Those rates are pretty low. I would not want to start at that low rate. There are also too many different rates. Personally, I would rather just have a single rate for all miles if I am being paid by the mile.

 

When I started with swift I had the 'privilege' of getting paid such lousy rates :lol:

I am much happier with the % I get now, especially considering how the rates are for the specialty freight I haul. I will be very happy next week once the settlement comes in for this $8000 load I am sitting on :clap:

 

Percentage is preferable for me. I am glad that you have a good paying load on the truck, Matcat.

 

Most of my loads are good paying, except for back hauls which are generally at the cut throat rates.

 

It is a shame that some of those return loads are so cheap. In fact, many of the outbound rates are not very good.

 

I bet it is frustrating, Gman. With the economy the way it is it has everyone by the "tires". I would imagine that profits are hard to scrap up with the bigger companies running at cheap rates to cover some of their huge overhead. It is riding the storm out for a lot of industries. :tears:

 

I'm sitting in a motel in Nebraska getting 48 bucks an hour detention time since 6 pm yesterday, that's a rate I can live with

 

Biscuit Lips said:

So.... how are you paid now? Percentage? As rates get lower due to fuel price decreases and competition for the fewer loads available, are your load rates staying the same? Just asking.

My first company paid me (team) a rate a bit lower than that (I always fell into the 700+ mile range.) Other companies near me paid a sliding scale based on "regions" which equated to those mile breaks (and about the same money.) But, the important thing was.... I ALWAYS got the miles! I was usually back home within 5 (maybe) 6 days with a net of about $700/wk average (no benefits paid by me.) I didn't consider myself "irregular route." I went to the west coast every week, and DANG they never DID move it any closer to NC!

I never cried! I never whined. I knew I was just starting out and things would get better. They DID. I have little more than 3 years in the business now, and I'm making about 5 cents more per mile than I was with that company. (That's a 33% raise.)

I'm not getting RICH like TerryLamar or the Rev or some others here, but... I've still got TIME to progress in the industry.

But I NEVER had to live on some 3-500 dollars a week! The Megas promise low pay and deliver even LOWER miles!

Pay scales are based on mileage expected. i.e: If they pay HIGH rates for miles, they give you LESS miles! MORE sitting around time waiting for a load! But, this would equally apply to a percentage deal!

I don't think they do it on purpose... not with malice and intention... its just the nature of THEIR business model and contracts. And MUCH of it is up to the driver!

If you don't want to leave your "region," and want to be home once during the week and every weekend.... you are LIMITING what they can give you as a dispatch! And unless you get paid well for each 'drop' or detention, you will NOT make much money EVEN if the rates are higher for lower miles.

Contrary to what some of the "local advocates" here think, you don't HAVE to get paid for fueling the truck or bumping a dock if you are getting the MILES! But... if you are getting paid CPM, you MUST get miles!

I'd rather drive 200 more miles per day (about 2.5 hours) than bump 4+ docks a day ANY day of the week! I guarantee I spent LESS time in docks or WAITING to get into a dock than all these HIGH paid regional or local drivers! OR the SOLO's who can only drive 600 miles a day and have to sit and wait to deliver...several times a week!

BTW.... I got paid the SAME for ALL 'empty' miles on my way to my backhaul. No "sliding scale" there! And not a DIME for my time waiting to hit the dock! But, it didn't bother me cuz.... TEAM drivng means you NEVER have to sit for NO reason! When the wheels CAN turn, they are TURNING.... and I'm making money!

That payscale is not SO out of line for a newbie if you're getting the MILES! The question IS.... will the company get you the miles?

 

It is frustrating for all companies regardless of size. Margins are very slim for everyone, whether you lease to a carrier or run your own authority. I am doing more deadheading that I can recall since I hauled cars and it has been about 10 years ago since I got out of car hauling.

 

I think there's only one person here who is claiming to be getting rich via trucking, and his numbers are a crock of ****. But I know for a fact that I've never claimed anything of the sort.:roll: