No I don't add the rates. I think they only go off of big companies. I'm not sure how accurate it is but it seems in line with what I can get out of them (in my short time).

You know I was just talking with my friend. He paid about $200,000 to have his own authority by buying out a couple of businesses. He had authority in I guess 29 states hauling horses. He was telling me that the rates were set by a tariff and he got to charge $1.50 a mile. He had the same problems that people have now with drivers (I actually remember one of his drivers was all whacked out on drugs and went 70mph into the Mass Pike toll booth) but he use to put them up in a hotel. He looked in my truck which is just a cheap fleet truck and was amazed at what they look like now. I asked him about getting direct loads from shippers and the first thing he said is it's hard with one truck.

Of course he hauled horses but he said people would call up and want 5 trucks at once as they wanted all the horses to travel together. Anyway then of course getting people to pay was a big problem. Esepcially in the race horse business where people are either up or down.

I tell you, this guy is 67 years old, has all the money that he needs and still gets up and goes to work. Of course it's his own company so I guess that's not really work. I think a lot of us in the newer generation want everything quicker. I don't want to wait til I'm 67 to have that relaxed look but everything comes in due time I guess.

Hey No_worries do you find when you squeeze these brokers that in the midst of setting everything up they get a call from someone to do it cheaper and cancel? I feel this is unethical. I mean I could get a call after too and get a better load but once I agree then I will stick to it.

No_worries, excuse me for asking but I'm curious about this teaming thing. Though I would never ever do it myself I'm still curious. Did you always team? If I had someone I could trust and get along with (and actually I do and in the future there will be more on him) I would buy a 2nd truck and then have a better inflow of cash. I mean if one truck is down the other one will still be running. I'm just curious on why you team that is if you feel like sharing that.

Internet Truckstop lists about 3 times more reefer loads than trucks posted right now. Supply and demand at work? Hope the rates keep up for all!

But that all depends where you are too. 1000 loads where I am not isn't going to bode well. I was going to go home but if there's work....

Ooops, forgot to include the 3:1 is California today.

Where are you today?? Is your wagon a 53?

Let me clarify, I don't consider what I did with the TQL guy as squeezing.

TQL: I have a couple loads, would you consider going to MD or NJ?
Me: We'll go anywhere if the money's right.
TQL: Well, we were looking at about $5500.
Me: That's not even close, I'd really rather not waste your or my time.
TQL: What would it take?
Me: The last time I moved a load to MD for you guys it was $6500. If you
think you can work in that neighborhood, I'll be happy to run the
numbers and call you back within 5 minutes.
TQL: I don't know if I can go that high, but let me know what it'll take.
Me: (5 minutes later) $6750
TQL: I'll have to check and see if we can go that high, I'll call you back.

He called back and said they could do it, I said too late. That's about the extent of most of my negotiating. Very rarely do I actually haggle. I tell them it will probably be more expensive then what they're trying to get and throw out a ballpark number. If they're still interested I'll work the number (assuming it's not a no-brainer) and call them right back.

As far as brokers giving away loads during the negotiation, they often don't call back after I quote them. There have been a few occasions where I was talking with a broker and during the conversation was told that someone else just moved it. These type of things don't bother me. I've never had a broker back out after a confirmation has been sent. If they did it wouldn't bother me too much. If it would put me in a bind I include a TONU clause, although I really haven't worried about it much lately. If they find someone cheaper, good for them. Not everyone can afford us
:lol:

I never back out of a load. I gave TQL 15 minutes to get back to me. During that time I fielded several calls. After 15 minutes I considered us in play again since all they were doing was finding out if they could meet my rate. If they needed a truck that bad they should be able to get an answer fast. I actually almost didn't do this current load because the broker was slow getting me a confirmation. I usually allow 30 minutes before I put us back on the market. His came in with a minute to spare. I'm not real tolerant of inefficiency :roll:

I'd be happy to answer any questions about teaming. The short answer to why I'm doing it now...it's my fiance :lol:

I kind of figured it must be a fiance or something but my hat's off to you. Never in a million years could I do it.

Actually I didn't mean squeeze in a negative way. Obviously I've only been loading myself for a couple of weeks so I know I know nothing but a broker gets up in the morning just like most others to do one thing; make money. I have no problem with that. If they can get someone to haul it for $.80 a mile then they would, so the way I see it, they want to give it to me cause nobody else will do it. Thus as I get up in the morning with the same goal, to make money, then I want a decent rate myself.

Obviously if I had a working relationship with someone then that would be quite different.

Merrick, not sure if you have automatic deposit with TQL but it's really nice. Once they get your invoice they scan it in for you to see and post the date your deposit will be made. It's kind of nice to know that you can stay out longer if your running low on money and come that date you'll have more!

Oh yes definitely am signed up with the automatic deposit. But I of course have the wife at home to deposit checks when they come. Also I am a big user of credit so I can stay out for a long time. Seems like except for the one night I got home that I have been out for a long time now and really want to stay out. It kind of stinks that I live so far down in South Florida as to go home means hard to get out.

I didn't think you meant it negatively, I assumed you were talking about hard-nosed negotiating. I just don't do that very often. I tell them I'm usually more expensive than most, if they still want a quote I'm happy to give it to them and that's usually the extent of it. I know a lot of guys take the position that the market is what it is and you have to do what you can within those parameters. My take has always been a little different. I expect a certain rate for my service regardless. If the market becomes such that my service is no longer valued where I think it should be, it's time to cash it in and do something else. Just makes for some long vacations sometimes :lol:

If you happen to be heading south, we'll be in Charlotte Monday and Tuesday. I have to sample the "Best Chinese Buffet in Charlotte."

As far south I made it No_worries was Pocomoke City, MD and then I found the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. So by the time I was done with tolls and DH the $1.70 coming out of Mass was no longer $1.70. On top of that the broker told me he would get me right out.

I just don't understand people. I mean you gotta ruin your name and lie to move 1 load? And yet you think they would burn their bridges but there's always the next guy.

I know this guy who just did about a month or so of JB Hunt Lease program which I told him not to do. Those people ought to get a Nobel prize in economics. I mean they get these people to pay for their truck, fuel and maintenance. He ended up buying them a brand new bumper for a little dent he caused. I think in the last couple of weeks he grossed around $7,000 and saw about $400 of it. I told him not to do it. Anyway the point is you would think they would reach a point that nobody would sign on but there's always someone who is going to be different.

Now in Kentucky and going to Ohio tomorrow then I guess I better get back to Florida. If it was up to me I'd stay out til everything was paid off but the family...

By the way they changed the W-9 form. I just signed up with a broker and they wouldn't accept my W-9. They wanted the one they sent me filled out cause the form was updated in October.

I just calculated the numbers since I've been on my own. I've put on 8798 miles on the truck which includes every single mile driven. I have grossed $12395 for a grand total of $1.40 a mile. So I am not doing too much better than when I was with that guy except I've cut my reefer use done quite a bit.

As has been seen I have sat and waited on loads and thought the numbers would come out a little bit better. I know I have to get my own contacts but I wonder if it's as simple as that (not that it's that easy to get contacts.)

I will say one thing, I haven't touched my personal money but then again I prepaid most of everything so really don't have payments.

I don't know, but I'm doing something wrong here.

Well as I sit here getting unloaded and I just got a good load back to FLA I was thinking about what I was doing wrong. Here are some of the obvious ones:

1) I didn't check fuel prices and took that load to Washington state too cheap.

2) I listened to the broker when he said he would get me right out of MD.Now I see why LoadIt doesn't want to deal with the same people over and over. They get too friendly and then stuff happens. It works on both ends. On top of that they told me the lumper would be $80 and would pay that. I said "are you sure" yes. If not you'll take care of it? Yes. Well no they didn't and that cost me $30.

3)Learn the tolls. I still don't know how much the NJ turnpike cost me from NY to exit 7 (where I got off and got on 295) I have to wait until the EZ Pass statement comes in.

Other than that the rates are what they are. I did sit waiting on better but in the end I know nothing about trucking and have only been doing this a few months so I guess I'm doing ok.

You're doing fine. As you said, you made a change, you saw some improvement, however slight. I really wouldn't have been surprised to see a bit of a drop-off when you first went on your own. By keeping things at least level you made a nice transition. Now you're in that phase where you're dealing with EVERYTHING. There will be a steep learning curve for awhile, but it won't be long and you'll feel comfortable dealing with it all. That's the nice thing about not having to churn out the miles. When you're able to slow down a bit you can absorb all the new information and figure out how to deal with it. When you have to figure it out on the fly you'll often make a few costly mistakes simply because you've got to keep moving before having the issue tamed.

As far as I know, each state has a website with the cost of their tolls for each increment. I hardly ever run them so I'm not very familiar, but when I do I check those first.

Take any broker's promise to find you a load out with a huge grain of salt. If they won't send the rate confirmation for the SECOND load, I treat it as if it won't materialize and bid the first load accordingly.

I usually ask the broker to put their commitment to reimburse unloading fees in the rate confirmation. Sometimes I let it slide because I'm not too worried about getting stiffed, but not very often.

Plan on things picking up in FL not too long after the holidays. With a surge before Valentine's.

Just had the Chinese Buffet, not too bad as far as those go :D The best one I've found so far is the one next to the Pilot east of Knoxville...who woulda thunk it :shock:

Anyway, we're loading up for CA, be home for the weekend 8)

Ah Mr. No_Worries where would I be without you? :) Not to mention Sonny too.

Thanks for the vote of confidence. I didn't think about it that I haven't dipped since leaving that guy. Of course staying close isn't so good either as fuel has skyrocketed. I am taking in it all. Honestly as far as dealing with EVERYTHING as you put it, I love doing that. I actually got into processing mortgages for a while cause I can get things done. Half the time when I get my own mortgages I have to process it anyway cause these bank people are something else. That's how I figured I'd make some money doing it. I just couldn't deal with being in an office.

Anyway, I got a load to Miami. 1063 miles plus 200 deadhead for $2500. About 80 miles going to get it they called and cancelled and gave me $150 for TONU. But then I got another one for a bit less miles for the same amount of money but it has two stops and takes a bit longer but still going to South Florida.

If you are talking about those all you can eat Chinese Buffet, I like those. There is one in South Florida called the Esmerald Coast that is great. Lobster tail, prime rib etc. There is another one in Palm Beach Gardens I believe.

I've never seen the one in Charlotte. Actually my brother lives a few exits up from Charlotte. I only went to Charlotte once. It seemed nice but it was so cold and I can't enjoy myself being cold or wrapped up in many layers of clothes.

A little later I am going to send you a pm with something you might find interesting. Check later it will be there.

Well thanks again. Enjoy the trip to Cali.

Merrick4,

Starting to run with the big dogs ... 8)
Thanks for the negatives / lessons learned as well.
From what I read, everyone seems to find their lanes and stick to them within reason. Sonny and MR NW are terrific businessmen.

Are any of you using a magellin or garmin (t) model - dashmount mapping/gps for routing around traffic and tolls. The traffic feature is a minimal monthly fee. I think they retail for $400 - 500.00.

Well merrick4,I am probably not the best one to give advice,because I don't run the same type of operation that you do,but I have been around trucking for my entire life and have been out here since 86'.

I have dealt with individual agents that were also brokers at Landstar and I have worked for companies and for other O'O's,and have had my own truck for 10+ years now,so I think other than the own authority part I have seen most of it out here.

I think you are off to a pretty good start.I also believe that $1.40 a mile running your own authority isn't good enough in the end,but I think you know that and are looking to get better.

One of the things in this thread that I feel got overlooked was someone suggested to not only focus on shippers,but to also talk to recievers because alot of the time they are the ones covering the shipping charges.I know in our buisness we have alot of stuff that we pickup for the place that we will be delivering to,it's called customer truck on the bill of lading,we have the contract to haul the product into their place,they call us when they have a shipment ready to pick up and tell us where and we position a truck in that area,this could work really well for you,get a couple of places that you can haul into and work it backwards,maybe even get a few of their outbound loads.

Alot of these places would love the personal attention you could give them,and if they knew how much the broker was keeping from the carrier I think they would be surprised.

Being in South Florida is always gonna be a challenge to you,but with the right contracts and maybe some nursery loads it will work out.

I for one am glad you are putting it out there with your true numbers and admiting to your mistakes as this will eventually help alot more people than just sugar coating everything and making it sound easy.

I look forward to your post and enjoy reading of your progress,with some of the other guys here that will be much more helpful than I can be you will get along faster than most out here.Atleast you seek out their help and follow it when possible.

Beatcha Mike... Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2007 8:49 pm :lol:
But I can't beat your reply. 8)

Thats because I wrote a damn novel,you gave cliff(or is it clift?) notes...... 8)

Lobster tail and prime rib? :shock: I never heard of such Chinese cuisine :lol:

I know I thought it was wierd too. I think they stopped the lobster tail but here's a link to the place http://www.emeraldcoastbuffet.com/

All advice is always welcome and appreciated. I really appreciate your words. It seems like most of the people here were brought up in this. Actually the guy I worked with before mentioned to me that most people don't get into this for the money they get into this because they are born into it.

You know the idea to not only look at shippers but receivers was definitely not overlooked. That stuck in my head when I read it.

I know South Florida is going to be a challenge and to be honest I don't need to stay there. My wife just changed jobs and I was pleading with her to apply in California. But I'm hoping if I stay there things will work out. I enjoy the strong relationship that South Florida has with Latin America and hopefully can somehow capitalize on that.

Actually I just got a call from someone that knows me and told me that there is a shipper down there who is tired of dealing with brokers and is looking for a reliable carrier (HELLO! OVER HERE :) ) so he called and gave me the number. The guy is from South America.

Life is funny, I never met a Spanish person til I was about 20. I started learning the language and as Boston was a very ethnically divided area everyone use to ask me why the hell I wanted to learn Spanish. Who knew that I would be able to use it all corners of this country?

Well thanks again for you advice and comments. I will certainly continue posting the numbers as well as the mistakes though it's embarrasing sometimes but what the hell I try and give a complete picuture.

Thanks again.

You're numbers are low because you are running the reefer less. That $1.40 is barely beating dry van numbers. You have to get those contacts we've talked about. Your numbers can be and will be +/-- $2.00 per mile. I will look in my Florida book and pm you some more. Have you hauled any turkeys yet?

Honestly LoadIt can I be frank? I have no idea what the hell I am doing out here. There I said it. I mean I just went and got this truck and you know the rest.

I got this load now and on loaded miles it comes to about $2.50 a mile and with deadhead a bit over $2.00. I was happy at first and then I caught myself and really I probably could have got more it's just that I have been running so cheap that this seems great to me.

I am picking things up fast and above all I am highly reliable and responsible and that will come into play hopefully. I mean the guy who called me today knows a 1,000 truckers but he knows how I am and he called me.

And obviously I am here asking questions. I haven't hauled turkeys cause I have no idea where to find them. But all of this will come; I love information so to find out all of this stuff shouldn't be too hard.

I am heading home now and plan on getting business cards set up. You mentioned flyers? Did I get that right? I mean I figure a business card with a short cover letter or something.

I will add that the $1.40 is with every single mile on the truck. That means the 10 or 15 miles up the road after a load to find a Walmart or truck stop. Not to gloss things over; I know it's bad but I am trying to give a complete picture.

Well as always thanks for your help; I certainly need it. :)

yeah those tolls will eat you up huh?....I love the ride getting out east from So Cal, but always dread those toll roads that eat into what little profit im making :p
I would love just driving the I-10- or I-40 corridors where I dont see any toll roads ....but not realistic unfortuanatly.
Ummm yeah....a catchy flier is what I was advised to do Merrick....got my niece working on the project right now.

I'm going to be frank..grow a pair....I'm not saying get a bighead, but be confident in what you are doing. See my post about being an O/O from this morning and that drivers attitude. You will succeed in this, youre averaging $1.40 now let's (you) increase that to $1.65, then to $1.85, and on and on. I dont know you and you dont know me, but making the leap says a lot about who you are. Also dont second guess your rate, could I have gotten more? Probably, could some one else haul it cheaper, HELL YEAH!! Get the rate you need and if its not met, let that load sit. You should consider all miles in your rate calculations. My first truck had 1,080,000 miles on the odometer and I thought this truck has made at least $1,080,000 in its life. How much was I going to make with it before it went to the junk yard? My goal was $1.00 on all miles, you would starve with that goal nowadays, but i'm sure you get the point.

Thanks LoadIt but really I didn't mean what I wrote like "woe is me", you'd have to know me to understand. Actually I feel good and have no doubt I am going to do well.

You know it's funny, one day me and the wife took a bike ride through the Everglades (just the edge of it they had a bike path set up) and I was looking at all the trees and grasses and I said to her, "there has to a 1000 species of plants and trees there and I can't name one of them, jeez are we ignorant"

So anyway I just meant I have a healthy respect for what I don't know. But like I said I will do fine.

I was talking with a truck dealer the who works for Freightliner in Miami and he's been in this his whole life (his father sells them too) and he told me he has never seen trucks come back in as repos like they are now. He said they are pouring in.

Anyway, I enjoy your posts and appreciate all your help. Oh and by the way I read this this morning. Probably not exactly where the turkeys actually come from but that shouldn't be too hard to figure out:

The article was dated in August but I just saw it this morning.

Turkey producer Butterball LLC will relocate its corporate headquarters from Mount Olive NC to Garner NC in spring 2008. The company’s more than $12 million investment in Garner’s Greenfield North business park will add approximately 70 corporate and executive-level management jobs to the local community over the next three years.

Butterball LLC, a new company formed after Carolina Turkeys’ acquisition of the Butterball brand in 2006, evaluated locations throughout the nation for its corporate headquarters to accommodate needs for more space and easy access to an international airport.

The company will occupy 46,000 square feet of office space on more than 12 acres in Greenfield North, near Interstate 40 and US 70. Construction will take place in two phases. The first phase is expected to be complete in spring 2008, and a groundbreaking ceremony is set for September 2008.

"I grew up in Garner, and I’m thrilled that Butterball recognizes what I’ve known all these years: Garner is a great place to live and work," said Garner Mayor Ronnie Williams. "This is a great day for Garner

That article is the type of info that should make you hmmmmm, how can I get in on that business? Once they breakground, all types of building materials will be coming in on vans and flatbeds, once the place is up and running you know they will need reefers to ship out. Keep reading, keep thinking, hmmmmmm..?

. I was talking with a truck dealer the who works for Freightliner in Miami and he's been in this his whole life (his father sells them too) and he told me he has never seen trucks come back in as repos like they are now. He said they are pouring in. {quote}

Part of it's because of how easy credit was to get the last couple of years. Some of these people shouldn't have had a truck in the first place. Kind of like the mortgage situation.

But of course Mr. LoadIt. 8). It's funny how sometimes common knowledge isn't so common. I had a rental unit in Central Florida a couple of years ago and wanted to build another up the road where they are putting up a new campus of a big university on now vacant land, and I'm calling realtors for stuff in the area and NOT ONE knew that this big massive new project was coming.

I am very very good at finding this stuff out.

Well to be honest when I got my truck in June it wasn't so easy. I mean I got it but the interest rate was high. You can always take back a house but fining a truck to repo... But I really don't know.

There's a difference between "easy to get credit" and "easy to get good credit terms." Unfortunately, most newbies only look at the monthly payment in determining whether they can afford a truck (some don't even go that far). New folks haven't been able to get good terms on trucks, especially used, since banks took a bath in trucking during the last downturn. However, it's plenty easy for a new guy to find financing...at 18% over too long a term :shock: I think that's what Bigmon was referring to.

When I first went to buy my truck, factory ordered, I was offered 2% below their standard for first-time buyers or 13%. I just laughed as I walked out the door :lol: But I learned then that it was going to take some work, even though my credit was great and I was prepared to put down a substantial amount on a high-dollar truck.

[quote="no_worries" However, it's plenty easy for a new guy to find financing...at 18% over too long a term :shock: I think that's what Bigmon was referring to.

That's exactly what I was referring too. Also banks where making a killing on real estate loans so a lot of them wouldn't bother to check and see if they guy was giving bogus financials to get his truck.

Butterball's Garner location will be about 20 mins from my house. Corp HQ with just management, showrooms, historical stuff etc. However I did find this:

"Butterball will maintain its strong presence in Mt. Olive, NC where it operates the largest turkey-processing plant in the world, a state-of-the-art, 65,000-square-foot facility employing more than 2,600 people."

They also have processing plants in AR,CO and MO among other places. And NC has some big pork processing plants too.

Good luck with everything merrick4!

Thanks ncnewbie. A lot of stuff going on there in N.C. I know they are still building Lowes' Corporate Headquarters in Mooresville. Seems like they have been building that for years.

I'll say one thing, I when I am negotiating these rates I pay attention to the miles and the commodity but I need to watch delivery times. I picked up yesterday in Kentucky and don't deliver to my first stop in Florida til Monday then final on Tuesday. They need to be paying for all this sitting too.

Actually I just wanted to get home or I wouldn't have taken it. I notice a lot of trucks post on the area they want to go which I thought you weren't supposed to do. I always post all of U.S. and have to tell the 30 calls to PA that I don't want to go there.

This time I put South Florida and the guy tried to lowball me saying that I want to go home. I told him I have a week to do it so I'm in no hurry (can you sit on your broker load for a week :wink: ). Now that I think of it that's not a bad strategy. Post the area you want to go then tell them you are not in a hurry to get there. Puts you right back on the same level playing field.

I've always found that brokers rarely look at that info, unless they're trying to move it for cheap. I'll post all kinds of info; team, no less than 1000 miles, heading east...invariably I'll get 10 calls offering me a 200 mile load north over the weekend :roll:

They like to ask, "Where's he want to go?" I always reply, "We'll go anywhere, so long as the price is right."

If they do ask if we're trying get back to CA, I just say, "Not particularly, unless you've got something good."

Brokers, always thinking every load is a "backhaul" :lol:

When I click on the "trucks posted" on Internet truckstop, each entry shows the homebase state of the poster. Kind of puts you behind the 8 ball with the broker doesn't it.

Not unless you really are trying to get home and will compromise your rate in order to do so :lol:

http://www.truckloadrate.com:80/
 

I have followed Steve for awhile and now enjoying following this thread.
Not having my truck yet and only thinking now that I have my CDL permit would it be to my advantage to play like I have a truck and taking loads, using http://www.truckloadrate.com ?

Be like a Day Trader playing the stock market for fun

Start with my make believe truck and trailer either Van, Reefer or Flatbed and take loads off the load board at prevailing rates.

Just a thought. May be 29 bucks well spent

Arkie

$17.25 for 65 miles?

http://www.state.nj.us/turnpike/Trucks2005.htm