This will probably ruffle some feathers...
Just so it's clear to begin with. I am in NO WAY lumping all the folks with triples and quads in one group. If you feel what I'm gonna say is directed towards you, more than likely you have enabled this problem at one time or another.
I'm sure everyone started out with good intentions when they decided to buy a big wagon. I'm sure you all planned on making more money than what you were with the old tandem. Why go spend another $10k-$15k+ more for the big wagon if you wasn't gonna make more money? Right?
Somewhere along the way one of you folks got pushed over on the rate. That customer you have had for years stabbed you in the back. When the bill you were sending them instantly jumped one week, red flags flew. So the numbers cruncher looked into it and found the reason for the increase. I'm sure at 1st it didn't bother them knowing they had a higher truckin bill. Why would it bother them? The rate didn't go up and more product was being moved. Win win right? That day came where that wasn't good enough anymore. Let's say you have $30 on the rate. 25t on the old tandem put at $750/load. 30t on the big wagon $900/load. Now that number cruncher comes along looking for a way to cut cost for that loyal customer. What do they see right there in black and white. That $150 difference per load. Big money saver right there. $39000/yr @ 5 loads a week in savings? Here's where that domino fell. For fear of losing that loyal customer you agreed to a lesser rate. So you let them cut $5t off the rate. According to them you were doing great hauling 25t for $750 so why would it be any different hauling 30t for $750. That good idea of making more money just went out the window. Now just hauling more weight for a cheaper rate. No better off than where you were with the tandem.
That 1st domino that fell didn't just hurt the big wagons, little wagons are along for the ride to. Seems certain shippers are trying to push out the 25t guys. Especially when the rate is barely $2/mi on 30t. I'm sure this is gonna strike a nerve with some. The ones that it strikes a nerve with, probably a safe bet they are one of the fallen dominoes. The ones that justify it by saying "I'm saving my customer money", I just don't understand. That customer don't care about saving you money. I'm sure they would tell you to go back to a tandem at the original rate if they did care. But hell no they don't, they found a fool that was willing to take on a bigger cost for their operation that cut the cost of theirs. Some of you need to quit being that fool. The rest of us would appreciate that.