Independent Truck Dispatching

If I am calling on 50-75 loads for one truck, then you don't want me as a dispatcher I don't have the contacts/relationships that would benefit you. Now, granted, when I first started out I was making those calls, but within 3 months it was down to 10-15 calls as A. I got to know the driver and what he wanted, how he performed, where he wanted to go, where he didn't want to go, and more importantly, B. I got to know which brokers had which freight, who I would call ahead of time, etc. The most important factor in both equations is how the driver performed and how he presented himself, was he professional, was he on time, did he communicate clearly. The guys who did that, I made 3-4 calls, 3-4 emails in advance and got the best rates for, the guys who didn't, I couldn't do that, so instead of getting them $2,500 on a 1000 mile trip, I could only get $2,000 etc.... Good brokers respect and will pay for professionalism.

 

So....where do you guys advertise your services at? How did you find your clients? Craigslist? Or start with someone you know and then word of mouth?

 

Mostly word of mouth, I get referrals as well, I am also under the umbrella of a larger company so they pass out leads etc.

To be honest, I am a hard guy to work with, I like things done a certain way, if someone can't do it that way, I don't waste my time.

Even though I work for the drives, I view it as working WITH the drivers, the more money they make, the more money I can make in referrals, word of mouth etc. The other side of that coin is, the more professional they are, the more my reputation grows with brokers and shippers, so I expect complete professionalsim from any driver I represent as A.) it helps them, but B.) it helps ALL the drivers that I work with as the brokers I work with, know what to expect from a driver that I send them.

It's a two way street and it means so much and doesn't take much effort, that I won't waste my time on someone who won't communicate, who won't dress accordingly, who won't do the little things to make THEIR business successful. I try and stress that to everyone I work with and some get it, some don't.

 

Would be easy to get the trucks and the extra income is tempting. The personalities and attitudes is what makes me leary. I know what i can do and what my patience threshold is. Would expect the same from everyone else and that's unrealistic. I'd have to be hungry to give it a go.

 

Exactly, one bad apple, one mediocre apple ruins a sparking reputation and all that you have built to get it.

I know some guys that tried to expand and it didn't work because they got the wrong people,

If you do expand, one truck at a time, and triple check the triple check of the triple check you did of the driver.

 

How do you independent dispatchers get paid, does the broker send you the check, then you pay the truck less your percentage, or does the truck pay you?

 

Truck pays me, I accept nothing from broker/shipper, everything is in the trucker's name or company name, and he pays me on a pre-determined schedule, I've done it every week, every two weeks, once a month, etc, as long as we are both fine with it, I am ok. The worst that could happen to me is I get stiffed for a month's worth of work, hasn't happened yet.

 

LOL good luck, as you know, it's never about just one load

 

I've never called on a broker load before. So no, I don't know. But I'm sure I could figure it all out quickly.

 

Hopefully whoever takes you up is in a good market or you could be all day long.