed rates going down in the summer?

It has been my experience that this time of the year brokers tend to have a harder time finding guys to take loads for a weekend run as well. Everyone wants to be home for the nice weather. I also make more $$$ when I grab a load and sit on it over a holiday weekend. Like this coming Memorial Day weekend, i already have a load lined up that they want to put on me Friday and don't want it delivered till 7am tuesday morning. Paying well over $24 mile for a short haul

 

SHC,

That's what I am seeing happening too.

Nice to see after 17 years, somethings don't change.

 

You don't necessarily need to haul the cheap freight, but may not be offered the "premium" freight until the broker or agent sees what you can do. They are not going to take a chance on their best freight going away with a new owner operator who doesn't yet have a track record. There have been instances where an owner operator will pick up a load and go home for the weekend or take a couple of days off when the load is expedited or JIT. I have known of some instances where the driver disappeared for a few days without so much as a word. You can't do that in this business if you want the better paying loads. If a broker or agent sees that you can get the job done and you keep your word, they are much more likely to use you on their better freight. I have always had a minimum haul rate. It is important that anyone with whom you do business understands that you don't run for cheap rates, providing that is what you want to do. I have some brokers who don't even bother to call if they have cheap rates. I have had others call with cheap rates and when I tell them what I need to haul their freight they have told me that they move them at the cheap rate all day long. I tell them that it won't go on my trucks at their rate.

 

That's a great idea.....We all know what great rates are....So let the "chief" make a little more than the "Indians" as long as we all make money....

 

That's what happened with my stainless loads....I was consistently getting between $2300-$2700 depending on how many lifts I took....
Fuel went to almost $5/g and the brokers were trying get us to haul them for $1600......Or less.....No way!!!!!!

I never pay a broker to move a load.......That's ########!!!!!!

 

I think I know which customer you are refering to. We were getting some really good rates on od and legal loads until landstar started showing up there. Tell him to bump the rates up, there is enough for all of us, no since trying to hoard freight and haul it for less than they are willing to pay.

 

That rate didn't come from Landstar. Keene has been rapping the rates out of Iowa for years. They called me a couple of years ago to haul an oversized load for less than $2/mile. Most brokers don't have much invested in these accounts. If they can get a truck to take the run, whether cheap or not, they still make money. Some will sell their souls for a few pieces of silver. As long as owners continue to haul at those rates it will make it more difficult for those of us who want a fair rate to get what we need. If a broker can't get a load covered at a cheap rate then either the rate goes up or the shipper finds another broker who can move the load. Before I will haul one of their over sized loads out I would deadhead. I got $3/mile a couple of weeks ago out of Iowa on a legal load including deadhead. You can usually find a better rate if you are patient.