Is it slow all over ???

BHXpress

Active Expediter
Carrier Management
Things have been terrible slow lately. When loads do come out, competition drives the prices way low. Loads that would pay $2500-3000 6 months ago are now paying under $2000... We've told our O/O's to be open to lower pricing, as it's the only way to keep the vans moving and make any amount of money at the end of the week.
 

xiggi

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
Things have been terrible slow lately. When loads do come out, competition drives the prices way low. Loads that would pay $2500-3000 6 months ago are now paying under $2000... We've told our O/O's to be open to lower pricing, as it's the only way to keep the vans moving and make any amount of money at the end of the week.
Or just say no and work to drive rates back up.
 

Erick Evans

New Recruit
Things have been terrible slow lately. When loads do come out, competition drives the prices way low. Loads that would pay $2500-3000 6 months ago are now paying under $2000... We've told our O/O's to be open to lower pricing, as it's the only way to keep the vans moving and make any amount of money at the end of the week.

Honestly, if my carrier told me that I'd be better off getting my own authority if I wanted to run for bottom of the bag peanuts. When I see a carrier say something like that it shows that my business is not in the right partnership. SOME carriers still look at O/O'S like they are employees with no expenses. A carrier saying "it is the way it is and the driver should expect low rates, but we will not lower our carrier fees, or help you when you've been a sitting duck for two weeks." That is sickening to me
 
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OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
Honestly, if my carrier told me that I'd be better off getting my own authority if I wanted to run for bottom of the bag peanuts. When I see a carrier say something like that it shows that my business is not in the right partnership. SOME carriers still look at O/O'S like they are employees with no expenses. A carrier saying "it is the way it is and the driver should expect low rates, but we will not lower or carrier fees, or help you when you've been a sitting duck for two weeks." That is sickening to me

I expect my carrier to work with me so we both can make a profit.....Its pretty simple actually....
 

Erick Evans

New Recruit
I expect my carrier to work with me so we both can make a profit.....Its pretty simple actually....

That is what you should expect, and I'm glad to see that your carrier has the same expectation. The thing that struck a nerve with me is a carrier telling an owner operator "it's slow so you have to run for low rates" which is a major red flag.

Why? Because, if you take a load under your rate to get out of a dead area, that's one thing, but if you take loads at a low rate ALL the time then thats all that brokers are going to expect from you. That low rate becomes your overall rate.
 
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OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
That is what you should expect, and I'm glad to see that your carrier has the same expectation. The thing that struck a nerve with me is a carrier telling an owner operator "it's slow so you have to run for low rates" which is a major red flag.

Why? Because, if you take a load under your rate to get out of a dead area, that's one thing, but if you take loads at a low rate ALL the time then thats all that brokers are going to expect from you. That low rate becomes your overall rate.
not necessarily so...Kroger will put eggs on special one week for .99 and the next week be back to full price...it achieves their goal of moving dated stock and turning over inventory...no one expects that low price all the time....I don't "think" most brokers have the ability to think beyond the next load actually....LOL let alone what I did last week....
On the flip side of the coin I see people saying things like when rates come back?.....Come back?.....maybe, just maybe they are right where they belong in the CV segment and we were being overpaid for a time being and now the "market" has readjusted for the "supply and demand" factor....even at .90 a mile most are still making over a 150% profit....Hmmmmm?.....Just a thought....
And it's only opinion....
 
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xiggi

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
Actually if memory serves me right on the egg example those are called loss leaders in the business. You mark down some products to cost or even below cost. That gets foot traffic in the store, people buy other items with higher markups creating a profit. I've giving up trying to figure out the van market but there is no doubt cheap haulers hurt us all. I used to plow snow, every body bought trucks and plows and started undercutting folks. The same thing happened in the landscape business. In both there are people under insured running a garage business who only look to pay the next bill.

I know 150% profit may sound like a lot but in a van is it enough to buy a home, get health insurance, save a little for retirment? By the time you pay operating costs, insurance taxes etc I doubt many are making that type of profit. Even more probably don't even know their true expense.

All I really know about the whole thing is that I don't know.
 

Erick Evans

New Recruit
not necessarily so...Kroger will put eggs on special one week for .99 and the next week be back to full price...it achieves their goal of moving dated stock and turning over inventory...no one expects that low price all the time....I don't "think" most brokers have the ability to think beyond the next load actually....LOL let alone what I did last week....
On the flip side of the coin I see people saying things like when rates come back?.....Come back?.....maybe, just maybe they are right where they belong in the CV segment and we were being overpaid for a time being and now the "market" has readjusted for the "supply and demand" factor....even at .90 a mile most are still making over a 150% profit....Hmmmmm?.....Just a thought....
And it's only opinion....

I understand what you are saying, but If a carrier tells their O/O'S to be open to low pay and then their O/O'S are running for $.67 a mile (all ten units.) If that carrier wants to raise their rates to $.85 a mile I'm sure brokers and their customers might seek a carrier still running for a cheaper rate.
 
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