Truck Strike

What some of you don't seem to realize is that the prices are being jacked up in the stores due to the higher costs of fuel, but the drivers themselves are not seeing the extra money from shippers to move the freight. I work directly with customers and drivers (as a broker) and when I hear that other carriers are underbidding me simply to keep their trucks moving, it sounds like BLASPHEMY! Just FYI to most of you who don't already know this and i know that will be alot of you. It is costing a truck (VAN TRAILER ONLY)approx .85/mile just to (ONLY) put fuel in his truck. The rest of the trucks expenses (and this still does not include wages yet)Taxes; and there are many of them, Insurance and there is more than one, maintenance, tires, truck payment (average is more than some peoples mortgages) and trailer payments (maybe $700/month. This stuff by the time you break it all down will average the truck approx another .80/mile. Now you add on a drivers wages at (most company drivers are getting .40/mile now) you have $2/mile that must be paid. Now every carrier out there takes a min of 20-25% of the load right off the top before the driver ever sees anything. So the drivers is now getting $1.50/mile to pay himself and all the expenses just listed above. HE IS IN THE HOLE BEFORE THE LOAD EVER MOVES! Then when I hear and see load postings on various load boards and hear brokers to damn afraid to go to their customers to ask for more money as they afraid they will lose an account over a few dollars and they are moving freight for $1.25/mile to the carrier, which the carrier then takes approx 15% of that. How is the truck supposed to make any money at all?? He has to pay out of his pocket just to move the freight you need to make your lives all cushy.

HELL I'D BE MAD TOO! I am mad !!!

You think these #'s are bull shit??? You do your own research and you will find out I'm not that far from the truth on this... These #'s are estimates only, but they are pretty close and this comes from 15 years of being a Truck broker myself, so I know what drivers are talking about. I keep about 10% percent myself on a load to a driver and I do try to get them as much as possible. I'd rather get underbid and let the customer get what they pay for on cheap trucks than turn my professional drivers lose to lose money. It is my job to get them what they deserve!

If this strike happens, the people of this country will only get what they deserve and has been coming for a long time now. You want to be mad, then be mad at yourselves for allowing this to happen. If you not paying at least $2.50/mile to move your freight as a customer of the trucking business (FOR A VAN TRAILER ONLY!! FB, SD, DD and RGN need to be proportionately higher) Then you are part of the problem MOST DEFINATLY !

Have fun looking in the mirror next week.

Dan
Independent Broker
Former Professional Driver