How do you determine your rates?

All im seeing is a bunch of brokers playing cuthroat so they can get contracts renewed. Tis the season and alot of drivers are playing right into tbe brokers hands

 

I wish people would make 3$/mi the new $2/mi. I’m so sick so seeing guys undercut just because it keeps the wheels turning. Are you in business to keep the wheels turning or to make MONEY? I figure my costs at 2.15/mi on all hub miles.

 

Count me in! 3 is the new 2!

 

What does a gallon of fuel cost?

 

The spot market is merciless and does not care about shiny new trucks and drivers wanting to be paid every week. Nobody asks and cares about somebody's operational costs, not to mention ambitions.LOL. It will be the market dictating what you can quote or not. If the costs are too high for what the market can offer then it is not a good situation. That's why it is still important to know what your costs are.
$2 per mile pops up, as if it was a magic number because it looks as if with that as an all mile average rate and 100K miles a year of work, it can still provide a decent profit: 80-100K. At least for me - average Joe.

 

So your ok with $2.00 running under your own authority?

 

Only as an end of year result. I mean, If the truck run for 80 000 - 100 000 miles and all my revenue turns out to be $200 000 then I'll be more than good. If I wanted to work less, I'd need a better average than that. I am talking about dry van. The point is that the average is not something I can really control, I can only drive more and make up for it with more work - revenue, if the market offers lower rates. Or stay home...If I can.

 

I wish so too but there is not enough fish in the pond to sustain that rate level. As a solo owner op/with own MC# my YTD costs are 1.10 per mile before I pay myself, so even though I'll hate it but sooner or later I'll have to accept $1800 for Chicago - York, PA lane...not as bad yet but when mama says It is time to bring money, I'll have to go and I know I am not the worst guy on the spot market out there.

 

I guess I am in trucking for different reasons. I grew up around it when I was a little kid. My grandparents started in the 50’s and my Dad ran in the mid 70’s to mid 80’s until owning some trucks and coming off the road when I was born. They all got out in 1999 or 2000 when I was just 15 or 16 yrs old.

I never expected or planned to drive or own trucks. I saw them make money but I also saw my Mother literally break down and cry multiple times as an 8 to 10 yr old because she didn’t know how to pay for the next payments. It was a big eye opener for me as an impressionable young boy. We always got by and never did without per say, but we’re not wealthy by any means.

In 2008 when I got into trucking I decided that I wasn’t doing it because I like trucks, I was doing it because I wanted to make MONEY!! I started extremely small and modest with old stuff but knew I’d come up eventually and really make a go of it. If not I’d get out as this is way too #### stressful to get by or make an ok living.

I don’t give a #### about anything other then having a solid group in my office, having the best and highest paid drivers, and at the end of the day trying to get rich. I want to be a self made millionaire. True rags to riches type stuff. So if your doing anything other then trying to get rich, do us all a favor and please move on to a different industry. This “game” is FAR to risky and stressful to do anything but get money.

Don’t truck just to truck. Have a purpose and hammer on these rates like your life depends on it. After all, all of us trying to get ahead depend on you to do it too.

/rant over