I'm not a o/o so I haven't had to deal with this BUT that sounds pretty bad even to me! No wonder some O/O can't make a go of it. It's amazing how similar these problems are to other lines of work. I spent many years doing auto body work and body shops have the same problems, there is always someone else out there that is hurting and so charges less. To bad there's no easy fix for it

Healthy competition generally is a good thing because it keeps prices in check and promotes economic stability.

But when the competition results in rates so low that few are making money, most aren't making any money, and some are losing money, then competition becomes a bad thing.

People have to figure their cost of doing business and allow for enough profit over their costs to allow them to maintain a suitable lifestyle and support their families.

If the rates are so low that this cannot be accomplished, then it makes no sense to haul it "just to keep moving".

If every O/O would just do their homework, figure a decent rate at which they can make a good living, and then refuse to haul anything below that rate, then maybe things would change, but when these shippers & brokers know that some poor b*stard will haul it basically no matter how low the rate, what incentive do they have to pay more?

It's a sorry state of affairs when hard working honest people are being "whipsawed" against each other for the obscene financial gain of executives with 7 figure incomes, and "middlemen" who don't lift a finger, but nevertheless get a (larger than normal) cut of the money that rightfully should be going to the person who does the actual work.

Just say no to that cheap sh*t!!!!!

One ? I don't see anything here that is good,what excactly is the "some in a good way"

those loads suck. my boss like to do them for the Chicago area witch pay around 3500 a trip for less than 500 miles worth of driving but they really suck. most of the people don't even want them dang things and when they do want them they look over them and pick at how there loaded or how they look. i had a 10 stop in Detroit area and had to be done in 1 day. most of the stores (Meijer) didn't know they were coming and didn't even want them when i got there. i started at 3 in the am got to my first stop at 6 and last stop by 6 pm. pay was decent but for the work and having to run like a rag doll through local traffic was not worth it to make sure it was all delivered in there set amount of time.

bcbasher your rate was $7 p/m and these loads are posted at $1.40 :?: and people are doing them :?: :!: how sad that these get done.

The only thing that keeps rates low is owner operators who are not business people. They have no idea of what their operating costs are and what it takes to run a successful trucking business. All they see is cash flow to keep the repo man at bay. They run for rates so low that they cannot get ahead. You need to place the blame where it really belongs, on the owner operator. Unless he accepts the load it sits. The longer it sits the higher the rate will go until someone takes it. I have brokers laugh at how cheap some owner operators will work. These people are in business to make money. There is no reason for them to pay more when there are people willing to haul for fuel money. I know some brokers who will offer a far rate starting out. Those are few and far between. I turn down more loads than I could or would haul. I don't see the reason to haul a load unless I can make a profit. Unfortunately, many people don't feel the same way. :evil:

Well said! That is an excellent summation of the current situation in trucking.

When I first started driving with May trucking in 99', I used to have to p/u in Vacaville, CA and hit the home depot store in PA,NJ, and NY. 12 to 15 stops over 3 to 4 days with no unloading pay, because they wouldn't pay for tailgating a load. Did 2 loads for them until I refused to work unpaid, and left trucking for 4 years until I calmed down and came back in 04.

As previously posted, not one of the stores knew I was coming and everyone of them bitched when I got there, from the plants not being the right ones to my truck looking too dirty( WTF?!). My very last last load was going to be refused because the plants I brought,"Are going to clash with the flowers, and we have very stylish clientele that would not appreciate it."Keep in mind that this was a home depot in Phillie. I don't miss those loads all.

Have a safe trip.

oops.....fat fingered that number a by a little bit. its supposed to be 1500. our chicago loads range from 1500 to 1800. all detroit loads max out at 1300.