Am i charging too much per mile?

I run a small van(Renault Kangoo), i am quoting 85p per loaded mile but never seem to get any work when putting in bids, is this too much?

Sadly you are. It should be that and more, but us vendors have had to keep a check on prices for years.The industry just keeps undercutting itself. :(

I do charge 85p per mile when doing my own private/company work but when subbing i do quote 75p per mile, if i can get it i will if not thats life.

Ah..well if you're quoting 75 but gettin nowt try 70 if you can. Any lower and the work isn't worth having anyway. As for Yell etc, you'll get 3 months then they rinse you for another year so be careful.

so that makes a mileage charge irrelevant, cause someone may be doing a back load - self harming in the industry at its finest

@ fresh logistics...<div><br></div><div>Not for the guy doing the backload.</div>

Not irrelevant at all. If a driver is in the area of collection returning home empty then yes, he has the ability to do the work. That is providing his insurance covers him for hire and reward courier use and not just 'own goods'.

When will the self centred, self obsessed start working for something else rather than than toffee for today. if everyone had that attitude we would all drive round empty.

You effectively get a 'back load' rate on a ferry or plane every time seeing as they fill them up on each outbound and inbound leg.

Selfish?....well yes...spot on. Drivers think of themselves, cos its their business, and to get the load back home, any price is better than nothing.

Website admin - that is called the fare - and it is the same both ways - a backload rate is when you get it cheaper because you are going home anyway. Please don't over simplify things.

I don't see how its self harming if it means he gets the job at a price he's happy with.<div><br></div><div>The best rate is the rate that gets you the work.</div>

Sorry did I miss the point?<br>if you have an end user job and it makes more sense to ask a driver going there anyway to do it at a backload rate, how is that self harming?<br>Honest question.<br>

Get a bigger van and you can charge more lol.

In February you couldn't get 85pplm for a LWB

I have lost jobs in a lwb to top of Scotland maybe 350 miles someone has done it for £180.00, how they get back I don't know so potentially its 700 miles round trip for £180.00, how many hours? What would it work out to in minimum wage terms? Running new Van circa £30.000 annual insurance £2500.00, my quote would be £375.00 but time of year drop to £295.00 below that I couldn't do and keep a nice fully insured van on the road... And eat.. But hey thats the nature of this business, It's starting to pick up a bit again now.

Smith Logistics said:

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I have lost jobs in a lwb to top of Scotland maybe 350 miles someone has done it for £180.00, how they get back I don't know so potentially its 700 miles round trip for £180.00, how many hours? What would it work out to in minimum wage terms? Running new Van circa £30.000 annual insurance £2500.00, my quote would be £375.00 but time of year drop to £295.00 below that I couldn't do and keep a nice fully insured van on the road... And eat.. But hey thats the nature of this business, It's starting to pick up a bit again now.

It isn't a 700 mile round trip if it's taking a driver home. Many of the Scottish drivers head south early in the week and then spend the week tramping. Come Friday (or even Thursday afternoon) they are looking for a load that pays the fuel home.

Field Group said:

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I do charge 85p per mile when doing my own private/company work but when subbing i do quote 75p per mile, if i can get a backload i just want it to cover the fuel if i have had a good journey.

That's far too cheap surely

There are some that will come on and say that it isnt too cheap if he is happy with it. But backload rate is obviously what he has lost out to. Aside from the fact that the only people who really gain from backload rates are courier companies, because the retuning driver doesnt make a great deal out of it, unfortunately they are here to stay, but i do agree with Speed that you have to be in the right place at the right time to pick one up.

I was referring to the end user rate, I am sure companies are willing to pay more for a premium service. I know I am lucky that I have a few customers who are willing to pay the rate on a daily basis, based on our response time and reliability etc, but random calls out of the blue I charge more than I do for regulars and don't tend to have people go elsewhere.

Horses for courses innit. People have to survive by whatever means. If joe bloggs sticks to his guns and goes out of business does anyone REALLY care. Life goes on so the choice is yours Andrew hold out for your 85p or drop it to 70p-75p for a period see how it goes. There are many struggling to get their rate at the moment, those who are a pat on the back for them.

This bloke posted 3 years ago. Is it any wonder some of you guys don't get on in this world wake up.

Gary

I couldn't be arsed answering before, but that is my thoughts exactly!

Wood & Sons said:

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This bloke posted 3 years ago. Is it any wonder some of you guys don't get on in this world wake up.

Very true, I didn't notice. I blame the one who dragged it back upto top in the first place :D

Same day, over night, 3 years later... As long as it gets there who cares right?