Fuel prices- Again

greg334 · Nov 9, 2007

Phil,
As much as I would consider you are near correct, but can't. The problem is we are part of a niche market where it used to be considered emergency freight, what happened to this?

I don't see this anymore and what reinforces it for me and many of us common phlebs is that our runs are substandard rates with more common goods on our trucks. I know a few of you have seen an increase with your revenue, but taking in account who you are and what you do makes me wonder who has the blinders on.

Fuel surcharge should be at $.35 per mile right now, regardless what vehicle you are running. I think it is for me at $.26 a mile and companies like FedEx should give us the option to use the ground fuel pumps to pay the $1.25 directly which will benefit us more than the FSC would.

ATeam · Nov 9, 2007

Greg,

When you say fuel surcharges "should" be at $0.35 a mile right now, what do you mean exactly? Do you expect carriers to provide free fuel? At 10 mpg, $0.35 per maile equates to $3.50, or the price of a full gallon of fuel. Not quite as much at 8 mpg but just how much money do you feel you "should" receive for fuel?

Why not say carriers "should" also pay for our oil changes, tires....heck, why not the whole truck bumper to bumper? Expediting is not welfare. We are independent contractors. No one is entitled to anything in this business beyond what is contractually agreed to.

Expecting carriers to do more than they agree to do by contract is an exercise in frustration. Imposing self-generated "shoulds" on them only increases the frustration.

davekc · Nov 9, 2007

Fleet mpg averages are between 8 and 9 mpg. Not 10 mpg.
Secondly it depends on how the FSC is calculated. Is it .35 FSC for ALL miles, or only loaded.
Truck doesn't run on water to the pickup and to the next load.
Don't see the carrier paying for ALL of the fuel at that number.
If one thinks that, they better get a caculator out.
Might want to add that doesn't include any idle time. Folks without a generator are really getting hit with a big bill.

Davekc
owner
23 years
PantherII
EO moderator

Thornapple · Nov 9, 2007

Why isn't there some standards like there used to be with the $1.25 base?

Could we raise that to $1.50 as the base and set a standard of 15mpg for vans 9mpg for ST and 5mpg for E class?

Then the current $3.50 would be $2.00 divided by the above mpg's and that would be it.

It's never it though is it!

If our carriers could get the freight that some get at the $2 to $4 per mile we wouldn't be haveing this thread.