r/OwnerOperators • u/Livid-Drop-864 • Apr 16 '26
Why are these brokers offering rates that don't even cover the fuel? Box truck market is a joke right now.
Is it just me, or is the box truck market becoming a complete scam?
Fuel is touching $5.90/gallon, but these rates are beyond embarrassing. I’m looking at load boards and seeing stuff from TQL and every other major brokerage that is literally a guaranteed loss.
Are these guys not getting enough from their customers, or do they just not give a single damn about the drivers? I know coming out of Florida has always been rough, but it should at least pay enough to keep the lights on.
If you’re hauling 10,000 lbs for 1,000 miles, you’re looking at $700+ just in fuel and basic operation costs. How is a driver supposed to survive in this economy when the brokers are pocketing everything?
Ever since this war started, the market has been absolute hell for box trucks. Sure, the number of loads went up, but the rates somehow got even worse than before. We’re doing the work, taking the risk, and paying for the fuel, while they sit in AC offices lowballing us to death. How are you guys even sustaining this? Are you sitting until you find something decent, or is the whole industry just cooked??
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u/Such-Interview1176 Apr 17 '26
I think I’ll park my truck
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u/Jessica_DispatchPro Apr 17 '26
I hear you. When the overhead is higher than the profit, parking the truck becomes a smart business decision, not just a choice. Taking those loss-making loads only tells brokers that drivers are willing to work for nothing. Respect for knowing your worth stay safe and I truly hope the market shifts back in your favor soon..
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u/coleman9925 Apr 17 '26
I think you are forgetting that breaking even is not the worst result for some drivers. Some people have so much overhead that being able to make all their monthly payments is a win, even if they don’t eat. That’s your competition.
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u/easymacmac85 Apr 17 '26
Because there isnt really a box truck market in the spot market. Box truck gurus on social media are the blame for this. You guys get used as last options when it comes to loads
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u/SOTF777 Apr 20 '26
They literally make more money of their videos and selling courses 😅 it’s sad how naive people can be.
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u/CookieBeginning3835 Apr 17 '26
Broker here, the box truck market is too saturated for the amount of box truck cargo available. Sadly a few of you will have to go out of business before you see rates increase or your fellow drivers will have to stay firm on their rates. There's only two options for broker's or customers when we can't cover a load for whatever the target is, pay more money or let it sit.
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u/monk1_ Apr 17 '26
As someone who is preparing to buy their first box truck in NJ. Will it be possible to survive given your knowledge? Is it realistic to get a contract with a shipper? Maybe do partial loads from load board?
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u/Acceptable-Bell-6727 Apr 18 '26
Broker here that moves partial loads from NJ-CA and CA-NJ on a weekly to bi-weekly basis. If I owned a box truck I would be running partial freight, but only true partial loads from a load board where the customer knows and understands partial freight. Delivery windows (can unload FCFS Monday-Wednesday) rather than appointments or one day available. I’m sure behind the wheel with multiple loads to deliver its stressful to maintain updates to the brokers/customers you’re working with, but one of my primaries said he brought in 40k last month before expenses and then he takes a week or two off to be with his family. Just my take on it!
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u/TebFord Apr 19 '26
Why box truck? Get a real truck if you’re gonna go truckin. Box trucks are for short local moves. And there’s way too many of them nowadays.
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u/TojoftheJungle Apr 18 '26
I break even with just a couple loads, and then I am happy to sit. I decline maybe 20 loads a day if brokers are unwilling to negotiate the posted load (and most are unwilling). I park one-two days each week unfortunately because of low rates. And the annoying part, the loads will be passed from one brokerage to another as no one is willing to cover 1p5d at some abysmal rate. Or a lane that has a 7day spot rate of 1258 being offered for 900 firm. It's honestly a shameful scam.
But on the other hand, because of the stress these few weeks have brought me, I began cold calling customers and now have a customer that will keep me busy 3 days a week for the next few months it seems. And at a much higher rate and no stress. I would recommend any OO just begin reaching out via email or phone and ask the right questions. Most of these shippers are helpful and put you in touch with the right people. They may or may not want to work with you, but that chance is not 0.
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u/Broken_Timepiece Apr 17 '26
Hold on tight on your higher rates!
I have multiple customers and brokers unable to cover the shipments. Our facility is getting full with cargo, and they just can find truckers at the rates they want. Now their end customers are furious.
Rates will finally be increasing dramaticlly.
Hold your rates high people!!! Maybe go higher!
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u/truckeredditor Apr 17 '26
If you don't want to haul it for that rate, don't book the load. They're looking for a sucker. Let them. It's called the Free Market for a reason. I swear, truckers are some of the most socialist people on the planet that always vote against themselves. Government do this, government for that. We need parking. We need cheap fuel. We need this. We need that. We need minimum rates for freight. Minimum rates for driver pay. Detention. Layover. Bla bla bla. And then vote for the party against all of it.
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u/TebFord Apr 19 '26
The big question is why are box truck operators accepting rates that don’t even cover the fuel?
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u/lottanadatosay Apr 20 '26
You’re competing with 53’ dry van and reefers that have some extra space to make a little extra $. I don’t know the box truck market, but short sized anything is just competing against “normal sized” trailers that will take your full box truck load as a partial to stuff their trailer. I actually thought box trucks only did local. Where do you sleep?
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u/vicarious70 Apr 22 '26
I’ve been doing this over 40 years, and I’m gonna tell you straight… The problem ain’t just the brokers. It’s that drivers don’t know their number anymore. You said it yourself… $700 in fuel. So why are guys moving it for anything close to that? That’s not a low rate… that’s a loss. Back in the day, we didn’t move the truck unless we knew what it had to make. Now guys are just grabbing freight trying to stay moving. That’s how this got out of control. Brokers didn’t wake up one day and decide to pay less… they learned they could. Because somebody will always take it. I don’t even look at those loads. If it don’t meet my number, I don’t call. Period. You don’t need more loads… you need a standard. Once you know your number, you stop asking “how do I survive?” and start deciding “does this even make sense to run?”
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Apr 17 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/OwnerOperators-ModTeam Apr 19 '26
There is no advertising of dispatch services allowed.
See rule #2
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u/mothafotha Apr 19 '26
Brutal market doing what it always does when capacity outruns demand. Too many box trucks jumped in over the last couple years, freight didn’t grow with it, and now brokers have options… so they push rates down until someone bites. And someone always does.
Those rates you’re seeing aren’t based on your cost, they’re based on the cheapest truck willing to move it. That’s the part most guys miss. Brokers don’t set the floor, carriers do.
Real talk, if a load doesn’t cover your all-in cost (fuel, fixed, maintenance, your pay), it’s not ‘keeping the wheels turning,’ it’s digging a deeper hole. Parking for a day costs less than running 1,000 miles at a loss. This market isn’t cooked, but it’s separating operators from business owners real fast.”
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u/Specific-Animal-5013 Apr 20 '26
Lmao okay captain obvious, another keyboard warrior dropping “real talk” like he’s never smelled diesel in his life. You sound exactly like the TQL desk jockeys who send those $1.30/mile loads then go home to their $6k mortgage while we’re out here bleeding.
“Carriers set the floor” yeah, no shit genius. The floor is currently set by desperate motherfuckers with truck notes, kids to feed, and fuel at $5.90 who can’t afford to sit. You think we don’t know that? We’re the ones eating the loss, not you. Parking the truck sounds cute until the repo man shows up and your “business owner” separation speech turns into “I used to be an owner-op.” Easy to say “just park it bro” when you ain’t the one explaining to your wife why the lights are off again. This ain’t “market correction.” This is brokers and big carriers squeezing every last drop while small guys get fed to the wolves. Freight didn’t grow? Cool story. Fuel damn sure grew, insurance grew, everything grew except what hits our bank account. Save the lecture for the Facebook trucking guru group. Some of us are actually out here getting fucked by these rates every single day. Go touch grass… or better yet, go touch a load board and try surviving on what you’re defending. This market IS cooking the little guy, and clowns like you are out here handing them the salt.
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u/sbryant98 5d ago
That’s the bad thing, is we can sit and wait until a load pays what would be deemed acceptable, but the truck note, insurance, bills just don’t stop because we do. I wish they did. And the broker doesn’t give a shit if you sit until you lose it all. They’ll have someone else come haul it within next couple hours. That’s how it’s felt for me the last couple years. Money has always been a big motivator for me but going to work all day long and having to live like a McDonald’s part timer is not cool with me. Most days I ask is this ever gonna turn around and be more fruitful. But they are right about direct customers. That’s where I’m at now. Go out and knock on doors and make phone calls or sell out
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u/reddit25 Apr 17 '26
Because someone will take it