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

If that's including FSC and not including empty miles, then you're being taken advantage of by the company you're leased on with.

 

Pretty sad that I have a truck making more than that pulling RailCans which is the cheapest freight possible.

 

Why are we sugar coating here? Let's get real. Rates are in the toilet right now. I have not seen rates increase significantly if at all since last February when they went down after the holiday season. I have brokers offering the same exact loads that we ran last year for much less this year. Example: last year, Toledo, Oh area to Charlotte, NC 580 miles, was paying $1700. This year the same load is being offered by the the same broker for $1050. They say "the shippers are holding back." I don't know if the shippers are holding back or if the brokers are cashing in! Fuel is up, rates are down..
~Bridgett

 

Well, the way to find out is to get out there and work on getting some direct freight. Quote the shippers a fair rate ($2/mile and up) for their loads and see if they bite. If they jump on your rate, then you know the brokers are taking you to the cleaners.

 

That would be ideal. Except this is one truck. One truck in no position to bid on the volume of freight under contract with Amazon.com! This is a huge contract, contracted to a very large carrier.
~Bridgett

 

It is the same rate all miles empty and loaded.

 

Specialize..... I just got $4,700 down to Charlotte from Chicago for a legal load. Widen your freight base and hauling capabilities and you'll get better rates.

 

Wow. Can you hook me up? what is a legal load?
~Bridgett

 

What do you mean by widening your freight base and hauling capabilities? A van, reefer, tanker, flat can only haul so much. Are you talking about hauling oversize stuff?

 

What I was referring to is getting out of the cookie-cutter van business. Keep the van, but look at getting into platform work as a way to broaden your business plan. Anyone can pull vans and most do. In your area, there is a huge number of van freight haulers, and that makes rates lower as well. The van industry as a whole seems to be on the downslope once again. The only upside to that is specializing in day LTL or JIT van freight??? That might help you out as well, and you'll be able to stand apart from your competition.

I have ran just about every type of freight you can think of from van to refer to tanker to flatbed. I currently am running flat/step freight and the rates have been good. I broadened my business by running oversize loads and hazmat materials. In the van world, it's common to haul hazmat stuff, but not so much in the platform area. This making rates higher since there are only a few hazmat platform hauling companies.

Now I'm not saying that pulling a van is stupid or anything like that at all. There are just too many people dragging boxes down the road, so supply is high. Thus the lower rates