SickRick |
09-06-2009 09:36 PM |
Quote:
Originally Posted by GMAN
(Post 460860)
Other than discussions on their forum little assistance is offered. Some think that $1.20 is a good rate while someone else may think that $2.50 is too cheap. Much of the difference will depend on the length of time someone has been in the business and the type of freight they haul. I think some give little thought to what is cheap. They just want to keep moving. Their only thought seems to be to get one load off and throw another on as quickly as possible with little or no thought given to the rate.
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But isn't there a "general average" for the type of freight? For example - Dry Van $1.35, Reefer $1.65, Flat, etc., etc.?
I mean, its always a "what the market will bear", in a free enterprise system. Folks that are stuck in an area with slow freight (South Florida for example) will take ANYTHING rather that have to deadhead out - so So. Florida rates for ANY KIND of freight may be typically way lower than say, Arkansas, California or the NW during harvest. Some folks will do the HAUL cheap, to make the killer BACKHAUL - as solo was indicating - where he averages both out and back to arrive at what is "worth it for him" to take a run. The difficulty and added expense of running into/out of NYC, makes rates there higher also.
Since I'll be "home port'd" out of South Florida - I can see myself taking "cheep" runs, just to get OUT of the area to where freight IS moving. Runs INTO So. Florida seem to pay decently, as you can't talk folks (who know how difficult getting a haul OUT is) into coming down here.
I have an number of O/O friends that just run EMPTY out of here, rather than sit and wait for a load.
If you think the shippers and brokers don't look at how things are moving in a given area, and use that to "beat rates down" - think again. Just "saying no" isn't going to FORCE the rates up. As has been already mentioned, SOMEONE will take the load just to get MOVING. But again, supply and demand (of both trucks and freight) in a given area will dictate rates (as they ALWAYS HAVE). It's just the sense of DESPERATION that permeates ALL BUSINESSES right now - that drives folks to take ANY CRAPPY RATE out of FEAR. Until the FEAR SUBSIDES (and we have quite a ways to go), this is the way things are gonna be - like it or not...
Rick
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