Merrick4, not all CH Robinson loads are cheap. Some pay pretty well. I would suggest trying to find two or three of their brokers whom you can work. You may also check with some other major brokers. If you have regular traffic lanes where you like running you may find that some of these brokers will give you better rates if they know that they can rely on you. If you don't care where you go or how long you stay out, you can also usually do much better on the rates. I am glad to see that you severed your relationship with the dispatcher. I don't think he was doing much for you for the money you paid him.

 

Thats a good move Merrick, Im sure you can get better paying loads, and like you say, less deadhead on your own, for a little more work on your part. But as time goes, it should all get smoother, and better. Just keep a focused eye on how to streamline the operation. Talk to shippers, etc.

As for American Express, I used their cards for years, but in 2001 bought a used trailer for $11k. Paid for it with the card, and when my statement came, it showed a "cash advance of $11,000", and they wanted something like 24.99% interest, or whatever, and never could get them to correct / change it. So paid them off, paid the balance, which cost me an extra $250 in un-warranted interest, and sent them their card back. No thanks Amex! Doesnt surprise me to hear them waffling on your 5% fuel rebate offer. watch them.

regards

 

I too, got that letter from Amex. I will fuel two times a week now instead of one, to keep it below the 75 gallons.(I don't do many miles). They will make more money having more transaction fees from using the card more often. Hopefully, it will work(I don't see why not), or they get the boot.

 

I guess I'll start putting my rates down cause I need some feedback. Now that I'm on my own I guess I am second guessing myself. Anyway I just did a load from Kansas City, KS to Grand Rapids, MI. It was a reefer load but start/stop and as it is cool outside I didn't hear the reefer go on once so that's a big improvement already as with the other guy I never shut the reefer off it seemed like.

Miles were 777 and it paid $1050 which comes to $1.35. No real improvement over what I was doing with the other guy except the reefer wasn't running which is a big plus. There was about 30 miles of deadhead but I'm not sure how to add that in cause really it was only so much because I went out of the way to go to a truckstop.

I got up this morning in Gary, IN and posted my truck but before I even got out of the T/A parking lot I took it off cause the phone was going and I want to be in front of the computer looking at stuff when I talk to them.

Yesterday I did get a bunch of calls from TQL but for decent money but to Ok areas and with the weekend coming up I wanted to make sure I don't sit for the weekend.

I called a company on a load very close to me to Kent, WA. This morning I called on a load from CH Robinson from MI to CA and it was only paying about $1.22. With fuel this way I don't know how people can do this, plus it was a reefer load.

So as for the load to WA, it is 2225 miles and dry and they said $3000. I got her only up to $3100 and accepted which comes to $1.39 a mile which for so many miles seemed good and from what I understand East to West is cheaper than West to East. I put it in Truckload.com and they said I should have got $3595.94 or $1.61 per mile. I'm not so sure this program is working right as the other day from Miami to Chicago dry it said close to $2.00 a mile.

The funny thing is and what has me confused is I put in a reverse run from Washington to Michigan and it said only $3081.40 or $1.38 a mile. For some reason they had it cheaper. I was planning on trying to get to the West Coast and stay out there for a while, but as produce season is coming in Florida, I think I might head straight back while the money is good. I haven't been home for a while anyway and need to take care of a couple of things.

Shouldn't West to East be more? Any comments on the rates?

 

I have rate mate from ITS and its just the rates that people report or put on the board any way.
I don,t think they get enough rates reported to them to get an accurate picture.
One very low rate or high rate can change the average drasticly

 

you get a fuel surcharge when the broker really needs you
otherwise"its in the rate"

 

This fuel surcharge has me confused. From what I understand the rate usually includes the surcharge, so if some roll it in and others don't then when they quote you a rate you are not sure from what side they are quoting. It's not a clear thing like I'll pay you this for that. Do you mean you will give me x for this load but does x include the y factor? You know what I mean?

I was talking to a guy at CH and he told me that for carriers that haul a frequent lane then they break it down with the surcharge but if not it's a pain to do for each load and they add it together. I'm not sure what he means that it is a pain.

So what do you guys do, ask does that include the fuel surcharge? How is the rate that I'm taking to Washington? I know that's a stupd question at first blush as if I don't know then I shouldn't be an O/O. But I never planned to just buy a truck and get going, I assumed that this guy I went with was going to show me the business but that didn't happen. So I have this truck and am doing my best.

Thanks for all the help. Sonny btw I know the H&M has a terminal in WA so I will call them when I'm there as I am set up now with them.

Just as an edit when I got the load from CH I did ask if they had anything left over for fuel which was more or less asking for the fuel surcharge and he said no.

 

Me neither
I just keep my truck running.