Current rates, etc.

Oct 31, 2024 at 10:30 AM CST + 1
Posted by a private FlatLoads.com member.	Posted by a private FlatLoads.com member. I have been out of the truck since 2017, but considering going back to hauling hopper freight. Are the rates, and available loads worth the cost of a truck & trailer? I have been seeing articles saying the money isn't there at this point.

Replied on Thu, Oct 31, 2024 at 11:31 AM CST
Posted by a private FlatLoads.com member.	Posted by a private FlatLoads.com member. Don’t go borrow a bunch of money .

Replied on Thu, Oct 31, 2024 at 02:37 PM CST
Posted by a private FlatLoads.com member.	Posted by a private FlatLoads.com member. depends on how you are going to approach the bulk freight world. Are you looking to go out to the bulk freight as a single truck operation relying on the load board? Are you going to look for a reputable carrier to team up with? As a dispatcher of a 20+ truck company, I can tell you that there is money to be made out here IF you have direct customers and really hustle. If you are looking at the first option, you may find some decent loads but will struggle to keep going. There are a lot of great carriers out there (just as many bad) that you can hitch your wagon to. Ask around and see who is easy to work with and keep you moving as well as keep the revenue coming in. As we all know, we are not in this business to make friends or for the good health the industry provides, we are here to make money and support the ones we love and that depend on us. So to make a short story long, yes you can make money out here but you have to do some research and due dilagence before diving in the deep end. Know that things have changed since 2017 and that shop rates are almost doubled as well as the price of everything. The price that we paid for a pair of steer tires in 2017 is now the price of a single steer tire. Every changing industry requires constant foresight and much preparedness. Good luck! Hope you succeed in anything you decide to do!

Replied on Thu, Oct 31, 2024 at 02:37 PM CST

Posted by a private FlatLoads.com member.

depends on how you are going to approach the bulk freight world. Are you looking to go out to the bulk freight as a single truck operation relying on the load board? Are you going to look for a reputable carrier to team up with? As a dispatcher of a 20+ truck company, I can tell you that there is money to be made out here IF you have direct customers and really hustle. If you are looking at the first option, you may find some decent loads but will struggle to keep going. There are a lot of great carriers out there (just as many bad) that you can hitch your wagon to. Ask around and see who is easy to work with and keep you moving as well as keep the revenue coming in. As we all know, we are not in this business to make friends or for the good health the industry provides, we are here to make money and support the ones we love and that depend on us.

So to make a short story long, yes you can make money out here but you have to do some research and due dilagence before diving in the deep end. Know that things have changed since 2017 and that shop rates are almost doubled as well as the price of everything. The price that we paid for a pair of steer tires in 2017 is now the price of a single steer tire. Every changing industry requires constant foresight and much preparedness.

Good luck! Hope you succeed in anything you decide to do!

Replied on Thu, Oct 31, 2024 at 03:20 PM CST
Posted by a private FlatLoads.com member.	Posted by a private FlatLoads.com member. It's been a tough couple of years. The average load is paying roughly the same as it did prior to the pandemic, but the cost of everything is much higher. If you own a farm and can use a hopper for farm use as well as commercial it greatly helps. If you are looking to lease on to someone, I would look into hauling hazmat as there is far more money left over than hauling bulk.

Replied on Thu, Oct 31, 2024 at 03:20 PM CST

Posted by a private FlatLoads.com member.

It's been a tough couple of years. The average load is paying roughly the same as it did prior to the pandemic, but the cost of everything is much higher. If you own a farm and can use a hopper for farm use as well as commercial it greatly helps. If you are looking to lease on to someone, I would look into hauling hazmat as there is far more money left over than hauling bulk.

Current rates, etc.

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