First offer accepted
The posted number is the broker's opening. A polite counter with a reason often moves it.
A higher paying loads dispatcher, by the round trip
The best rate on the board isn't always the best trip. We counter every offer, put accessorials on the rate con and plan the reload, because the number that pays your bills is the all-in rate per mile, not the posted one.
MILE02TWO TICKETS
Same trip, two results
Ticket A takes the first offer and drives home empty. Ticket B uses your choices. Turn each lever on and off to see what it does to the all-in rate per mile on this EXAMPLE trip.
FIRST OFFER, EMPTY HOMENO. A
EXAMPLE
- Rate
- $1,500
- Loaded miles
- 600
- Empty miles home
- 450
All-in per mile$1.43
YOUR CHOICESNO. B
EXAMPLE
- Rate
- $1,680
- Detention
- $75
- Reload rate
- $1,050
- Miles driven
- 1,080
- Gross
- $2,805
All-in per mile$2.60
MILE03WHERE CARRIERS LOSE RATE
Where carriers lose rate
Space or deck wasted
A partial that fits beside another partial, or a third car on a wedge, is money on the table.
Deadhead ignored
A $3.00 load that leaves you 400 miles from freight can pay less than a $2.40 load that doesn't.
Accessorials not claimed
Detention, layover, TONU and tarp pay left off the rate con rarely get paid later.
MILE04HOW WE NEGOTIATE
How we negotiate
- Market first. We check current lane rates and public market averages before the call.
- Timing. We know when brokers are under pressure: late in the day, before weekends, in peak seasons.
- The whole trip. Empty miles after delivery are part of the price we ask for.
- On paper. Accessorials go on the rate con, not into a phone promise.
MILE05MARKET CONTEXT
Know the number before you counter
| Equipment | National average | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Flatbed | $2.59 per mile | Week ending Sep 25, 2026 |
SOURCE: DAT weekly spot report. Lane rates vary widely around national averages.
Set your own target with the counter-offer calculator and check offers with the rate per mile calculator. Hotshot owners can read average hot shot rate per mile.
MILE06YOUR CALL
Higher rates, your decision
Every countered load still comes to you as an offer. You see the rate, the accessorials and the reload plan, and you say yes or pass. The rate con goes straight to you, so you can see exactly what the broker agreed to. Fees are on rates and fees: 5% standard, and nothing on loads you turn down.
MILE07OBJECTIONS
What carriers ask us
- "Brokers won't pay more than the post."
- Often they will, a little, when you have a reason: the empty miles after delivery, the timing, the effort. Not every counter works. Asking every time adds up over a year.
- "Countering loses me the load."
- Sometimes, and that's fine when the load doesn't pay. We counter politely and fast, and we know when a post is already fair and should just be booked.
- "Higher rates mean worse lanes."
- A high rate into a dead market isn't a high rate. We show you the whole trip, including where the reload comes from, before you decide.
MILE08A WEEK OF BETTER RATES
Better rates, day by day
- 01Monday. We counter three posts; two move, one doesn't and we pass.
- 02Tuesday. Detention terms go on the rate con; the shipper keeps you three hours and the claim goes in.
- 03Wednesday. We book the reload before you deliver, cutting 300 empty miles to 60.
- 04Thursday. A broker under pressure to cover Friday freight pays a premium for a quick yes.
- 05Friday. The weekly report shows the posted rates, the booked rates and the all-in number side by side.
MILE09YOUR FLOOR RATE
Start with your floor
Every negotiation starts with the lowest all-in rate you'll take, set on the first call from your real cost per mile: fuel, insurance, payments, maintenance and what you want to earn. Offers below it never reach you.
Your floor isn't fixed forever. We review it with you when diesel moves, when insurance renews, or when a season changes the market. A floor that's too high parks the truck; one that's too low trains brokers to lowball you. Work yours out with the trucking cost per mile calculator, then tell us the number.
MILE10FAQ
Rate questions
Q01What is a good rate per mile?
It depends on equipment, lane, season and whether the number is loaded or all-in. For context, DAT's public national flatbed spot average was $2.59 per mile linehaul for the week ending Sep 25, 2026. Your lanes can be well above or below that. Compare offers against current lane rates and your own cost per mile.
Q02When is the best time to book loads?
Early in the day for next-day freight, and late in the week when brokers are trying to cover weekend and Monday loads. Rates also rise before holidays and during seasonal peaks like produce season and construction season.
Q03What accessorials should I ask for?
Detention after the free time, layover if you're held overnight, truck ordered not used if a load cancels, tarp pay on flatbed loads, lumper reimbursement, and extra stop pay. Get each one on the rate con before you accept.
Q04How do you negotiate with brokers?
Politely, with a reason, and on every load: current lane rates, the empty miles after delivery, the timing and the effort. We counter once with a number we can defend, and walk away when the load doesn't work.
Q05Do higher rates mean taking loads I don't want?
No. Every load is an offer you accept or pass. A higher rate on a load that strands you isn't higher all-in, and we show you the whole trip before you decide. On a yes, the rate con comes straight to you.
Q06Is it better to take a lower rate to keep moving?
Sometimes. If sitting costs you more in fixed costs than the difference in rate, moving can win, especially toward a stronger market. Run both numbers before deciding.
Q07Do you charge more for negotiating harder?
No. The fee is the same percentage on every load you haul, whatever the rate. Higher rates mean a slightly larger fee in dollars and a lot more for you.
Q08How do I know you negotiated?
The rate con comes straight to you, and your weekly report shows the posted rate next to the booked rate on loads where we countered.
Q09Does a better rate always mean a better week?
No. A great rate into a market with no outbound freight can cost you two days. We judge every offer by the whole trip, including the reload and the empty miles, not the posted number alone.
Q10Can you raise rates for a new authority?
Yes, though the room is smaller at first because fewer brokers will book you. We counter every load anyway, and the room grows as your history does.
Count the whole trip
Apply in about 2 minutes. We counter every offer and plan the reload; you approve every load.