What should i ask for these loads

Actually those are van rates I listed above. Flat rates are of course higher and I add the .20 mile to the flat rate which generally puts us around $3/mile on 500 mile runs. We'll be higher on the shorter stuff and a little lower on the long distance.

 

I don't run those lanes, but if did I would try to quote somewhere around here for FSD:

Detroit to

Spokane $2.71-2.91
Dallas $2.63-2.83
Laredo $2.59-2.79
Portland $2.32-2.52
Memphis $2.38-2.58
Atlanta $2.21-2.41

Tarp extra

 

Those are still a little low for me but a lot closer than the van rates.

 

If you're not hauling out of Detroit for more than 2.00 a mile, you are the problem in this industry! Eventually a major breakdown will shut you down, only for some other clown to get the idea of starting a trucking company. My break even at 3.50 fuel is 1.60 a mile for ALL miles. Therefore, since I'm in this to make a profit and not break even, I need to average 2.00 a mile on 2500 miles. That 1.60 a mile includes wages, taxes, truck and trailer payments, medical, workers comp, etc. This isn't a hobby.

This week I grossed 6300 on 2300 miles, all miles. Of course I give Landstar their cut, I'll see 5100, which equals 2.22 per mile, all miles. I could have done much, much better this week, but getting home to see my little girl on Halloween is more important to me. All of the loads paid over 3.00 a mile, originating in Orlando, FL, Atlanta GA, and Little Rock, AR, which besides ATL, are not hot areas for great paying freight.

Don't haul cheap freight unless you want to be driving someone else's company truck soon.

 

The main thing you can do is concentrate on getting direct shippers, not brokers. It's not easy, and can be demoralizing getting rejected. If you are a single truck outfit, odds are you'll do much better leased to a quality percentage carrier based on the impression you've given so far. This will let you learn what rates really are and how they vary depending on the day, month, end of quarter, etc.

 

ooida.com has a good tool you can use to factor what you should charge