How do you set your rates?

I have a few that are the same way. Once rates started dropping they found cheaper options. I will remember. Once rates rebound I will haul for them, but they get a back seat and I will monopolize and price accordingly

 

There are a lot of people going broke just keeping the wheels turning. I've kept my base loaded rate at $2.50/mi but sometimes deadhead would chew away at average for all miles. To combat this, I stopped going anywhere that requires more than 100mi bounce to get back to freight. I run around 6-7 states now and cut out all the consumer states. TN, AR, AL, MS, LA and TX is about all I do. Occasionally FL, if it's close to state line. I won't tarp, at all, since tarped freight runs $0.10-0.15 cheaper, per mile, than not tarped, not to mention the added 1-3hrs work required.


Currently I'm doing one load per day for $600-1500 and no more than 500mi, averaging around $3 per loaded mile and less than 100mi deadhead between. I'm making more money than cross-country and there's almost zero stress. I don't take anything less than $2.50 just to keep the wheels turning. It's cheaper to sit and wait.

 

Personally I dont get hung up on so much per mile.

If I dont make a minimum of 1500 a day (or 750 for 4 hours close to home - including the time to get back home) I pass.

Example, you get 2100 for a 700 mile trip (3 bucks a mile). Picks up friday am, delivers monday. If I deliver near home, fine - I will run home and then deliver it monday. If I pick up near home and can sit until sunday night to run it, fine. Otherwise Im wasting 3 days and 2100 isnt enough.

Doesnt matter if Im moving or not. Im not home. But I usually book my entire week before I leave home, so I dont have these issues.

 

You've certainly come a long way. I remember when you would take a load depending on if the town it went to had potato wedges at the truck stop.

Remember when you wanted to get into heavy haul with a single axle Emeryville? Had it not been for that possum chewing up all of the interior and dash, you would be out $2000 and a 1978 Ford Grenada.

Im just saying you've become more business savvy.

 

I have Amazon deliver a months supply of JoJo’s potato logs at the first of every month. And got a smaller magic chef hot box on the passenger seat. I can enjoy potato wedges wherever I go now.

I still regret passing on that emoryville. Emoryville’s are just plain class. But I scored decent on an old L800 ford. The 392 was a little weak, but I retarded the timing and added a 150 shot to it. I had a 200 shot, but I was climbing grapevine with a pc490 on. When I hit the button it pulled the neck plum off my witzco trailer.
Only problem I have now is that I have to keep routing myself to speed shops to get my tank refilled.

 

Just like Robbin a stage or a train. A double barrel 16 gauge with both hammers back. And I try to get it all. Then get the hell outta Dodge as fast as I possibly can. But I stay the hell outta Coffeyville