Companies closed their doors overnight.

[Waterloo]

(04-29-2019 )Nilao Wrote:  I hear drivers all the time griping that the rates suck now...yet here I am on a 3 day run that pays me $3300.

When I talk to these "owners" why they say rates suck they are basically cutting there own throats. I get "I won't haul more than 30k" Or "I won't haul HazMat" And the all encompassing "cheap freight" yet not a single one can define cheap freight. Had one tell me $3/mile and below was cheap freight...to which I said only if its specialized. every bodies operation is different and ones persons cheap freight is another's good paying load.

I see that rates are down from last year and a lot of people who jumped in while things were good are struggling because they didn't plan for the downturn. I see a lot of low mileage repo's for sale in the near future. But if you compare the market now compared to 2016 then rates are up. You have to be able to put $ away in the booms so you can survive the lulls.

Just my .02 cents

We were talking about this last year, that this would be one of those terrible years, at least in Automotive freight. The writing was on the wall. My old company, the guy that ran us, was trying to diversify, the new owner was not into that and took the easy way out and closed the doors. None of us saw that coming, and we had the wherewithal to haul just about anything they through at us. As far as cheap freight, we were spoiled there, but we found this new company, much more diversified, and freight is up around the $2 a mile mark. They try to keep it above $1.70 to the truck. I can work with that, as long as there is consistency, they have an Amazon account, so I think we are good. And that freight is actually not paying that bad. Drop and hook, light loads, out and back. Right up my alley.

And to add... The only reason we have been able to hold out, is that the equipment is paid for. The bank accounts are now empty, but we still have our trucks and homes. I never want to have a truck payment, not if I can help it.

I also went and obtained HazMat and a TWIC card, just in case. I'm now able to to go just about anywhere with anything.