What should i ask for these loads

While that would be a great idea and has sound reasoning behind it, you woud need about 20 different maps. Good rates out of Chicago go to different places than good rates out of Texas, and good rates from California go to different places than the good rates from Atlanta..... get what I'm saying???

Example: Chicago to ND pays very well, Chicago to Houston pays well also....

Houston to Chicago pays terrible, and ND to Chicago also pays terrible.

California to FL pays very well, Dallas to California pays very well, but California to Texas pays bad, FL to ANYWHERE pays bad.

Usually Chicago to California pays bad, and coming back from CA to Chicago pays crappy as well but the REVENUE is high due to the miles and most drivers see just the bottom line. They will go 2,200 miles for $1.45 a mile instead of chosing the load for $3.50 mile to NJ or MN. Now you will gross more $$$ on the CA run, but your NET will be almost equal after factoring in costs and such. Not to mention you will be stuck taking a below $2 mile rate to get back towards the east, where in MN or NJ you can usually find another $3 mile run to say Jacksonville, Houston or even back towards the Chicago area where you know you can get some more good freight.

Like I have said tho, i personally used to like to sit at home and wait for a $4 mile run to pop up. Then I book it, and go. Once I get to the area, if I can not find something around $3 mile on the route back towards home, i will just deadhead home and find me another load once home. Everyones business and financial situation is differet, but I was able to pay all bills and save up quite a bit on $2 a mile for 3,000 miles a week (1,500 there and 1,500 back)

 

I think you got it backwards, CA to TX pays very well. Texas never(or very very seldom) had good paying loads to CA. It always been from west to midwest/eastcoast. But I agree sometimes I was going better from east/midwest to westcoast.

 

You have to find your own lanes that work for you. I used to run out of central FL on Monday and run to either Ohio or the Northeast. I'd then go over to Chicago area and get a load to FL. I'd try to have a load from the Northeast to get me there if I could find a decent one. I was getting 2.00+ out of FL and always 2, if not 3 into FL. This was standard flatbed freight in 2006-2007. It ended when my FL customer was sold. I wouldn't tell you any of my current lanes/people I use as that would be very detrimental to my business.

BTW, hire a salesperson!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I guess each company is different then because with Landstar, Schneider and now at QC the loads from TX to CA pay better.

I have also been told tho that the rates for my terminal in Chicago are better going into TX and back out than the terminal in TX. I spoke with the manager Tuesday and he said he has 5 O/O who live in TX wanting to lease out of our Chicago office because of the rates ???? (this is tankers)

 

you could always broker him your freight. Take your 30% and be able to sit at home and play solitaire ?

 

All of my freight these days come from Landstar agents who would be more than happy to broker it out for the right carrier. However, I don't talk agent codes or specifics with anyone.

 

So you broker all you work from LS, why not lease to them?

 

Cause if you lease to Landstar they take a criminally ridiculous cut. 35% dry van, 30% flat bed.

 

Not to mention that cut comes out of EVERYTHING including stop pay, detention pay, layover pay ect ect..... Ridiculous