Overdrive Magazine | Trucking Business News & Owner Operator Info
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/522363
28 | Overdrive | June 2015 analysis L ast year was a great one for owner-operators looking for leverage with brokers over rates on the spot market. The early part of the year saw a severe winter further impact truck availability that already was tight due to a truckload capacity crunch. This pushed more freight to third-party logistics com- panies and brokers. It also set the stage for a rise in van, flatbed and reefer rates of a magnitude not seen for some time, according to data from Truckstop.com (formerly Internet Truckstop). The upward pressure on rates, with improved freight availability in most segments as well, provided independent flatbedder Joe Bielucki his "best year ever" for income over his 26-year career. Mostly running direct shipper freight in the Northeast, one of the toughest regions for outbound freight for over- the-road operations, Bielucki and his good year show that favorable conditions weren't confined to the spot market. "As cliché as it may sound," says Scott Moscrip, Truckstop.com president and chief executive officer, there has been "no better time to be an independent trucker than today." Moscrip tells the story of a friend who, after driving for a company, went independent and now drives two weeks a month, earning more than he did as a full-time company driv- er. "It's just a matter of being careful and making sure that you're running your Overdrive's review of data mined by the Truckstop.com load board reveals trends in negotiation timing and lanes. Some could surprise you – and even reward you. BY TODD DILLS Todd Dills Owner-operator Cody Blankenship