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RescueLoad

    Counter-offer calculator: your walk-away, your target, and what to say

    Enter the broker's offer, your cost per mile, the loaded and empty miles and the margin you want. You get a walk-away rate, a target, an opening ask, where the offer falls, and a script for the call.

    $
    $/mi
    mi
    mi
    %
    %

    Added above target for the opening ask

    Accessorial terms to ask for

    hr
    $/hr
    $
    $
    $

    Covers cost, short of your margin: counter

    Walk away below

    $950

    $1.53/loaded mi

    Target

    $1,125

    $1.81/loaded mi

    Open at

    $1,225

    $1.98/loaded mi

    Offer $1,050 ($1.69/loaded mi): $75 under your target.

    What to say

    “Thanks for the load. It's 620 loaded miles and 70 to get to the pickup, so I'd need $1,225 to cover it. I'll also need detention at $50 an hour after 2 hours, $250 layover, $200 TONU if it cancels after I'm dispatched on the rate con. If $1,225 doesn't work, what's the best you can do?”

    Price my week

    Example week
    $
    Your tier

    Our fee (5%)

    $56

    You keep

    $1,069

    Fee on $1,125. $0 in lumper money passes straight to you.

    Open at $1,225, settle no lower than $950. Our dispatchers make this call on every load, and you approve every load before it's booked.

    Have a dispatcher counter for me

    Negotiating freight rates goes better when you know your numbers before the phone rings. This counter-offer calculator turns your cost per mile into three of them. The walk-away rate covers the cost of every mile, loaded and empty. The target adds your margin. The opening ask adds a little room so you can meet the broker partway and still land on target. The gauge shows where the offer falls, and the script turns it into something you can say.

    How it is calculated

    • Walk-away = your cost per mile × (loaded miles + deadhead miles), rounded up to the nearest $25.
    • Target = walk-away ÷ (1 - your margin), rounded up to $25.
    • Opening ask = target × (1 + room to negotiate), rounded up to $25.
    • Zones: under walk-away, between walk-away and target, between target and opening ask, above opening ask.
    • Per loaded mile: each number ÷ loaded miles, because that's how brokers usually talk about rates.

    The FeeMeter shows what a dispatch fee would be on the target rate at each tier, so you can see what you keep if a dispatcher books it.

    A worked example

    One offer, three numbersExample

    1. OFFER$1,050 for 620 loaded miles, 70 deadhead
    2. WALK AWAY$1.35 × 690 mi = $931.50, rounded to $950
    3. TARGET$950 ÷ 0.85 = $1,117.65, rounded to $1,125
    4. OPEN AT$1,125 × 1.08 = $1,215, rounded to $1,225
    5. READOffer covers cost, $75 short of target: counter at $1,225

    These are the calculator's EXAMPLE numbers. Your cost per mile should come from your own books.

    How to negotiate freight rates on the call

    1. Lead with the reason. Deadhead, a tight appointment, a slow receiver or a weak market at delivery are all real costs a broker can pass along.
    2. Give one number. Say the opening ask once, clearly, and wait.
    3. Ask for terms in the same breath. Detention after a set number of hours, layover and TONU are cheaper for a broker to agree to than linehaul, and they protect you.
    4. Know when to say yes. An offer between target and the opening ask is a good result. Take it before the load goes to someone else.
    5. Know when to say no. Below walk-away, thank them and pass. A truck sitting for a few hours often earns more than a truck losing money for a day.

    What makes a counter-offer stick

    Brokers move on rates when you're specific and reliable. Quote the miles you'll actually drive, mention the equipment and when you can be there, and have your paperwork ready so the load can be booked quickly. On heavy loads, offer to send a scale ticket if the weight is in question. On loads priced as a lump sum, read how flat rate freight is quoted so you compare it per mile. And once you agree, everything goes on the rate confirmation: the linehaul and every accessorial term.

    Negotiating shipping rates from the other side

    Shippers negotiate too, usually on volume: steady lanes, flexible pickup windows and quick loading earn better rates from carriers and brokers because they cut the carrier's cost. If you ship freight, the same logic works in reverse. Make the load easy to haul, with fast dock times, accurate weights and clear appointments, and the carrier has less reason to price in waiting. We dispatch carriers and don't ship or quote freight, but this calculator shows the numbers a careful carrier will use when it prices your load.

    Related calculators

    Tired of making these calls between loads? See why carriers hire a dispatcher. Our dispatchers counter from your numbers, the rate con comes straight to you, and you approve every load. Send an application.

    Questions about this calculator

    How do you negotiate freight rates as a carrier?
    Know three numbers before you call: the rate below which you lose money, the rate you want, and a slightly higher one to open with. Give the broker a reason, such as the deadhead or the time the load takes, ask for the accessorial terms in the same call, and let them answer. Be polite, be specific, and be ready to pass.
    What should I counter with on a load?
    Open a little above your target so there's room to meet in the middle without dropping below it. This calculator adds a cushion you choose, usually a few percent, to the target and rounds it to the nearest $25. If the broker comes back between your target and your opening ask, that's usually a good place to accept.
    Is it rude to negotiate freight rates with brokers?
    No. Brokers expect carriers to counter, and the first offer often has room in it. What hurts the relationship is haggling over loads you were never going to take, or backing out after agreeing. Counter with a number and a reason, accept quickly when the number works, and do what you agreed.
    Should I negotiate the accessorial terms too?
    Yes, and in the same call as the rate. Detention free time and hourly rate, layover, truck order not used (TONU) and extra stop pay are often easier to improve than the linehaul. Whatever you agree has to be on the rate confirmation, because the rate con is what the broker pays from.
    When should I walk away from a load?
    When the best offer is below your walk-away number: what the load costs you across loaded and empty miles. Taking it might keep the truck moving for a day, but it loses money on every mile. Walking away is easier when you already have the next option lined up, which is why planning the reload matters.