Load Boards

I would look into doing something specialized don't go into just dry van or regular reefer , there's alot of competition and hard to make it any better then driver. Try to find a niche or find a customer nearby you that can provide you with loads , but if you will rely on load boards there's nothing but cheap inconsistent freight on load boards. Relying 100% on the loads boards is very bad.

 

It depends. Most that don't post a rate _are_ ridiculously cheap. So cheap, in fact, that they wouldn't get ANY calls on the load if they posted a rate.

It would save everyone lots of time and aggravation if brokers were required to post a rate with every load.

 

I rely 100% on loadboards for every load I haul and contact I develop. Leased on to a carrier I pull in a rate to the truck that would put most independents to shame as well as leased ops hauling contract freight. Contrary to popular opinion good freight on good lanes gets posted on loadboards every day. Admittedly it's like a needle in a haystack, and most that luck into don't know what they've found nor how to exploit it, but it is out there. Nobody ever said it would be easy though. You have to use that noggin for something other than a hat rack if you're gonna make anything of it...

 

I disagree. I'd rather call on the unknown, find out what it is, then I know if it's got anything in it regardless what cues the broker gives off. Posting price doesn't magically make it easier to get a rate. Ones whining about cheap freight will continue hauling cheap. Maybe if they figure out how to put value on their service and more importantly how to walk away from a bad deal they might not be so intimidated from having to negotiate something from nothing? It separates the "can do" from excuse makers, competition...

 

I use the DAT app on my phone occasionally as it is free and has other information as well. But I subscribe to Getloaded and haven't been disappointed. For $29.99 per month it keeps me loaded and is easy to used. I am able to use their app on my phone or bring it up on the laptop for full information. Sometimes I will also use UTI or TQL boards for free. If all you are looking for is a basic load board for minimal price Getloaded does the trick. DAT is a good board, and if you subscribe, you will get a great deal of additional information than just loads. If you use load boards on a regular basis, the subscription price shouldn't be a big factor as they will pay for themselves with only one or two loads. It is the additional information that may be valuable for load planning that creates the value.

 

Yea I've been thinking flatbed. But that's why I want a look at load boards, to get an idea.

 

If you look you'll decide against buying a truck. You will be dissapointed. That is on the ones that post rates, and for the most part holds true. It takes many calls to secure a decent rate on any given load from a load board. Many months, and years to develope reliable trustworthy contacts off them so you aren't depending on random loadboard freight for every load.

 

So, waterloo!
You seem like the only guy with enough BRASS to mention actual rates even if it was way back in 2008!!

It sucks when someone says they got a "good rate" and you never know if what they consider "good" is the sucky rate of $1.74 (that is what JB HUNT is offering right now including their FSC) or $3.00 a mile (rumors I have heard as $2.56 was the best I have seen personally ($900 to go 351 Miles Bensenville IL to Middleburg heights OH).

Can you (or anyone else willing to chime in) let us know what actual freight prices you are seeing out there these days?
Also, where the good paying lanes are for those of us just starting out.

We have a small (as in the wife and I tiny) home based local expidited delivery service and had to get an authority for one of our clients and I just happen to have a class A Hazmat (former mechanic from the days of mechanical injection and carburators) and have done some driving as an employee, so we are looking to see what we can do with it.

Also, I'm only up to page 6 out of 43 for this thread so I'm still working at it.


How do I get spell check to work on this forum??

 

No one is going to give you that info. You have to use your own good judgement and find it yourself. You have to keep your poker face at all times. Will tip the hand a little here though.. One run I do regularly pays $800 on 251 odometer miles. The other pays $1200 on 398 miles. Compared to a year ago when I started I was lucky to find $1.80-$1.90 gross.. You have to find this stuff and develop good connections using your judgement it's not easy and takes time. Rates on any given lane depend on the freight and what YOU are willing to roll for. The above rates for me are at rock bottom of what I will even roll out of bed for pulling 53 dry van. I stay plenty busy..

 

The total financial layout to get started with a big truck is more than we can scratch together right now, so we have to keep things small and local (300 miles or so).

Perhaps we could hook up with some O/O that don't have their own authority?

Tomorrow I have a 32,000 lb registered box truck with some pipe going to Decatur IL and am looking for (unsuccessful so far) something coming back to the Joliet/Chicago area.

We deadhead back whenever we make a delivery as it's so hard to find anything small and/or coming back to this area from so close by.

I also read where they show how to get the spell check but that icon does not show up anywhere on my forum page.