Why does "backhaul" refer to cheap freight?

no one should consider anything as a "backhual"....think of everything as a headhual....

sorry but most frieght dont pay enuff to even consider hualing something for less just to get home

 

I've often wondered this as I read through the boards. I see truckers post where they'll take a cheap load just to get to a particular destination... saying it's better than deadheading. And in the next post, folks will be complaining about bottom-feeders running cheap freight and not forcing shippers/brokers to pay decently.

I never posted my sentiments on this because I'm not in the industry and only know what I read here... so I figured I was missing something and would understand more as my knowledge increases. But it seems to me that by taking these cheap loads just "to get home" or whatever, truckers are shooting themselves in the foot.

On one hand, I understand. It's better than hauling an empty which pays nothing. On the other hand, it just seems self-defeating. But I guess a trucker has to do what a trucker has to do... <sigh>

 

Wow... I hear you guys here. We had a truck in Atlanta yesterday that we HAD to get back to Ohio this morning no matter what because we have a dedicated job for a handful of our trucks. We actually got offered a rate of $312.25 for an 750 mile run. That equals out to what... about $.42/mile. People are out of their minds! The sad thing is that Im sure some knuckle head took the load. Rates keep falling and falling because people keep settling. We're between a rock and a hard place though. You can sit for a few days making NO money... or you can throw on a cheap load that's paying crap.

I would really like to know what in the heck we're supposed to get ourselves out of this horrible depression of worhtless rates.

Then again, Im sure if any of us knew that answer we would have already put something in motion!!!

 

I consider a "backhaul" when you have your own customer going one way then you have to find a load back for the next. Not necesarilly a cheap haul.

Maggie, I'l go broke sitting on my butt before I go broke working. I don't pay to haul freight for someone. If money is coming out of my pocket I'd deadhead and the cheap ######## wouldn't get a thing from me

 

No kidding. what do you guys actually consider cheap? I know we usually wont touch anything paying less that $2.00 a mile. Is that reasonable? Too cheap??? I really dont understand it all. I know that you have to consider paying the driver, truck fuel, maintence, ect... But what really classifies as a good rate? Ive only been in this industry a little over a year and I can completely tell that the rates are just plumetting to nothing.

ALSO.... I understand you wanting to sit... but if you dont mind me asking what kind of equipment to you pull? We run RGN's ... and an ocassional SD... anymore we just arent finding the heavy & oversized freight. Usually we have to convince the shippers to put SD or Flat freight on our drop trailers.

Sorry if I sound a bit uneducated on this... it's only because I have so little experience and theres just so much to learn

 

that depends i you are talking $2 with fsc or $2+fsc.

Cheap is relative. once you know how much you need to operate your truck you know how much you need to just break even. Then add in what you think you deserve for profit. In my eye I may load that will hit my break even rate if I need to get somewhere but not for less. Cheap would be anything below the rate that includes what I want to make for profit, good rate is anything over it. Sorry to be so Vague but it really is different for everyone. My truck is an 86 and I don't have to pay a driver plus make a profit on top of that so My break even will be less than yours. Ask your boss what it costs to move the truck, he will know.
At 6mpg you are looking at $.60 per mile just or fuel

 

I believe.... that he once said $1.60 ???

He's a really intellegent guy, I know he wouldnt be taken advantage of by hauling something thats going to cost him more than it woud profit.

But thanks for clearing that up a bit... it really helped !