I'm finally getting back to this one, and I deeply apologize for the wait.

CH Robinson in general has a great base of customers, and I will without any hesitation say that what they promise to pay on a load, will be paid. They pay on time, every time.

However, you need to understand that in each case where you contact one of their offices, you are not dealing on a level playing field with each and every one of them. They have agencies, like any other big brokerage firm. They can certainly interact with each other, but the profits they seek differs from agency to agency. They most certainly play the market game, and will try and hold back as much as they can for themselves, leaving the truck with what the market will allow.

For instance, when I was actively dealing with them, and this goes back now over three years ago, the office in Detroit and the Chicago area, as well as just about all in the northeast, paid far less per mile than what might be expected. Detroit was the most stingy, and I hated like heck to deal with them, because the "gentleman" at the time up there, was difficult to squeeze a decent rate out of him. Chicago...I could get them up a little, but not much.

The bottom line is....CH Robinson is reputable in terms of paying their bills, but understand that they are not concerned with providing a decent rate to the trucker at all. They will squeeze George Washington until his face turns blue, and in this day and age of extremely high diesel prices, I'm sure that this has not changed.

They cater mostly to the carriers seeking to either reposition their trucks for better paying fright, or those seeking "backhaul loads", a term that I have always detested, because it costs just as much to drive that truck home, as it did to get it up there.

How you coming on this? I know it is a big outfit with diferent interests....

I don't have first hand knowledge about this company. But I have been warned.On a couple separate occasions to steer clear of them.Once being by a couple of long time drivers, whom both say you have trouble getting paided.
Turbo, I know you'll have more indepth info. Just had to add my .02

I am sure that it's an accurate statement to claim that CH Robinson pays their freight bills on time. I have no quarrell with that.

However, I feel I must relate that we have had an experience with them so bad that we were forced to put them on a no-call list.

Without naming names or giving every tiny detail, it involved another carrier's load which went missing... for which we were blamed and held responsible. (Robinson held payment for two loads we had recently hauled because of this.)

Now, I understand that everyone makes mistakes... that's fine. After all, the other carrier's Robinson code was very close to ours. Simple mistake.

However, even after being supplied with an inordinate amount of proof that we had absolutely nothing to do with that load, including the actual carrier telling them he was the one who hauled it.Robinson management still refused to back down. It took days, tons of effort and phone calls to everyone involved, and finally a report to Compunet, before Robinson finally gave in and paid our freight bills.

The worst part, however, is that when it was all said and done, they still treated us as if we had done something wrong.
All we wanted at that time, and all we have wanted since, was a simple apology.
Yes, that's all. An apology. "Sorry we incorrectly accused you of stealing our freight." That's it.
Nothing.
I even called the involved management again a few months ago, reminding them that I would be happy to use them again, if I were to just recieve an apology.
I was told that management did not feel that was necessary, or warranted.
And again, treated with disdain.

So yes, they may pay their freight bills on time... but when it comes to principles and integrity, they are still showing a large past-due balance.

I'm sorry to hear this having happened to you. I don't consider CH Robinson to be one of the best out there to deal with in any way, because they will rake you over the coals if you let them.

I was privy to knowing exactly how much they raked off the top of one customer's loads, and the customer was incensed to learn that they were shorting truckers as much as they were, which resulted in my getting an account that CH Robinson previously held. I weathered a great deal of crap for it too...the office that had the previous account threatened me with everything but bodily harm for taking the account, and reminded me that I had signed an agreement to not haul direct for any customer of theirs for one year after the last load was hauled for any given customer, and they were right, but that's the breaks....

I responded with..."Gee...what can I say? Sue me". "I can't make them do business with you, and they called me. I don't think that they will have any problem stepping into court to verify this fact, and explaining to a Judge and Jury some of your more sordid business practices, and why they decided to seek another means of moving their freight, so the questions really become....just how bad do you want to enforce that clause, and how public do you desire your your litigation to become?"

And that, as they say, was the end of that....

I have worked for many companies in my years,and had my own truck three times,my companies and i have used C H ROBinson for years, Some agent guys like Moe in miami,fl,great guy,picked up 6 pickups in south florida for them on a friday,got them all,he thanked me,was not sure it could me done,after that,i was back there a few times with different companies that i worked for and they always took care of me, C H seems to always have a load when you really need one, one company out of ma. that I drove for used them exclusively and let them handle all loads,I worked with Ch as dispatchers,did not deadhead much to keep busy,this really worked out good for me and my company,I was on % at the time. I too agree,they may not be the best,but they can keep you in business and as busy as you want to be,with the wheels alway rolling. One of my bosses' used to say,if God wanted trucks to set,he would have put square wheels on them. Great saying I think!

LOL!!!

I only have a sort of secondhand experience with CHR; the company I used to drive for would use them to get short/medium hauls thru the midwest for us regional guys. So, when I was dispatched on one of their loads, I would have to call the local office for direcs, pickup nos, etc. The only thing that upset them regularly was the practice of my co dispatch preplanning loads with them that I had no possible was of picking up on time.

In my experience with them, we would arrive at a customer and they would say, "We didnt order this load of lettuce." We'd also load loads for the east coast from Salinas and they didnt even have a customer. It would say CHR on the bills, and theyd say, " Well, head toward the east coast and call us." This was in the 80s but doubt if they changed anything.
I used to hate calling in and saying I'm empty in LA and they'd say head toward N Cal. Then they'd send you to Salinas and you'd call in about 6 times and go to Salinas coolers and sit for 5 hrs. By that time it was 1100 PM and theyd load you so so the next thing was to get by the Tehachipi scales. Talk about staying up late.

ah..memories. I used to haul produce mainly for hc mclarin in detroit. They always were fair and cut you a check upon delivery which was super sweet. But it semed every time I loaded off the west coast it was just as you say. Just load it and head to MI. "we will find someone to buy it before you get there" they usually did but not always.

CHR I had alot f problems paying. They were always 30 or 60 days ver it seemed. But this was 14 years ago too. They are so big it's kind of a necesary evil. If you can't find a load anywhere else you call chr and they know that which is why they pay for crap

They said they have dedicated contracted routes. Is this any better ???????