Man, I *wish* I was pulling down a 56% margin. So, the fun fact about these lane aggregating tools is that, to the best of my understanding, they pull their 'paid' rates from factoring companies. And further, they make no distinction between partial, full truckload, or oversize/overdimensional rates, or extraordinary expedited rates, etc. So, if there's a bunch of loads that skew the numbers one way or the other, the rate aggregation is going to necessarily be off. For example: out of Lovell, WY to the Seattle area, they're showing $1.86/mi average on ~875 miles on DAT (Edited to add that this was DAT, for clarity). That puts it at $1675. In the past year, on that lane, I haven't paid *less* than $1800. I make, roughly, 12-15% on these loads. Make of that what you will. ITS's ratemate, for example, is worse. They're showing 7 postings in the last 7 days for $1.55/mi, and in the last 30 days, they have 1 paid rate showing $3100 for $3.50/mi. That skews the 90 day paid average to $2.87/mi on 2 loads for an average rate of $2775. So, if I were bidding using *solely* this information, I'd lose the loads, and make nothing. Long story short: I'm not making 56%, and lane aggregators can be good, bad, or ugly. Mostly I find them to be the latter two.
I'm wondering how they aggregate what the "Shippers Pay"? Based on what? How many loads aggregated, etc? I just signed up on their site as well. Checked a couple of lanes I run frequently. The spread (according to Lane Honey) is about a 20% to 25% mark up for brokerage side. Which is what I would expect. Then again, my goal is to always book above the DAT contract rate average. I looked Lane Honey at the what "Shippers Pay" average for a lumber lane from S. Oregon to Riverside, CA. I can guarantee the shippers are NOT paying what they posted. I used to work inside for a carrier that hauls a over a hundred loads a week on that lane. We hauled directly for the mills and buyers both and the numbers Lane Honey posted are dreamland realm. I would take their numbers with a grain of salt. Or, better yet, use their numbers on a broker and see how far you get
I didn’t sign up, but it did show a lane I’m familiar with and it was about a $1 per mile high. I searched for reefer and the top producer it showed it a mostly dry van broker Cowan systems.
No. But I was not calling on Atlanta loads lately. JB Hunt was paying close to that about a month ago.
I'm not 100% sure. Possibly broker factoring? Hard to say. I know that I don't make $2.94/mi on the above lane either, which is what ITS says is the average shipper pay rate over the last 12 months. That'd be a $1400 swing on that lane... Which while it would be good money, is laughable, and a surefire way to lose a customer.
The broker will always keep as much as he can if people are willing to run cheap. Leave the brokers sitting on the load and see what happens.
Wait a second. Who the hell relies on the 15 day avg from a computer to stay in business or they go under? If it weren't so sad that would be comical