Why oh why are you drivers taking this cheap freight????

If we stop saying "NO" to cheap rates... And we don't unite... Then nothing will change. Just saying BS or not ... That's the truth.

 

Dreamers.....

 

So you never take anything that pays under $2/mile?

 

Nope........

 

I never take anything that pays under $4 a mile

 

Riddle me this. Let's say I am in Chicago on a Friday afternoon, just got empty, looking for a load. not finding much, but somebody calls me with a load to Denver and I quote them $5000.00. They balk a little but eventually give $4900.00. airfreight, light load. (that part is actually a true story btw). But now to the hypothetical part. let's say on my way to Denver, I stop and look at the boards a little, and as usual, nothing much happening. However, I spot a load out of Kansas City, MO - Savannah, GA (10 available) for 53' stepdeck with ramps, which is what I'm pulling. And it's paying $3.00/mile ! hang with me here.

Now let's say I get unloaded Monday and call on the Kansas City - Savannah and yah they still have a few, okay book me one to pickup Tues. Now, I am getting ready to head out but I check the boards and lo and behold there is a partial shipment going from Denver to Kansas City. 2 pallets, no tarp, paying $300. I call and it turns out the pickup location is 2 blocks down the street, and the delivery is only 20 miles out of route. Now, I ask you, who in their right mind is not going to haul this cheap freight ??? I sure don't have to haul it, but why wouldn't I ? You will never hear me say, "I'll never haul for less than X.XX"

 

its a good thing your a cattle hauler

 

who in the world is taking these 12ft 2in wide loads out of Fort Worth/dallas area for a 1.40 a mile. heck the escort across Ar. is going to be 1.50 mile plus permits all the wat to PA.

 

From March 1st to years end I negotiated and booked every single load. That was 164 loads on exactly 43,550 odometer loaded miles only (no deadhead in that). Rate to my truck after Bill got his cut off the top was $3.24 a mile. Of those loads 8 paid less than $2 a mile loaded. $1.80 was the lowest on loaded miles only. My model does not depend on cheap freight but I don't knock anyone who does. That's how most do it, $3-$4 out and a $1 back to it, the numbers work. It's never going to change. I don't cry about it I work around it. My model is 25% or more deadhead, whatever it takes, to get to the higher dollar load. 300-400 or 500 mile deadheads haven't hurt me I did $2.19 on 76k miles this year. Those 8 loads were where I took so-so 3 a mile to unknown markets. When I stay in my main lanes like I did 4th quarter nothing goes on the truck much under $3 a mile. Next year I'll be much better at this and nothing under $2 mile will get loaded on there I'm certain I can do it. Really $2.loaded is aiming low IMO anyways. My threshold there starts at $3... so yeah, again, I did a few times and used that cheap freight to quickly position on the good again.. but it was a rare thing and again i never knock anyone who operates that way load after load nor do I ask them to change.