just been told by a customer today that my rate is too dear, i charge 1.65p per mile for 44t curtainsider work, not always running at 44t though, i thought it was a resonable rate as i need to pay drivers, and diesel etc etc etc…, so just wanted to know what other small hauliers charge
stick to ya rates,he’s trying it on with ya. trouble is he may of had a company with a cheaper quote but can they do the job as good as you? convince him your reliable/good and cost effective, or ask him if he has had any complaints regarding you, if not then you must be doing a good job for the rate
without knowing how many miles this is based on and how many drops etc. I couldn’t say if it’s too dear or even too cheap !
but if you’ve being doing the job well without any complaints than stick to your rates !! if the customer doesn’t like it walk away while reminding them that if you pay peanuts you get monkeys, if the customer stays watch out they don’t try to extend payment times and try not to let them owe you too much money 
Anywhere from 1.90 per mile upwards depending on circumstances surrounding the job in question , Some local jobs involving very few miles but quite timely can command a far greater mileag rate , As an example i did a job for a customer last monday useing one of my moffet forklifts loading 10 miles from base 2 loads to be delivered 10 miles away and that was £550 so a huge mileage rate but took approx 8.5 hours on the other hand i did a nottingham on tuesday that was £650 , and wednedsay a london which was £500 with moffet which was only a maximum of 200 miles and only taking 6 hours but was an evening job ,To summarise i price each job individually on its own merits and its hard to set in stone a mileage rate , Some some customers would expect a 60 mile job to only cost say £114 @ £1.90 per mile which is a joke …
I ofte tell customers to see how much a taxi would cost them for the day and then moan about paying £500 - £750 for a 44t artic costing circa of 120k with trailer for a day …!
I have been hearing lots of stories recently of “backloads” being offered at approx £1.00 per mile !!! Who do these people think they are ■■?
Dont allow your customer to tell you £1.65 is too expensive although that said there is normally an idiot who is willing to work cheaper who doesnt know how to use a calculator and work out a rate with a margin for profit …!!
Rant over …
Had a meeting with TNT about pulling their trailers and the chap told me the going rate for traction in the midlands for them is £1.05/£1.10 with some jobs paying the princely rate of £1.30 per mile, seemed to think the £1.30 was the holy grail as well. I managed to keep a straight face during the meeting but let’s just say I didn’t move things further! I would say the rate is higher from the out bases from what i’ve heard but i’m near the hubs.
It’s like container subbing at £1.15 per mile, waste of time. The problem is there are too many blokes willing to do it just to say they own (lol) their own truck. Most container transport firms rub their hands with glee when they get an enquiry from a potential subby. You are much better off being an employed driver than running around at less than £1.50 per mile (all miles) as a general rule.
Most decent, ad hoc one way work is nearer £2 per mile. You’ve still got the headache of getting something to come back though.
To be honest i disregard backloads when pricing a job as a rule , I pricemy truck from the moment it leaves base until its return and if i happen upon a backload its my bonus !! , If im honest i usually bring them back empty rather than spoil the following day for the average return rate from “anywhere” which seems to be £280 …I usually laugh at the comedians and tell them ill bring it home empty at which they usually make a cocky remark about me not being able to afford to turn down the offer of £480 to bring 26 tonnes of potatoes from pert to colchester, At this point i make them aware that i had £1600 revenue on the way out and the truck WILL retun empty sooner than work fo such utterley insulting rates , I think im right in saying a taxi would cost more !!!
If the rates that TNT are offering where any good they wouldnt be offering them as they would merely add another truck to the fleet , Same old story “lets take the ■■■■ out of another haulier” …!!!
I dont think any regular work will ever pay decent money as a rule …Certain exceptions apply . . .
There aren’t many industries where the customer dictates the price , I may emty my shopping onto tescos till next weeka and inform them i will only pay £50 for it .
Remember,your spending around 57ppm on fuel and the holy grail is fuel should only be a third of your turnover so you should be looking at least £1.75ppm,unfortunately in the “real world” … 
Fair comments all. Rob, you must have been born under a lucky star by the sounds of it dude & long may it continue.
no i wont be dropping the rate, 1.65 pm isnt bad considering the prices of diesel, parts and tyres and so on, but everyone knows that haulage is a dog eat dog game 
No lucky stars for me surfer !! , I struggle at times like everyone and only get a small percentage of all jobs i quote (no surprise there) but i cater for the last minute and timed urgent market and they will pay !! , If i price 40 jobs in a day i may only get 6 or 7 but as i only run a small fleet thats all i need , but i have can have days when most of the fleet is standing and some days they are all booked out by lunchtime but other days they can stand all day …I spend thousands on advertising and a decent website and it generates plenty of enquiries , i would rather wait for the last miute well paid jobs and take the risk than work the trucks at a loss , Some may say im a fool but my father started the business 42 years ago and we still do exactly the same to this day … But certainly no get rich quick scheme im afraid .
I will refuse any non profitable job and stick to my guns , its high time that the haulage industry was not abused and made to work for a loss . . . And anyone who calls to dictate a stupid price should have the phone dropped on them …
On a happier note i have just ordered a new 105 daf for next may and will be putting the fleet back up to six trucks after decreasing by one over the last couple of “hard” years …I have a very happy driver 
Nice work Rob.
Aaron, be worth having an alternative in mind if you get told to do one though 
It’s a poker game, plain and simple and you need to make sure you don’t lose the farm if your bluff gets called. A wise man knows when to call it a day too.
I’m playing such a hand tomorrow but am lucky enough to be able to sell up and be on a plane round the world for a year or two if I lose.
Good luck surfer …
Rob you are spot on mate.
Just out of interest, been looking on your website and whats the story with picture 17 of the gallery? Looks like there might be a height issue! 
Ah ha !!
That was me moving a building but didnt take to the public highway only moved 200 yards on an industrial estate , Made an interesting pic tho !! 
Did an agency job today for a regular of the agency, and picked a load up in HD2 to go to MK12, and the distance according to Mr Tom Tom was 140 miles. On the paperwork the consignee had printed the cost they were being charged, and it was £340 which worked out at £2.42 per mile.
Ken.
A couple of problems with that Quinny
a . mileage between operators yard and HD2
b .mileage between MK12 and operators yard
340 is good for a 140 mile round trip but in this case assuming the operators yard is 15 miles from HD2 thats a round trip of 295 miles @ £340 works out at £1.15 per mile !!!
If you loaded at say 08.00 spent 1.5 hrs loading the drove for approx 3.5 hrs to destination then spent 1.5 hrs tipping making it now 14.30 , you then get offered a worthless back load for £190 (probably a little generous) which wont tip until the next day and if your lucky you may get loaded that day , Subsequently it has taken 1.5 days to earn 3/4 of a days money . To summarise that job should have been worth at least £575 and if you find a reload then its a bonus but most likely run home for a decent paying job the next day .
Point taken Rob, but the yard to the customers was about 6 miles, and after tipping in MK (Wasn’t me by the way as it’s going tomorrow morning.) the company will have a full paying load waiting for them from either Iver (Dead mileage to there.) or Didcot (And again.) probably back to Yorkshire.
Ken.
Thats not so bad then
Apologies as my last post seemed a bit ignorant having re read it . . .
From '90 to about '93 I was running half a dozen transit type vans and a couple were contracted to ICI Computer Systems of Scarborough. I was then getting £50 for going to Wilton plus each drop earned me £9.50 as well and considering we sometimes had 15 to 18 or so drops at places like Wilton three times a week they earned me a fortune. Pity the ex wife thought more of the company bank balance than she did of me, cos she buggered off and took the lot ! We also did all ports enroute to Runcorn for £140 plus the £9.50’s and £240.00 etc for Slough. One off jobs were charged a £0.50 per mile. Most of the GIT insurance was paid by them as well. Also did storage for them at £2.00 per pallet per week. Dont sound much now but it was then. This was during the time that all hospitals were getting huge computer networks so we were quite busy.
Even used my XJ6 (company car) to deliver a piece of artwork to go on a bass drum for a gig in Manchester that was being televised for Polydor Records and was paid £300 for the day out with the family. On one occasion had to go to Thetfords Place in Leicester (porta potti people) to collect two plastic valves for a new coach that was leaving Plaxtons that evening, cost of transport £250, cost of plastic valves £0.37 pence each).
I wish I was doing it now…
Would suggest use of a costing model - mininum rate would be £1.92 per mile including lease charges / depreciation / profit and all other overheads .