Fair Pay

In today's economy I'm generally quoting at or near $4.50/mile, plus FSC, plus washout, plus pump if applicable. Of course there is always someone willing to work for free. Truckers are the most profit adverse people I have ever met.

There are crickets due to the lack of information provided.

With bulk, there are too many variables to account for to assess your question fairly. Most good carriers know their break-even and target profitability. They use this to leverage another account against each other to give the best price they can while still making money. Without knowing volumes, lead times, and locations it is impossible to have a fair assessment.

I have a target rate per mile on hub miles broken down for every trailer in my fleet, hopper, belt, tanker, and van. This target rate varied by lanes depending on other known customers and our ability to leverage those relationships. I can offer loads with longer lead times at a lower rate since it gives me time to plan. Day-specific versus week-specific fall into two more categories. Then one-off loads versus 100 loads to the same location reflect different prices. Then there are developed customers versus new customers.

Then there is the fact that everyone's break-even will be different. What works for us might not work for others. Or others might be able to run for less than we can.

Instead of looking for blanket statements perhaps narrow in on your target market and get feedback there.

I think in the trucking industry in general, there's no way to have a "uniform" way of things when it comes to pay, how to pay etc. I think you need to start asking more along the lines of where are the dead zones, what product comes in and out of an area, it is seasonal or yearly, could it be a product that not many drivers will haul, etc. Example - took a load of lava rock which paid decent but it destroyed my trailer. I think it more on how it was loaded. Anyway, once you learn that, in which I'm still learning too, then you can start getting a little closer as to what to pay.

You didn't identify the specific equipment needed. Net pay load varies. Hoppers will net roughly 26 ton. Walking floors will net roughly 23 ton. Etc, Etc.

I agree bulk is not like any other. I did forget in bulk you're basically hauling products in its rawest form. Some areas mother nature can play a roll too. You gotta look at what areas have cheap rates. Like California and Florida. In my experience both states pay good going in but horrible coming out. I pulled flatbed many moons ago and its still like that. There's A LOT of variants in the bulk side of trucking. We've gone to private farmers to load/unload products and some places dont even have scales. Its going to keep you on your toes and it changes daily.

sorry to burst yer bubble but all freight rates are dependant on the commodity contracts signed before you even get contacted to move it and the freight the buyer or shippers have built into the contract determines that rate. you can always tell by the price they offer.

Sometimes it doesn't matter what a customer WANTS to pay, or what a contract says. Sometimes the ALL miles pay just don't add up and a load sits. If I'm asked to haul a load for a low rate, I just tell the broker/shipper the price that works for me..... often times when a rate is too low for me, it's too low for others as well.

With companies like Prime Inc getting into the bulk game, I believe we will or SHOULD BE a little less forthcoming on rates we are willing to run for. Let em find out the hard way.