Redmon discusses ‘Ice Road Truckers’ 100 comment(s)
Rule bars handheld cell phone while driving Jan. 1 54 comment(s)
Forecast: Driver shortage looming 48 comment(s)
Dave Redmon fired from one IRT show, quits other 32 comment(s)
How to Become an O/O: To lease or not to lease 30 comment(s)
Ice Road Truckers head to Himalayas 17 comment(s)
Clash of the generations 14 comment(s)
Hours rule proposal advanced 10 comment(s)
Trucks and women, then and now 10 comment(s)
Dave Redmon: ‘Ice Road’ firing was scripted 9 comment(s)

Choosing the most profitable loads

November 1, 2010

| by: Max Kvidera

Load Choices

Factor in costs, mileage and time to help choose your most profitable hauls

Here’s a quiz: Which loads and lane would you choose?

Recently, flatbed loads from Chicago to Denver were paying $2.01-$2.19 per mile, whereas Chicago to Dallas hauls were ranging from $1.60-$1.89. If you chose a trip to Denver, you might want to change your mind. The reason: there were 129 loads to choose from leaving Dallas, while only 43 loads were available out of Denver. Plus, the rates from Dallas were much higher.

This example from trucking columnist and satellite radio host Kevin Rutherford illustrates the options owner-operators face in deciding which loads to take. It also points to some of the information an operator needs to know to choose profitable hauls.

Rutherford says you need to evaluate both the loads and the destinations. A higher-paying load to a particular market may be minimized by lower-paying loads leaving that area. If you’re going to a place with limited load availability, you should consider potential deadhead costs to get the next load, he says. Think twice about accepting a load to a market that doesn’t pay well for outgoing hauls, unless you happen to live there and want to go home.

David Wolff, a consultant at financial services firm ATBS, says the elements to consider in load selection are time, miles and rates. Some operators look for loads with lots of miles that pay lower rates, but the time involved to deliver may reduce the overall payoff. You may be able to land a lucrative local or regional run, but can you sustain it or is it a one-time event? How many loads can you run in a week?

Last

2001 Peterbilt 379,ATBS,Bill Esser,bottom line loading,David Wolff,deadhead costs,fuel costs per lane,Kevin Rutherford,load choices,mileage,profitable hauls,profitable load selection,Twin Rivers Transport,unpaid miles

6 Comments

Dennis Ashton says:

December 30, 2010 at 10:20 pm

new to owner op. could use all the advise you can give. ty

Reply
Ed Yougha says:

February 12, 2011 at 10:36 am

I am a new analyst in a trucking company. This was really helpful.

Reply
D.R.Kupke Sr ""WILD-1-ENT says:

May 14, 2011 at 10:41 am

Hello Dennis

Well I don’t know what kind of equipment u r running ?? But the best advice I can give u is to allways try to get more $$ for the haul and when u get empty take the best that there is to offer load wise and “”KEEP-ON-TRUCKIN”" ?? Sitting will not allways benniffit u ?? Then again running for nothing will run u in the ground !! Know what it cost’s u to run and if u can make a profit load it n go n ALLWAYS ALLWAYS BE LEGAL !!!! U never know what is waiting for u up the street !!!

Reply
What loads are the most profitable for truckers? | Truck Wires.com says:

June 17, 2011 at 12:37 pm

[...] David Wolff, a consultant at financial services firm ATBS, says the elements to consider in load selection are time, miles and rates. Some operators look for loads with lots of miles that pay lower rates, but the time involved to deliver may reduce the overall payoff. You may be able to land a lucrative local or regional run, but can you sustain it or is it a one-time event? How many loads can you run in a week? To read the full article click here. [...]

Reply
Jose Hernandez says:

July 25, 2011 at 11:55 am

This was very helpful…I am new to the trucking industry and have a different apppreciation for truckers. What are the thoughts on factoring? I have been thinking about it and wanted to see what ideas were out there…what are things that you guys may like and things that you dont? Thank you for your assistance.

Reply
Rick Woodcox says:

October 23, 2011 at 8:13 am

There are several things that might effect which load is better for you. Obviously you don’t want to haul a load that only pays fuel. You have to make a profit with anything you haul. Lets say you just left the house and you are in Chicago on Monday. You live in Springfield MO. The load going to Denver pays better. However loads from Denver to most any where pay less. However if you took the higher load to Denver and could somehow post your truck early for availability in Denver for say Wednesday. The possibility for a load for a profit from Denver to somewhere might break into a better profit for where you might be Friday or Monday. Try to stay in an area where you are familiar with and work honestly and most important log book legel.

Reply