Freight rates rising...so they say

There is no shortage of people who will screw you in this industry. The reason most owner operators fail, is because they can't stop thinking like a company driver. They automatically assume that they will be treated fairly, just like a employee. It does not work that way, once you cross the line and buy a truck, you become a contractor and you better start thinking like one, or your not going to make it. The government expects you to know what you are doing, they are not going to help you, when it comes to negotiating a rate. If they started telling shippers what they had to pay you, it would set a precedent in the free market and it would result in KAOS. Imagine how you would feel if the government told you that you were no longer free to negotiate prices, on stuff like fuel or insurance. What if they told you that you could only buy fuel at piolet, and that you had to pay what ever price they were demanding? Even though you could get it cheaper across the street? There are a lot of people that don't make it out here, but there are also many that do. What separates them? Some really know the market, others only think they do. Most other industries operate on a 20-30 percent profit margin, ours operates on a 8% profit margin on average, so there is absolutely no room for error.

Nobody disputes that the rates on this board are low. But it's time to stop playing the victim card, and blame everyone else for your lack of success. You seem to only hear what you want, because nobody called anyone stupid, when referring to trucking operating on a 8% profit margin.

8% is the number that keeps getting brought up time and time again, by accounts and financial analysts. ATBS, transport topics, OOIDA, and many other organizations, have been referring to it for years. It's the result of extreme competition in the market. And it's the primary reason most banks won't finance a truck.

We lost a job to a bunch of O/O that were working for $50/hr. Yup rates are rising....not in south Texas they’re not.

To be fair, no one said everyone was going to be rich come Dec 19th.

Rates HAVE come up since then, I'd say an average of 20-30 cents per mile on hopper loads.

And a whole lot of places that didn't have detention policies before the change, do now. Most at $50 after the first two, which I think everyone would agree is a welcome change that has been needed for many years.

In my experience a customer will pay a fair rate for good service, but they will not pay top dollar for half ass service. There is enough demand in the market right now, that it is possible to pick up direct customers, and avoid brokers. The problem at this point is finding good drivers, who you can trust to deliver excellent service. I can see where the strong demand will work against the brokers, and large fleets as it creates a opening for the independent to exploit.

This whole rate discussion has been interesting. We have a broker in the bulk world saying that rates have went up on bulk, becuase of the ELD, and we have multiple people saying the opposite. What I find funny is Now that trump is implementing a tariff tax on imported steel, everyone is screaming how the consumer is going to have to pay more for stuff. 107 republicans sent trump a letter, begging him not to do it, because they are so concerned that it may hurt the consumer? Yet when you read all of these news articles about how the ELD is affecting the consumer, nobody cares? WTF..........Where is the consistency in the Logic? Did The Godfather of the ELD really give a better blowjob, that the WTO?

I would agree with you, given the expenses involved $3.00@mile is more than fair. What's funny is I Can haul dirt, on a prevailing wage job, and I will make twice what I make in most other markets, and dirt is exempt. The best part about prevailing wage, is they keep all parties involved honest, by mandating a open book policy. If a broker or company get caught for skimming off the top, they get thrown in prison, and are banned from any future bidding. What would happen if they applied that standard to all segments of trucking?

That's per loaded mile. 55 cents is more then a fair price and below the national avg.