Yep, can’t put your rates up as they’ll just offer the work to someone else at the same price, they’ll do it for a bit in the hopes of putting the price up in the future then when they try, they offer it to someone else, then…
Once the clever lads come along & cut the rates to corner the market & go out of business, the rates never go up.
johnny:
the tunnel is over £200 each way
frejus is GBP 268.00 return, the blanc is GBP 138.00 one way - basically if that GBP 2900.00 is ferries paid then it’s not a bad job, if ferries to come out of it (best we can get P&O dov-cal is GBP 135.00) then it’s fairly crap
Found out that it doesn’t include ferry costs or bridge/toll costs now so that’s the end of that ! 
Saved you a whole load of hassle ,Rob. I think the guy that quoted £3000 plus VAT + ferries for an 18tonner has his head screwed on. The rest have upkeep & responsibility of running a truck for casual wages. // If Betz dont want it then theres no fat in it.
It’s only worth the risk if it’s a sure earner, there’s too many things that can go wrong if the price isn’t worth the risk. I turn work away because it’s not regular enough and the investment isn’t worth the risk on most rates. Keep it compact is what I reckon, all these haulage firms taking on more and more wagons then they go bust when they can’t keep them all running at decent money. Sod that.