Flated rates suck!!!

I was leased to a carrier some years ago. they had good freight out of 2 towns where they were based. They always wanted to load you right back to cover their shippers. Loads coming back were DIRT cheap. When you put the two loads together they didnt look so good.

I know people that operate this way and it works for them. Personally, I dont want the commitment to haul x number of loads for you every week.

I might get lazy, and want to take 2 weeks off...

 

We have a contract customer that moves an 800 mile load to TX for about $2.60 a mile on a one truck indy. When that driver can't do it they will pay us almost$3.50 a mile. Many guys underbid themselves. I'd rather be bidding on something spot that the direct guy cannot cover themselves. Then they have to ask the customer for more money and I many times get loads for double what they were moving for. In a pinch it will pay like that. Not saying he is leaving 90 cents a mile on the table but dry van freight to TX at $2.60 he is leaving money on the table for sure. He could do much better hauling for the right brokers.

 

Only 50 to 100 off a load ? 100 bucks is plenty.

 

I agree but then I have no sweat in the actual sales it took to get nor the frustration of trying to cover it. I certainly don't fault a broker for trying to make more than that. No one holds a gun to your head and makes you book anything to haul. I also don't believe every spot load out there necessarily has $2, $3 or more a mile in it if it's posted at $1 a mile. It was bid down to that by brokers same as drivers willing to race to the bottom.

 

I will give you my model. I use and have direct shipper freight to every area i run and its not hard to do. Plenty of companys, both flat and van will use small o/o's and they pay way better than what the brokers are paying, 15% to as much as 30% in some cases. Theres not 1 place i run where i can not find direct shipper freight 98% of the time. For those times there are 3 brokers i use that have real good freight and pay well and fast. Brokers have there place but IMO you can allways do better with haveing some direct shippes to use. I will admit if its a contract direct shipper for 100% of the freight that can add to problems as you all ways have to cover there loads. Thats why i do not take 100% contracts.

 

I find most shippers prefer brokers. The shipper puts it out to bid with all the brokers... the brokers put it out to bid with all the carriers. Who ever bids it the lowest gets the job. What fun!. Not too many shippers care about "relationships or professional drivers" All that matters is CHEAP.

 

Won't be to much longer I'll be pulling fedex vans till the new year!!

 

Freebrd please contact me 479-567-6172 since the email didnt work for you. Id like to help

 

The news keeps talking about a driver shortage or a truck shortage. Truth is their is a freight shortage. I work for Landstar and have sat a lot this year. Luckily some of it at home. Yes, lot's of freight going into to states like Texas
but not much out. At least not enough to keep back haul rates up. Why is it back haul anywhere pays less? I mean it costs me the same anywhere I go. I guess its a casualty of deregulation. I run dry van and much of Landstar board
is full of low paying freight and hardly any of it talks about fuel surcharge anymore. You call a agent up and they tell you its in the rate or its all inclusive. Which in basic terms means you get what you get. I am about ready to throw
a "For Sale" sign on my truck and trailer. Here we have another potential recession coming if its not already here. Rates are low and fuel is high. Not a good combination. Do you ever hear either Obama or Romney talk about America
and transportation? Nope. Trouble is with these loads is technology allows brokers to advertise freight in a lot of places. They figure some dumb trucker or company will haul it. Just throw it out there and they will come.
A little single truck operation like myself even leased to a big company like Landstar cannot haul freight for cheap both ways and keep wearing out my equipment looking for those Golden loads. The economy sucks, the freight sucks and
everyone supporting trucking is raising rates from the repair shops, to truck stops to the regulations, licensing and permits. Everyone of course but us.

 

Rates would go up if people would quit hauling cheap. There must be alot of people doing this for a hobby to keep hauling all that cheap freight. There is still good paying freight, but not near what there should be.