Load Boards

Hopefully one day you'll realize how wrong you are
ask for it , stand your ground and you'll get it

 

Learning a few key areas really well is much better than chasing the best posted rate to wherever load after load with no reason for why going somewhere - other than it was tall miles at $2 a mile - that's not a good plan at all. You'll never learn when and where to get better than posted rates operating in such an unfocused manner.

 

That "stand your ground" attitude only works if the spot market is in your favor, in the dry van part of the industry that is rare. Because it is saturated with mega carriers and bottom feeders. Also most of the dry van freight is not time sensitive, giving the broker or the shipper some leeway .

 

You're right but that's how spot goes. You can't expect to stand your ground anywhere at anytime and always come out on top. It never works like that. It works enough when it's busy that you shouldn't need to work when freight is dead. I've been doing it going on 3 years now with a dry van, it's been ridiculously tight capacity at times in that span, it's no different than standing your ground with any trailer type. What do you need driver? Last thing I do when someone asks me that is think I'm the crazy one asking for profitable rates, KNOWING they will pay it (because someone ALWAYS will when I persist) and if it takes a dozen or more calls so what? There's no reason in the world dry vans have to be cheap. Mine isn't. The ones that are need to rethink what they're doing.

 

Up until the last week or so the load boards for dry van have been super busy with great rates and in many areas. The same areas this past week have been pathetically slow with nearly half the amount of available loads in the same search radius. Funny how that happens so quick. What's even more funny is how the same brokers pick up on this almost with ESP and cut their rates accordingly. After watching this trend for a couple days, I just called it a week and enjoyed the nice weather!

 

Dont take my post as a personal attack towards you, its not. Butdo your homework, no one is goint to do it for you. If you think you wont get those rates and never try, guess what, youre not .
figure out where theres decent freight and COMMODITIES, dont move those loads of used clothing that want light and heavy and take all day to load and unload unless they pay you an amount you can make a profit of.
When Im pulling my step , I get called on alot of crap freight, it doesnt cost me less to move my truck because cheap merchandise is on my deck. They can either pay a decent rate that Im asking for or I can hang out w my wife and kids.

People say you cant make any $ hauling brokered freight. My step and rgn have been paid for by broker freight. Its out there if you look for it.

Give your brokers or customers good service, keep comunication lines open. Dont be scared to deadhead a little .

Try it a few times, youll be surprised. I wish you luck

 

Thank you both for helpful insight.
I do agree with what both of you said, about doing homework and figuring out what areas are hot. Even if that can change on a days notice, like askbob said spot market is volatile. Figuring out these freight trends can be tuff, especially in the long haul.

 

When reading your post, I was wondering if you're apt to call your prospective shipper/broker (in A truck saturated lane) and try to negotiate an amount that meets your criteria ? And if so what kinds of things would you say to them other than breaking out the calculator to support your bid ?
I was an auto transmission shop salesman for several years so I'm accustomed to negotiation.
(1)Would you negotiate your price with comments on the tariff rate circulating around to us carriers? (2)How do you find what you need for your FSC ? (3)And lastly could you use capacity being tight as a negotiation point to hold your ground ?

D... In N.Texas

 

If every one was running at the rate to cover for fuel and tolls cost, then how is any one surviving. Here is what Pathmark is saying the best they can do on a full load with appt. on a 536 miles run for whopping $1250. How can u afford it. Choptank has a similar load at the same price.

 

Here is another one of them, BNSF Logistics, Kristen say $1250 to the Northeast for 550 miles run, Wow