How Are Flatbed Rates?

[rank]

That is pathetic. How sad. Man, rates were better than that, 30 years ago.

Deregulation has done exactly what it was supposed to do. And they like it that way.

[rank]

My truck has basically sat since I shut down before Xmas, won't haul for the cr@p rates they are offering for OD loads. I have moved a few pieces of equipt. around the state for companies that call as they know I will get it done and they are prepaired to pay what the rate was a couple of years ago. Most of it is high high $$$$ stuff coming into one of the ports.

Same here. Three trucks have done 8 back hauls grossing $14,333 on 5447 miles in 2009. Would have been much worse but two of those loads were 14' wide.

Screw them.

[GMAN]

Your observations are a reason cheap rates won't last and those who haul those loads cannot survive.

[Pony Express]

Things are really bad, I just spent 2.5 months out on the road and came home with nothing to show for it.
I made truck and trailer payments, oil changes and bought 4 new drive tires. That's awesome right?

[mudawg]

I am sure that they moved the decimal point too far to the left. They probably meant $1.70.

I was mistaken,it was 36,000 lbs not 30k and that was the correct place for the decimal point I called on it and was told someone will take it to get home.Everything is a "backhaul" for someone

[GMAN]

There is no such thing as a backhaul. I wish the word was never coined.

[rank]

There is no such thing as a backhaul. I wish the word was never coined.

The problem is not with the back haul. The problem is the rate that some are willing to move it for.

Actually, I'll say if there were more private carriers and less carriers for hire, rates would go up. Private carriers are less likely to waste their time on cheap back hauls. It's a rare load indeed that gets on my trailer for less than $2/mile....even in this market. Yeah, some of my "better" brokers abused my good nature for a load or two with the "I'll make it up to you" BS, but that dog doesn't hunt for long.

[GMAN]

Actually backhauls originated with private fleets taking anything to pay their fuel to get back to the factory. Once a broker or shipper finds that they can get a load moved at a cheap rate there is no reason to get pay more. That is the current problem. In fact, that has always been the problem.

[Jackrabbit379]

One of our delivery guys delivers in DFW twice a week. We used to pick up back hauls at Ventura Foods in Saginaw all the time. I bet it's been atleast a couple of years since we had any.

[Orangetxguy]

Actually backhauls originated with private fleets taking anything to pay their fuel to get back to the factory. Once a broker or shipper finds that they can get a load moved at a cheap rate there is no reason to get pay more. That is the current problem. In fact, that has always been the problem.

That statement says it all, about what the largest problem in the trucking industry is!

I can not for the life of me understand why any trucking company allows a customer to dictate the manner in which that trucking company does business. If a Shipper, Consignee or Broker wants to be in control of a separate entities business...they should buy that entity!!!

This BS of demanding lower rates on head-haul, because a truck will be picking up a load after getting empty, or the BS of the next load rate being halved, because the truck was not from that area, is just that! BS!!!

[rank]

Actually backhauls originated with private fleets taking anything to pay their fuel to get back to the factory.

I doubt that many private carriers would, or ever did waste a couple of days of their time for a few bucks. In the time that it takes them to screw around with the back haul, they could be back at the yard and reloaded with another outbound. Do you happen to know if WalMart takes back hauls? I highly doubt they do. IMO, it is extremely difficult to do on a regular basis with any degree of efficiency.

[mike3fan]

Do you happen to know if WalMart takes back hauls? I highly doubt they do. IMO, it is extremely difficult to do on a regular basis with any degree of efficiency.

Yes they do, they will not make their drivers wait too long before pulling them out, but yes they do some backhauls probably like 20-30%. Plus pallet returns and store returns.

[GMAN]

I doubt that many private carriers would, or ever did waste a couple of days of their time for a few bucks. In the time that it takes them to screw around with the back haul, they could be back at the yard and reloaded with another outbound. Do you happen to know if WalMart takes back hauls? I highly doubt they do. IMO, it is extremely difficult to do on a regular basis with any degree of efficiency.

Their main concern is cover some of their costs. I don't think making a profit off of a reload was a primary concern in deciding whether to take a load. They made their money on selling their product and the shipping charges that were added to the selling price. They didn't necessarily need a reload to make a profit but it did help to cover overhead.

[rank]

Well I can tell you that we do not contribute to lowering rates by taking back hauls. In fact, the backhauls need to pay extremely well to make up for the extra time lost.