Flated rates suck!!!

You can drive and search for loads? That is what he was talking about...

 

Maybe that's what this person was trying to do.

 

Yes, I'm leased to LS, but rates here have been going down as well. Military freight is still paying decent as well as some of the guys I haul stuff for who are direct brokers for manufacturers. I've been making my money by doing LTL's and putting 2 or 3 together.

Here's an example of the last few loads I've done

2 LTL's from Chicago to Detroit for $1,900 to the truck
1 LTL from IN and a LTL from IL to St. Louis for $2,300
Did a LTL for Eaton to Alabama for $1,500
Military load paired with a LTL going to California....

Maybe try to do as I have and see if you can make a good chunk of change???? It can't hurt to try instead of sitting at the truckstops. Hope things get better for you guys.

 

Based on my own personal experience I agree that a good dispatcher could probably increase a truck's productivity by about 20%. It is very tiresome to keep your nose buried in a computer screen every minute you're not running down the road. Trust me, I did it for a long time! I never knew that there are dispatchers for hire that locate freight and dispatch O/Os while they're working. What services do they provide and what do you pay them for their services?

 

The trouble with most of them is, and you will see this complaint posted from time to time, they only care about booking loads regardless of rates. They make their percentage regardless. Now maybe there is a dispatch company out there with some good contacts who keeps o/o busy with good paying freight - have yet to see or hear about it - likely guys wouldn't talk about much if they did exist.

 

I have a friend that uses a dispatch service, he never seems to have any money. Not sure if it is because his wife drinks it all or what. He told me once, I can hook you up with them if you want to get your own authority. I said I don't want my own authority, and even if I did I would not pay someone to find loads for me. If they are dispatching enough trucks would they really care to get the best rates for me? Or just get a load on me, take their cut and move on to the next truck.

 

When I first started pulling a hopper I did this......I never had enough money

 

All depends on the dispatcher, keep in mind, you are going to be on top your business, so in two weeks he books you $1.10 mile a load and can't break that, how much longer are you going to let him run your truck? Not much...so not only does he lose business, he loses reputation as well...Some charge a percentage, some charge a flat monthly fee etc....either way if they aren't booking you freight that is making you money you won't be staying with them and it's a loss for them.

 

So you run at a loss just to see? No thank you

 

Pulling Broker freight? - I have had no problem and haven't even been offered a load below $2.25/mile.
Most are in the mid or upper $2s.
They pay on time (usually within 48hrs for me) and I have built a reputation of delivering on time and safe.
That goes miles for building relationships.

I use Membersedge loadboard when I don't see anything that pays really great or if I want to go into an area that my
normal brokers do not have freight headed.
The only thing I have had so far is crap coming out of Florida, which I knew going in.
$.92/mile to run either wooden pallets or bagged mulch. Seriously? - Let someone else do it for that price.

For a one man truck, I just dont see any need to try and do direct freight with customers unless something "one off" comes up.
Then I would be happy to run it for them.