Ridiculous rates

I get load alerts from Landstar. I saw a load for like $.87 cents per mile out of NH. Not uncommon. I kept getting load alerts for this same load every 15 minutes with the rate increased by $.05 until it was gone. Didn't keep track how much it went for.

 

Probably didn't rise much. Used to you could watch a load with decent miles go from $2 a mile up to $4 and $5 at night time within an hour or so. You could even call on one like that and get much more than posted alert rate. Try that now and they will either laugh or tell you they already have a cut throat ready to chop it. No-one has the patience to wait and see and they rarely rise above $2.50 anymore.

 

I really like the landstar short mile program they use I tell the brokers it the "Landstar Cheat You Mile Program"
Routing was through middle of a lake once.
I very seldom look at the LS board anymore only hauled like 3 loads this year for them.
And CHR is just a bad now I only work about 1.5 days a week now.

 

The fact is, there is no driver shortage,,,over all! Many immigrants that will haul for cheap, like the above poster said, because it is way more than they have ever made. Did I say MANY immigrants? illegal or otherwise too... I don't see how one truck owner ops with truck/trailer payments are even making it,, I can't say I am starving because some how by the grace of God, I make my bill payments every month, but that is it. Last week was my worst ever, at $1.02 pm average Ridiculous, I might as well go home and draw welfare...

 

Thats exactly what I was saying. Mine last week was average 1.50. But I deadheaded home 1000 miles. Had a breakdown and had to wait 3 days in a dead area to get it fixed. To me it's a really bad week. I cleared out more money than I would in a different country but my living standards and bills are higher in this country. I like to be human too. See my family and friends and do something in this world besides argue with swift and super truckers and think of excuses for the DOT and so on. My 4,000-6,000 paychecks didn't go to fancy cars and houses. I paid myself like a driver, put money away for the truck, got myself benefits, and of course taxes. That all came out of those 4-6k "net" paychecks. Now I'll cover bills and depending on my luck either I'll be paid or money will go to a truck. I would quit this business by now but I believe rates will go up . Might take a year, I'm not sure. However these guys at 1 something a mile don't understand why guys are "crying" . They don't care about risk, or benefits, or home. They rent a $200 room. Eat poorly, everything. Save up 100k, don't pay taxes and go back to their countries where they open up bars or restraunts or whatever for 1/10th of the price.

 

Generally sheep dog I like your post, and I do agree that there is no driver shortage. But if your average was $1.02 per mile for the week then you are part of the problem. Can't blame that on immigrants, legal or illegal.

 

might have included a lot of dead heading that would lower an average without hauling cheap freight

 

How so? In my book if it doesn't cover the deadhead it's too cheap. Of course it is understandable sometimes a person might have misfortune where they end up deadheading 500 or more miles for whatever reason, which will drag down the week, but it's not the end of the world in the more important big picture. An off week where the average dropped to that is one thing. Every week like that is another thing altogether.

 

Well I haul reefer and hazmat. I typically run east and back to Illinois. (Get to spend time at home for weeks and one or two day a week)

I'll take in current market for example $3200 to Mass. From there they would like to pay heavy reefer loads at $1100-1200. Let's say I delivered on Monday . If I can't find a decent rate, or a partial to cover expenses, I'll deadhead the truck to chicago. On the way something will pop up paying the same price. It costs about $200 in fuel and $100 in tolls to come empty, which the truck can be here Tuesday . And I'll take another $3200 that way for Thursday delivery. Come back empty to pick up another $3200 for Monday.

If I were to pick up their "$1100" heavy junk, I wouldn't be able to be back here on Tuesday, plus I'd deff entry fill up at least $450 worth of truck and reefer. The $3200 I have everyday. Used to pay way more but a broker tried to undercut so we settled for this. Yeah it's 2000 miles dead head but they costed $600-700 to have a gross of $6500-$9000. Rate per mile is lower but net money is better than hauling that cheap crap.

 

I agree. I don't think many people understand this concept.