Spot Market Rates Question.

Yeah- Its tough right now....... Well, Hope your doing "ok" at least, Im on vacation this week- and 2 more weeks vacation before the new Year- Not in a hurry to compete with Hoards of people looking for loads.

Have Fun- We'll see ya!

 

In case you missed the news - shippers have been pulling freight from their contracted freight to take advantage of the miserable spot market.

 

Buddy has been doing pretty good - for a new entrant, he's been holding $2.10/mile all miles for the last 9 months - but he's tenacious.

If we could just find him a reliable driver . . .

 

The rates advertised on DAT have always been awful. I never run for the advertised rates. I do sum up the load based on the advertised rate though. If it's a horrible rate then they don't need it moved. I will say I've been pretty lucky this year but that doesn't mean it's been good. I've been about as persistent as always and there's always room for negotiation. I'm down about $15k gross from last year so far as I can tell.

When I call on a load and they give me the details ending in 'and we're paying $$$ to the truck', not even asking what I can cover it for, I usually just say thanks and hang up. Why waste time if they have no interest in negotiating.

 

Yeah, I've been noticing that the quality of LS agents that call in on my loads seems to be deteriorating, as well. We had one last week call on one of my loads, and then thirty seconds later he had it up on DAT trying to double broker it. I had my colleague call him on his cell phone and dude read back the details I'd given him almost verbatim. I then called him back and asked if he had a truck- he told me in his busted English that he was confirming with his driver. He then called my colleague back who handed me his cell phone. "Yeah, maybe don't try and double broker my load."

Back to the point of this discussion - rates are down, and there's only so much that can be done about that from the broker's end. Someone's gonna move the stuff cheap, and we have to compete in that space. It's frustrating for us, too, because a) it cuts into what I can pay for better drivers and b) also means I'm working just as hard as I have been working, but for less.

 

TQL investing 20mill in OH hiring 600
XPO 2nd QTR sales up 43million

TQL reporting 10 consecutive QTR of 2.6% growth . In 2017 TQL Grossed 2.6Billion 2018 they Grossed 3.9 billion.

All public info on Google . search QTRLY sales earnings for _______

Blaming the shippers for rates seems to be working for them. Meanwhile Carrier im leased to im avg. Midwest. $2.75 East of OH. $3.53 $3.75. South 2.25 . All contract freight.

 

This because the guys that say "I'll never haul for TQL" Are the same guys picking up the telephone saying " Hi,Im calling about the Albuquerque NM to Marion,OH, 32k"
TQL "I just moved it"
" Awe man, "
TQL "I have a Moriarty.NM to Fernley,NV"
"Ok Ill take it"



Point being- These guys will Bash TQL UNTIL they See an El Paso To Indianapolis, Or a Denver to Norfolf,VA..

Then They Want

Same with the Northeast-
"Hi ,Im calling about the Newington<CT to Milwaukee,WI"
TQL" 900 miles,Pays $1150"
"Ok Ill take it

And you carriers know who you are- You'll publicly blast TQL (I would too) But jump on that Precious lane

 

I do Ice Cream in WI MI IN for TQL i usually get 3.25 3.65 range . Grand Rapids to Dayton OH pays 1500.
Pork loads i avg about same . Spot or Contract. I work WI OH PA IN IL some IA back to Contract freight in OH.