What is your "below dignity" or insult rate?

I think that a much better common denominator than $/per mile is your daily net revenue - what you're left with after fuel, tolls, lumpers (if out of your own pocket), factoring costs, scales.

For example, If I take a load from Chicago, IL to Denver, CO for $4000 - about $4 dol per mile that's the rate that after fuel and Illinois tolls would render about $1650 per day - not bad by itself.
Denver outbound loads going east are known for being very insulting e.g. $1200 makes it $250 a day - insulting by itself but...is that such a thing, if considered with the conjunction of the Denver inbound rate, or would you rather go back on empty?

OR Taking a local 100 total mile bottled water load...there is no time nor sense to find any backhaul. You just go from home to the water plant, deliver and go back home and you're done for the day.
Let's just say, logistically, you are able to perform just one load per day like that. Say the costs of fuel and tolls are $100... I've seen some taking it for less than $550...so their dignity level must be about $400-450 even though the rate per mile itself was $5,50 or even more if excluding the deadhead. It shows that the rate per mile is only meaningful in the context of mileage.

 

@TallJoe it is an excellent question but it might be difficult to answer, so it may not be a very good question after all.

You see...It is very lane-specific. For instance, any outbound load out FL is below dignity or insulting as you very eloquently put it. No doubts there. There is nothing to expect from that despicable animal...It is like a hyena.

Just look at it:


Similarly, there is nothing pretty and never will be about Florida outbound loads. One big ugliness and shame. Although, you don't come to a hyena and tell her how ugly she is...she knows it very well already.

One should rather ask what the insult rate on the Chicago-Miami lane is... surely anything less than $3000. Even $4000 barely cuts it. Those rates ought to look pretty - $5000 - $6000 so they are supposed to be at least Zebras and Giraffas. They, if called a hyena, might indeed feel insulted.

I hope it helps...Don't overthink it too much @TallJoe.

P.S.
BTW...what's the story about the hyenas, did a tiger copulate with a bat or something like that?

 

So do I. Although, it may not be a very popular view...on this forum anyway.

 

A matter of perception is what it is. Perhaps it is dependent on the times we live in and economical circumstances. Perhaps, NOW, if someone would offer you a load for 2.5 a mile from South Texas to Alabama, you'd tell them "Screw you!" but if it were offered at times when 2 dol per mile is a standard, you'd say "Thank, you", even though it would mean clearing $850 after two days of work...
I think that the dignity level is something very fluid....

 

I am sure, there must have been times, when you said, at least in your mind "F.U. ##hole" after being offered a number, and then you would rather deadhead 500 miles somewhere else than hauling as cheap.
That's what the dignity threshold or pride threshold is.