Something to keep in mind is the size of the company you're driving for and the marketing plan they have in place. Suppose you're with a smaller company that's trying to expand their customer base and increase their fleet size. The ideal way to do this is for them to develop loyal customers who will pay a decent rate, knowing they can depend on XYZ Expedite to have a truck for them when they need it and get the freight delivered on time. It's critical for new customers to hear the word "yes" the first several times they call your dispatcher for an expedite load - especially if they're used to calling somebody like Panther who has a truck on every street corner. Sometimes it pays to take a crappy load or two knowing that a customer could give your company some major business in the near future if he gets a good first impression. Of course it's up to the dispatcher to let the drivers know the story up front. As usual, it's all about communication.
