WTF DAT load board

Haven't seen that at all. Granted, I make sure to keep my trucks in high paying areas. Like in real estate, location, location, location.

 

Holiday weeks are like this. FB and SD rates have been at the best I've seen in my tenure in the trucking industry and can only get better starting next week. It's not a load board issue.

 

I chuckled myself.

Having had accounts on both at the same time before,.. I know for open deck at least,. EVERYTHING that is posted on ITS is also on DAT.

Gumper:

The rates will depend certain factors. Location,.. location,.. location.

Are you in a busy freight area? As in over 5000 - 10,000 loads posted within a 100mi radius? If not,.. then the the rate will be determined by 2 other factors. 1,.. the amount of other trucks looking for loads in your same area. And then the dead area,.. little to no outbound freight to really choose from.

I can draw a big fat line from Montana,.. down through Wyoming and Idaho,.. down through Colorado and most of Utah,.. with the exception of Salt Lake City,..and into New Mexico and Arizona and much of western Texas is sketchy as well especially near the borders. Those are no go states for me. The only way to get me to deliver to them is for the rate to be enough to cover my dead head back out.

To operate out there you really have to know the area and know someone who knows someone to get decent rates.

Anywhere else its a matter of choosing your lane and knowing which shippers and commodities are paying and moving and who is holding the best rates for that lane. Thats how I work it.

The other thing I noticed is that unless its a specialty move,.. OS/OD etc,.. stuff going into a good market/freight area wont have the same rates as something going to a dead rate area,.. like Cheyenne, Commerce City, Co, or Lubbock. Which day of the week also plays a good part in rates as well. For me,.. I've been doing these crane moves near Lubbock,.. making sure I deliver on a monday,.. the rate is good enough to dead head up into OK for a broker who I know has good rates going back east. But off loading in Lubbock on a Friday and trying to find something with miles,.. forget it.

Also,.. this being a holiday weekend,.. could also kill some of the rates in some areas as guys gobble up weekend loads to sit on for later delivery.



Hurst

 

Van was hot in the north east this week. Holiday week caused this imo

 

Agreed. I just got home from a 280 mile (hub miles) turn to Jersey that paid $1800 to the truck.

 

Ok Im new to this O/O. I currently work with an LTL Expedited company. They pay loads weekly. Is it normal to not be paid for a load for 21+ days? How does a truck owner operate like that? Seriously, I am probably doing something wrong but not getting paid weekly would kill me.

 

They treat it like a business. Most industries net30 to net90 is normal.

 

If you have your own authority you are invoicing your customer (the broker) with terms like "Net 30" (you demand payment in 30 days). It's RARE in business to be paid earlier than 30 days. Many big customers will play accounting games and take 45 days or more.

To be in business for yourself you need enough operating capital to cover at least 45 days of accounts receivable. Otherwise you are out of business in a hurry. You also need to be able to absorb bad debt write off (some customers never pay). It's reality.

This is why for many owner operators it's better to lease on with a company that pays every week and they have the capital and take the accounts receivable risks.

 

The combination of minimal paperwork and a weekly settlement are the main reasons I stay leased on and havent moved on yet.

No guessing games or "Check is in the mail" BS to worry about. No invoicing, no audits, I know how much to expect when it comes and what my expenses are. Much easier to forecast and budget what I need this way. That and I honestly have no clue how to do the taxes or with holdings for my driver. They take care of all that.

Hurst