The great Give Away

[OntarioVanMan]

Turtle made a great statement in a thread and got me thinking.....

"Air ride used to be rather rare. So rare that customers would request and pay handsomely for it. It's now getting so ubiquitous that the customer is getting it for free, just like so many other things in this business. I seem to recall drivers getting 15 cents an axle, or 30 cents for the trailer, as surcharge for air ride. Now, air ride is practically standard equipment."

I remember when Hazmat endorsement at some carriers was a premium as was being a sprinter load....but out of competition some un named carriers gave it away for free....yep a straight truck load going for a CV rate makes sense to me?..Eh?....DOH....
And now some of these very carriers are whinning and blaming the demise of this industry on cheap freight specialists...Really?
and now we have 3pls, and 4pls....soon to emerge 5 pls....us O/O's will be yet pushed further away from what money there is.....

of course this is just 1 persons opinion and subject to ridicule by the defenders of the faith...

 

[OntarioVanMan]

The single biggest expense and liability an Owner operator has now is "The Carrier"....and it is a controllable expense.
As The Donald would say..."Your Fired"..........LOL

 

[geo]

With all companies trying to get edge on all companies out there to sale there service
Jb hunt once said at end of day after all bills are paid and I make $1.00 for each unit that is good day

 

[Slo-Ride]

Turtle made a great statement in a thread and got me thinking.....

"Air ride used to be rather rare. So rare that customers would request and pay handsomely for it. It's now getting so ubiquitous that the customer is getting it for free, just like so many other things in this business. I seem to recall drivers getting 15 cents an axle, or 30 cents for the trailer, as surcharge for air ride. Now, air ride is practically standard equipment."

I remember when Hazmat endorsement at some carriers was a premium as was being a sprinter load....but out of competition some un named carriers gave it away for free....yep a straight truck load going for a CV rate makes sense to me?..Eh?....DOH....
And now some of these very carriers are whinning and blaming the demise of this industry on cheap freight specialists...Really?
and now we have 3pls, and 4pls....soon to emerge 5 pls....us O/O's will be yet pushed further away from what money there is.....

of course this is just 1 persons opinion and subject to ridicule by the defenders of the faith...

Plenty of non air ride trucks still out there and plenty of shippers still paying for air ride trucks. Pick up a load of windshields/sand molds/ machinery etc etc and tell the shipper your not a air ride truck and first thing you will hear is you better be because we are paying extra for air ride.
A lot of accessories charges are not being paid by the carrier today but still being charged to the shippers. Many times I have been asked how much I make on fuel and then get shown what actually gets charged to the shipper via a email confirming the load. Once you find a shipper that likes seeing you on a regular basis you can learn a lot from them and really see how you boost profits to the carrier and or broker.

 

[fastman_1]

Plenty of non air ride trucks still out there and plenty of shippers still paying for air ride trucks. Pick up a load of windshields/sand molds/ machinery etc etc and tell the shipper your not a air ride truck and first thing you will hear is you better be because we are paying extra for air ride.
A lot of accessories charges are not being paid by the carrier today but still being charged to the shippers. Many times I have been asked how much I make on fuel and then get shown what actually gets charged to the shipper via a email confirming the load. Once you find a shipper that likes seeing you on a regular basis you can learn a lot from them and really see how you boost profits to the carrier and or broker.

So true my favorite shipper showed me the rate they were paying! I was shocked !

 

[OntarioVanMan]

So true my favorite shipper showed me the rate they were paying! I was shocked !

Just like an onion so many layers to peel before we see the money

 

[fastman_1]

Just like an onion so many layers to peel before we see the money

Pretty sure the reason the slowed down using us is they figured out I'm not driving a sprinter, which they were paying for!

 

[OntarioVanMan]

The single highest expenditure we have is the carrier and more and more people are inclined to cut them out and do it themselves

 

[tknight]

So true my favorite shipper showed me the rate they were paying! I was shocked !

I picked a load up it was a shorty 60 miles a few deadhead go 200 for my minimum picked up got loaded got the paper trail saw the info saw the shipping charge which is rare almost 600.00 ! Wowjust wait till I tell the story of weds stupidity!

 

[danthewolf00]

Back when I use to install carpet I found out how much a customer paid for one of the jobs I did.....a Lowe's home improvement store job
Customer paid $7 a yard to lowes
Labor shop hired by lowes $3 a yard
Installer $.40 a yard

Now think what the brokers and carriers get.

 

[Grizzly]

The single highest expenditure we have is the carrier and more and more people are inclined to cut them out and do it themselves

This is very true. Problem is most can't even imagine what customers are actually paying. They undervalue the service they're providing .... by ALOT! Lot's of $ being left on the table....

 

[OntarioVanMan]

This is very true. Problem is most can't even imagine what customers are actually paying. They undervalue the service they're providing .... by ALOT! Lot's of $ being left on the table....

If I were younger person and know what I know now and the shape this business is in I would have my own authority in a heartbeat

 

[tknight]

Don't get me wrong every company deserves a profit but when they nick and dime you every step of the way and tell you they aren't getting rich they are
lying ..... I'm just on the wrong side of the table! 50/30/20 is fair to me I get 50 broker can take 30 carrier gets 20! Seriously all most are doing is looking at emails for most jobs most carriers and brokers own nothing

 

[geo]

when I drove for Roberts express / fed ex cc they didn't like it when you took 50 percent of what the load paid
if the driver didn't take 50 percent they were putting the money in 24 hour cd and making extra money, on your money, at the end of work day a few thousand dollars a day add up
don't know if they still do that

 

[Moot]

So true my favorite shipper showed me the rate they were paying! I was shocked !

Were you air shocked or hydraulic shocked?

 

[Slo-Ride]

Were you air shocked or hydraulic shocked?

with the current rates that would be, Shell shocked