Merrick,

I'm afraid with the way things are right now, you're going to have to change your attitude a little bit. It's not a carriers market. Don't take this the wrong way but you want a good rate but you don't want expedited, you don't want NYC and you don't want multiple drops. You don't have tha many choices. If you had an open trailer you could do some oversize but.........

Youre dreaming I think.

Don't get me wrong Rank, expedited, multiple drops I will do but I need to be paid for it. For example I think I can get close to $2.00 to RI WITHOUT making 6 stops and going through all the motions.

And for expedited, well I can get $2.00 a mile into Florida anyway, so if he is telling me expedited well that's an added service.

So definitely I did not mean I won't do those things, I might not have been clear on that.

NYC, well no I don't want that but I have called on several to Mass. (I do love driving a car down Queens Blvd though, boy plenty of fun with that as a teen)

I just called on one from N.C to Riverside CA just out of curiousity. 2300 miles and he told me he covered it for $2000. How do you compete with that?

Actually this is the first time I have actually sat and tried this waiting game.

Tootie, I saw that Cablelas you mentioned in Nebraska, man looks expensive. I shop at Wally World 8)

Well just heard something new for the first time. Called on a load from S.C to Jackson, TN at 475 miles and he said $475. So I said no and was about to hang up and he wanted to hear what I wanted, so I said we aren't even close so I won't waste your time. But he insisted so I told hime $1.50 a mile.

I said I don't know how someone can stay in business at $1.00 a mile and he said they stay in business by getting their own customers; that his company pays backhaul rate only never a headhaul rate.

How they know if I'm going or coming I don't have no idea.

Plenty of lesson learned so far today. Doesn't seem this sitting is going so well. OF course as Steve said the last minute call is always a possibility.

Still sitting Merrick? If ya want, I'll give you my phone number and I'll pretend I'm a broker offering you $.87 for a load then you can bitch and swear at me all you want if it will make you feel better.

Well, good luck. I just spent the whole day loading up 22 pieces on my flatbed and heading 900 miles for $1.65. My knees hurt, I can't walk and I'm sweaty and tired.

Seems like every time I sit for a day and no good paying loads come my way I get depressed but then the next day something always comes along. It happens to me over and over and over again so I shouldn't get bummed out cause a load comes up that's not bad. The load I have now should have been in a van.

I hate people like this. I am local but deal with "backhauls" all the time. I tell them all the same thing, there is not such thing as a back haul. Only freight a customer needs moved from point A to point B and my truck only moves that freight for my price.

That didn't sounds too bad, considering it going to OH.
And forgive me, it shouldn't concern you, that "she can pay more".
Concentrate on your numbers.

I also agree with Rank, you should have less restrictions, on where you going, as long, as it pays.
$1.80 to Bronx, tho, sounds ridiculous...! :shock:

Makes sense to me, they can disguise their cheap freight anyway they want but a load is a load like you say.


Solo, I did think the same after that the load to Ohio didn't seem bad, but you know once I figured it out all miles which people on this board stress, it would have come to $1.20 or so. Also the one to RI now in hindsight didn't seem bad.

I really don't have restrictions except I don't want to go to NYC. I don't know if you saw my post after Rank, but like I said if I can get $2.00 a mile for a straight run, why do the same thing for expedited? But maybe I'm wrong, I don't know.

Well I must say it got worse as the day went on. You read on this board not to take cheap freight so you figure it's as simple as saying no and then finding a good load. Seems simple enough but as the day wore on it was apparent that that wasn't working.

I spoke to CH at the end of the day for a load to CT. He was stressed out and kept tell me, "dude, what a day" he was complaining that the fuel is rising and the customers won't pay more.

I'm ok though, not stressed out (so thanks Steve I won't need to pretend you're a bad broker :) ) It's a business after all and will take time. I am thankful that I am not stressed out over payments etc.

I called my friend I was running with just to say hello. He sounded stressed out a bit complaining like everyone else that the rates are not moving and fuel is rising. He almost flipped when I told him the fuel prices were that high in Washington.

I would like to get the hell out of this truck. I was talking to some Bosnian in Washington and he asked where I am from and I said Florida and he asked why wasn't I tan. I told him I live in a truck that's why. He laughed, he was a trucker too. (Man those Bosnian and Serbian are huge people)

I will have no problem getting a load back to Miami so maybe I'll do that. I called some broker that I dealt with once; he only has 5 months as a broker with his own authority and I was mad when the other people set me up with him, but he paid. He was telling me what he has and it seems like those smaller guys can pay better.

So the battle marches on.

Thanks for all the input by the way.

Patience, patience, patience.... Monday is usually a cheap day for freight rates.

Just great to end the day there is now a truck next to me with a big WOOSH sound every 2 minutes. I have no idea what it is, but it's one of those long nose Petes and it's coming from the air dryer I think. People have no consideration. If I have the reefer running I always try my best to stay away from people.

If it was $2.80 for all miles, I probably would have taken the RI load. How the stops are set up will play a factor but when facing that freight situation that one didn't look too bad. You can still usually get something down to FL from that area for decent money. Also, remember to keep a little perspective on how you're spending your time and what your financial situation is. Look around at freight in different areas, if it looks like it's going to be brutal all over and you're going to face a bit of stress trying to get loaded, sometimes it's better to just take a good-paying load home and wait it out for a bit. There have been many times I would have just headed home...our problem is you can never find a good load to CA.

Had a broker today quote me $2400 on 2350 to BC and it had to be a customs-bonded carrier :roll:

I think it was Mike3 who was mad at people parking at the Idle Aire when they aren't going to use it, but I couldn't take that noise anymore. Hell if they come try and throw me out I'll give em $10 stinking dollars and set the thing in my window.

I don't idle and it's warm enough that the apu will barely be on.

Anyway no_worries, it was $2.15 a mile to RI. My financial situation is ok, I mean I owe quite a bit but I have the money in the bank to pay it. I don't want to do that; but it's there if I need it.

This guy at the end of the day called me from Sunteck. He was talking to me for a while. They have many loads coming out from where I am. He wanted to give me $300 to go 30 miles tomorrow. Might do that, he has loads going to LA. but doesn't seem too promising to get out of there. They are newspaper inserts.

Thanks BigD, I never new Monday was a slow day. But like I said I'm not stressing. In time I will make it. This is obviously a bad time for freight so if I can make it now then when things smoothe over I will be better.

No_worries, I didn't know it was hard to find a load to CA? Or do you mean paying loads? I was under the assumption that there is a lot of stuff coming out of there. Lots of agriculture and all that stuff from China. I picked up clothes for Burdines in City of Industry for LCT.

Well again thanks for all the help.

I think, you've got it a little bit wrong way. Yes, the "all hub miles", is the only true measure, but you have to see a bigger picture. Deadhead, is not a broker's problem, and those $1.25 "all miles" would get you to OH, where the good freight is plentiful, you wouldn't loose a whole day, and you wouldn't be hauling cheap freight, cause per loaded, it was probably around 2 bucks...

I agree Solo. You know when I with the other guy, I was actually getting not bad rates but the deadhead was killing it. I am trying to limit the deadhead now and maintain a good rate.

Also this was the first time I had to go through that I40 on the NC/TN border. I was nervous cause I heard so much about it, but it wasn't so bad and after I said no I was thinking I could have done that empty and then got the load.

Oh well. I learned from it.

tomorrow is another day.

Thanks for your input, I appreciate it.

Oh by the way, one time this broker told me the miles, like 800 I forget but I saw I had to deadhead a certain amount so I added that in and was calculating the rate by the total miles. I guess I was thinking out loud and he was wondering where I was getting the total miles. He was surprised that I added in the deadhead. It made me think that maybe most don't do that as he was so surprised.

Between you steve and pepe,...I am learning ton's before even hitting the road :lol: :lol:
Maybe I'll go this week,.......or maybe next week,.......who am I kidding,....I shoud just sell the truck and buy another one to rebuild from the freakin' ground up,...

Damn hobby truckers.

do a search on GL archives(trucks wanted)
find out who was shipping turkeys last year
post a question on GL message board about Turkey loads
you are in the middle of turkey country with a few weeks to go for thanksgiving
Try Sargent in Mars Hill Me they are big with chicken and turkeys
from that area
you don't want to run into the same problem next year

ok Sonny thanks. Actually spent the night on the GL message boards as well as OOIDA message boards too. Also reading all the financial news on the industry and am convinced we will all be out of business in 6 months if the big strike doesn't work (kidding of course). Oh except for Steve Booth who will still be in on that trip to Alaska. Well maybe Doghouse can teach me the mechanics of these things and I'll be his assistant.

Anyway back to the drawing board today. Thanks again.

I'm sort of assuming that rates have to come up soon. I don't think the mega carriers can deal with much longer either. Then again, maybe that's their plan so the little guys go out of business. If that's the case and you can tough it through I would think things would be much brighter after it's over?

I'll probably be on a run to Alaska, cut off from the world, come back and we're in a recession.

Good luck Merrick, hope you get out today.

Steve, the mega carriers have economy of scale, and many of their own customers wrapped up with contracts.

The average o/o has to beat the carrier at their own game, run a lower overall CPM cost, and try to bypass the brokers directly to the shippers.

Many estimates now are that freight will stay flat until middle of 2008.

Sonny called those people in Main but I guess the Turkeys are more in Va.

Things aren't looking to promising so far today; I'm about to drive over to Charlotte where I can at least sit in a house while I wait.


As for the big companies, I don't know how true it is, but from what I hear they aren't even being squeezed on the fuel like we are as they buy at pre-set amounts.

Well I got a load that seemed ok 1500 miles plus 150 deadhead to S.D. But as I was sending everything, some guy called; not the lady I was dealing with and profusely apologized and said the load got cancelled. They didn't want to pay that much in the first place.

It was no big deal, I guess he was expecting me to flip out or something.

I don't know now, it seems like sitting here isn't going to do much. I'm truly at a loss as to what to do. I mean do I sit here for a couple of days? Or do I take the $1.00 freight to IL? What would GMAN and BigD do?

Do I run just to keep an income? Do I start with all these little loads? Do I just go home?

You know I ran with that guy for a few months and never sat once. This is the first time I am sitting so it seems like I am doing something wrong.

Yes I know the answer is to get my own customers but that doesn't happen in a day. I might just go home for a bit like No_worries said. The wife is complaining anyway.

Just a final comment. I know I open up myself to a lot here. I mean like, "well you dumbass you bought yourself a truck now you are asking the questions AFTER you buy?". Which is true but like I said I never thought of leaving that guy so quick.

But I write all of this down as there are many I'm sure pondering getting a truck and coming out here or getting a truck and leaving it in the driveway like Doghouse :) so I am detailing things here for this reason as well.

This is a business, and like I've said before, getting the truck is the easiest thing to do if you have even a small amount of resources and good credit. The freight this is where the money is not the truck.

Anyway I appreciate all the help. I might go to Charlotte and at least see my brother while I wait this out and there are more refridgerated loads coming from there anyway. Around here is more dry freight.

Merrick....you may have this info as I copied it down from another poster a while back. But just in case it helps you here it is again (was it Sonny from beautiful Mahwah, Nuevo Joisey?)

If I were in M4's shoes, this is what I would do. It will get you to various shippers and you could pitch your services to them at the same time. It won't take very many shippers to have more business than you can handle.

No I didn't forget about that list at all as I had it pulled up again today. I called a lot of people today but to no avail. If I read BigD's post right, he suggests just running for these til I get to enough shippers which means hauling cheap for now which I might have to do.

I was thinking, my fixed costs are pretty much all set for the foreseeable future. Insurance is paid for the year, no truck payment for 2 years (though I am going to refinance) so I will get through this.

H&M Bay wouldn't load me without Seafood coverage which I didn't want to ask for as they want to cancel me (the insurance company) but I just got off the phone with my agent and he said he can do it for me (and he just gave me a contact for plants down in Miami.)

So I feel good, appreciate all the help and will continue to post my situation.

Not suggesting hauling cheap, but hauling smart with those contacts. Also check into XMAS trees in NC area...

As far as my comment on CA...good-paying is what I meant. You're right, you can always find something out of there. But CA should be the highest paying freight in the country so if all you can find is something for $1.50/mile, it's too cheap.

I've been stuck in NC a few times; waited it out once, spent like a week in a hotel in the Research Triangle area 8), and deadheaded out once. If I was solo I'd give it enough time to see there was nothing there then head to TN. That's been one area where the ratio has been favorable all year. Then again, if I were you and could get $2 to FL, I'd just go home. Just my thoughts, they don't work for everyone :lol:

that list is frozen food 101
in frozen the same shippers ship to the same warehouses
every week
I have been delivering 5,000 cases of hot pockets to C/S for the last 5 mondays
If I like a load I keep bugging the broker for another one
Next thing you know you have a regular load
"did you save me my......load?"
"already sent you the confirmation"
Then I can key my week to that load
sometimes it works (last week)
sometimes it doesn't (this week)

You know what's funny is you look at the board and you see 500 loads and you think you are in a good area.

I'm in Charlotte now and at least out of the truck; you don't feel so much pressure if you're not sitting in a truck stop. Took my little brother out for a steak dinner and went to get a couple reams of paper and am ready for the next day.

Honestly no_worries I don't want to go home cause I am determined to stay out here til I get this right but the wife is complaining so I might go home for a bit.

Just something interesting, I was talking with my insurance agent for a while today. That guy has been real good to me. Anyway he went over my policy and apparently I need to have a monthly inspection on the reefer. Nothing major but I am going to draft up a monthly report and start filling it out on the first or so. I know Sonny mentioned before about having it serviced every 1000 hours I believe but mine didn't mention that.

As I thought I was going to South Dakota I called a broker at TQL that I hauled for once who told me he had freight out of there to see if he had something to get me out. He knew who I was right away; I didn't even tell him my name. Anyway he was telling me a few things that were coming up and I mentioned that I didn't see that posted on their website. He stated that they don't post it cause the phones would blow up.

From this I concluded that what's left on these load boards is pretty much the bottom of the barrel.

You know, I know this will never happen, but they always talk about a strike, and really I think all people have to do is boycott one of the big ones like CH Robinson. Won't happen I know. I use to post on their website but I don't even do that know.

Don't feel like I'm trying to convince you to go home, I'm not. Just offering what I would do in a given situation...a perspective that's a little different than many here.

No No_worries, I know. Actually it does make sense. I mean it's going to get ugly (for those of us without customers)and people are going to get desperate and need to make truck payments and the holidays are coming up so it makes sense to sit back and let everyone go at it for a while. Insurance agent said that a lot of his clients are hurting; it's getting ugly.

You know I'm watching the same loads sit on the boards for a couple of days now. I guess they expect this and maybe don't need the stuff moved that day. I was also thinking that in a way they are at an advantage (the brokers) I mean they are sitting in an office and go home at the end of the day; whereas if you are sitting in a truck you start to get antsy (I don't know how you can do the team situation.)

I mean I feel much better now in a house; more relaxed and not as anxious.

Today TQL called and wanted to know how much I wanted to deadhead to Tenn and pick up tomatoes and take it to Florida. I told him $2100 which would have come out to about $2.15 on all miles. He blurted out "$2100! Can you hold the truck for 5 minutes while I call the customer" and I'm thinking that I said too low.

Well he calls back and said the customer won't pay that, that the highest they have paid for that lane is $1900 but that was the highest and usually $1600. So I said the lowest I can go is $1950 but he said he needed to shop around some.

All of this has been a good experience. Anyway how are you doing out there No_Worries? Are you going to stay out for a while?

Dont get discouraged Merrick, it sounds like you are close to getting out of Charlotte soon. Possible that being patient is taking on a new meaning right now, as industry and demand continues to contract into winter. You notice a lot more trucks posted on boards over what was up 30 days ago.

A friend put together 3 ltl's from Atlanta area to Phoenix, & Los Angeles that worked out to 2.06/mile total. Then he got out of L.A the next day, to Chicago at 1.70. 53' dry van. The stops always are a hassle, but if the mile pay is ok you can offset it a little.

If I hear of anything, Ill pass it onto you in this thread. Keep the wife happy, Christmas is coming.

Merrick, keep in mind that you can haul dry freight with a reefer as well as things such as produce. There are also a lot of other things you can haul with a reefer such as pharmaceuticals, etc. You may also want to look at LTL's. I know it may be a bit of a challenge starting out, but you can often do much better by putting the right LTL's together. Some people try to get you to do them for next to nothing, but I always get a premium for LTL's. I know of one carrier who told me that they consistently get over $6/mile doing them. It would be difficult to do what he does with one truck, but there are some who are doing well pulling a reefer or van around. Don't get discouraged. Building a business takes time. Check around with some shippers while you are sitting. Phone calls are cheap. Some brokers want you to think that they are not getting decent rates. While that may be true with some, there are many who are just pocketing a bigger share of the money. Most of the time the shipper has no idea of what the broker is paying you. There are more and more shippers who are discusted with having to do business with brokers. They know they are getting scammed. There are some honest brokers. Not all of them try to take advantage of changing economic trends. I have a broker with whom I do business who takes 10% off the top. I always do well on his loads and the money is always there. I have NEVER hauled anything for him that I didn't make at least $2/mile, after he takes his cut. He never charges extra for paying me quickly. He pays as soon as he receives the bills. In fact, if I hand deliver them, he will write me a check on the spot. I have a shipper which whom I have done business for several years. I consistently get good rates from them. Several months ago I received a call from a broker who offered me $1/mile LESS than I was getting from the shipper. It was $1.50 less than I get for some of this shippers loads. My rates vary with him somewhat according to where I go. When I told the broker what I was getting he stammered and said something like he is booking loads too cheap. Now, this guy was either too inexperienced and took the loods too cheap or was greedy. There is a large brokerage company who takes about 1/3 of the money from this shipper. He gave them some loads and checked what they were paying once they posted the loads. He doesn't like dealing with brokers. Unfortunately, this shipper is seasonal, but rates are very good during the season.

One area where some falter is talking to receivers or consignee's. If there is a receiver near where you want to go, you may want to talk with them about bring their freight to them. Most people just concentrate on shippers. Some of the best rates can come from the receiver. You see, there are some shippers who will take some of the shipping charges from what they pay the carrier. Some will take as much as some brokers. Ultimately it is the receiver who pays the shipping charges, anyway. There could even be some partials you could bring to them.

There is no question that some brokers and shippers are taking advantage of the current situation. Rates tend to drop somewhat during winter months. That will change in a few months. There are still those who are willing to pay a premium for quality service. That doesn't mean that you need to take advantage of them, but we do need to get a fair rate for our service. Unless you operate at a profit you won't survive. I will usually not sit more than a day or two, maximum. Unless I am putting LTL's or a load together, I usually won't sit for more than a day. If I don't have something at that point, I deadhead to a better area. And I won't put something on the truck just to buy fuel. It is better to pay a little for fuel to get out of a bad area than continue sitting.

GMAN I have been thinking about the LTL; especially when I was in Washington. I had one that wanted to to go Miami or Boca I forget and I just wasn't sure if I needed special insurance or how to price that. I guess it's as simple as picking them up and dropping them off in reverse order.

As to moving after a day, the thing is and maybe I shouldn't be doing this, but since I just drove 90 miles to go to Charlotte, no I will be adding that in to my next load or into the previous one. I mean I guess it's stupid but I calcualte all miles. So when I deadheaded out of Florida last time after I got a load I calculated it out to like $.96 a mile with the deadhead.

But maybe I shouldn't be calculating it all so strictly; I mean driving empty and driving with a load is much different and obvioulsy I want to try not to deadhead too much and yet still be flexible.

Anyway thanks for all your help and thanks Orange Andy too. Like I said I am seriously considering the LTL. Flexibility is another key I guess.

it's brutal out there now merrick. you are not alone. you are very lucky in that you're not under financial pressure. The big advantage to running your own show is you can run when you want. the wife is complaining so go home and wait it out. enjoy the holidays with the family. it could be until spring. make your wife glad that you have your own authority. use that time to find some customers close to him.

$.02

No, it's not, and i do it the same way!
But to expect, that somebody will pay for it(with the few exceptions) kinda is! :P
No offence, but it's your game, and your responsibility!

You should look ahead, and see the worst, and the best possible scenario, also figuring in the risk involved.
Don't be that guy, who didn't see the forest, behind the three! :D :wink:

We're doing fine, thanks for asking. Got out here to Dallas and spent a day, we'll be heading back to L.A. tonight for a Friday morning unload. This trip only grossed $6000...then again we'll only be gone for 6 days...and only 3100 miles...that's hardly work at all :shock: So I won't complain too much. Normally getting home Friday morning is great since Fridays and Saturday's are our best freight days, but with the way things are looking, we might just stay home again. Something will probably pop up to talk me out of it though :roll: I'm actually thinking of sticking to the Left Coast and running Xmas trees for a few weeks. I haven't done it in a few years so I'll have to reconnect and see if I can get some new contacts. I grew up in OR so if I have to sit on either end of the run I can do so in a house, and like you said, that's always a big plus. I've got about a month to kill until my big-money year-end trips. Then I can shut down for awhile 8)

As far as empty miles go, I treat them this way. If I just emptied and I have to bid a load, I figure the DH into my rate. Of course I don't mention that to the broker, but it's in there. Although, I calculate my DH at $1.00/mile. If a broker is calling me and wants me to DH more than 100 miles, then I bring up the subject. I had a guy call last night at 9:30 wanting us to DH 250 miles to OK and pick up a load to deliver this morning in Houston. Something like that I definitely would bring up the DH, of course if they know anything about what they're doing the broker will broach the subject first.

Now, if I move the truck to get into a better freight area, I don't figure those miles into a rate. Say I DH 500 miles out of FL to Atlanta. That's my cost (although I would have tacked it onto any rate going into FL) and doesn't belong on any load I get out of Atlanta. If you move 500 miles and then try to tack that on, you'll price yourself right out of anything that might be available. If the need to DH after a load can be foreseen, it should be included in the load taking you to that bad area. If you get somewhere and find yourself having to move because freight is unexpectedly bad, that's either bad planning or simply an everyday risk and is not a cost you can expect to recoup on the next load. You just do what you can to minimize these events and hope they don't impact the bottom line too much at the end of the year. Just my approach.

Very well put! 8)
I suggest you copy that, and print IT out, for a future references! :D

Well I made it home, but the wife is still complaining since I went to the wrong one. Went back to Mass. As mentioned in the Steve's thread I got what I think was decent money. On 807 actual hub miles I got $1850.

That was interesting sitting there for a couple of days. I know it's said that you can sit there for forever and they aren't going to go up a dime and on certain loads I found that to be the case. It's a mental game and some times you just want to get moving and are ready to say F**k it I'll take it. But I've found that when I do that I end up being miserable on the trip.

On this load I quoted him $1900 and to make a long story short he said that was more then they are billing the customer like that was my problem or something. So I told him well then call the customer and get more and if you can do it call me back. He called me back and agreed. So in the matter of days I found what Steve says to be true; namely that you can sit there for days and they won't raise it a penny. But I also found it to be true what GMAN says; that if they want their stuff moved then they will pay.

I got a load right out too for decent money. A load of potatoes which is paying about $1.70 a mile. The only thing was it's going to MD which is a one day trip but it doesn't deliver to Monday. I didn't mind though as the pickup was right where I'm from and I loaded up and drove probably at most two miles and parked the truck behind a friend's shop. He use to have his own trucks (he hauled horses) so plenty of room and he gave me the keys to his car. (I hope that as I am using a car and not the truck that BigD will go light on me for sightseeing :).

Solo, I just meant it was stupid to calculate the miles into the very next trip. Actually how No_Worries worded it is I guess the best way to figure it out. At the end of the year, it's just the final number that counts.

No_Worries, you got out of Dallas? I heard it's damn near impossible to get out of there. I know there is not freaking parking in the whole damn place.

I actually calculate the DH at the same rate as all the miles. Hell let's be honest I don't even know what I am doing yet. I just through out a number though I do check truckloadrate.com.

I was offered a load out of Worcester, Ma to Chicago for about a $1.00 a mile. I wasn't sure what to do. I mean as Sonny said it would preserve the rate going in, but what the hell, I don' t want to move for a $1.00 a mile as I don't enjoy the trip if I'm not making money. I know we have to look at the whole picture but I'm stubborn. I mean it's my truck, and I don't have to put anything on it I don't want and if they don't want to pay a fair wage then they can let the stuff sit on the dock. I just hope in a couple years time I still feel that way.

Anyone read that book "The Jungle" by I think Upton Sinclair"? That guy from Lithuania started out strong and healthy and then the system beat him down. I always think of that book.

But so far being stubborn seems to be paying off. I put out my rates so if I think it's good and it's not then someone will let me know I'm sure.

Well enough blabbering. Hasta Luego.

That's the attitude I take when it comes to cheap freight...not on my truck. I'm happy to let other guys haul it all they want. Whatever makes 'em happy. I was loading up in L.A. today at a place that makes frozen pies. Got to talking to a guy next to me who was pulling directly for the shipper. His load to Reno was paying him $1100 on about 550. Didn't have the heart to tell him my 2450 mile brokered load was paying $5200 :lol: The same guy was talking about how he'd just come back from Laredo for $.80/mile. I just can't fathom that, seems like a big waste of time.

Today was one of those days in CA, every time the phone rang someone offered more money. TQL started at $5500 to Baltimore and by the time they were done were meeting my rate of $6750. Too bad they took too long :cry: Multi-drop nursery loads were being offered from $6000-$6800 I never even got to negotiate those. $3800 to Denver...and that was the posted rate :shock: It's like the dam burst and everyone decided they better start stocking their shelves for Thanksgiving. Here's hoping it's more than just a one-day event :lol: Maybe we're finally starting to see the effects of the weak ones dropping. I'm actually starting to see signs, faint though they may be, of a pickup in Florida activity.

Do you guys that use truckloadrate.com also put your rates back into the system? I'm not sure how they get their rate data but I would think they are only as good as the data coming in to them.