Is it better to have a broker

Discussion in 'Ask An Owner Operator' started by Lindsey Leveston, Oct 8, 2015.

  1. Lindsey Leveston

    Lindsey Leveston Bobtail Member

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    We are in the start up stages of a Hot Shot business. We have a 1ton pick up truck and 40ft flat bed running out of Texas. We have all our USdot , authority and insurance which now I know was the easy part. I'm at a loss, I am looking for brokers and have signed up for some load board also. Can someone point me in the right direction? I have looked on Google for some brokers in my area and made some calls and I can't find ANYONE!!! When I call them they say they broker for companies not drivers so I guess I'm calling the wrong companies!
     
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  3. Hurst

    Hurst Registered Member

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    I understand your frustration,.. and this reply is not meant to mock or disrespect you. Please do not take it that way.

    But reading your post, I go back on what I always preach about and what I feel is putting the horse before the cart.

    You need to have the business and shipping contacts first. Then you get the truck/equipment needed for the work you have found. Its much easier that way instead of putting out so much money for for equipment you have no work for. Simply owning a truck (Any truck) does not magically make the phone ring off the hook with job offers as you are finding out first hand.

    As for the brokers... they are a useful and useless commodity in the trucking industry. Do yo need them? No.
    You can do the same thing they do,... call,.. knock on doors,.. call some more,.. knock on some more doors,.. call a lot more and keep making offers to get freight moved. Or you can give up some money and pay a broker to do the leg work for you. Your choice.

    This is a cut throat business. Shippers will drop you and go with someone else if they can save 5 cents a mile.

    Hurst
     
  4. truckon

    truckon Swamp Thing

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    Your getting a broker and a dispatcher confused.
     
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  5. Lindsey Leveston

    Lindsey Leveston Bobtail Member

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    No offense taken... you are right that is one thing probably the most important thing we did not research fully. We were under the assumption that all we had to do was hire a broker and live happily ever after but that is proving to be a fairy tail.
     
  6. Lindsey Leveston

    Lindsey Leveston Bobtail Member

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    What is the difference?
     
  7. truckon

    truckon Swamp Thing

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    Broker gets loads from the shipper and posts them on load boards, or contacts his contacts.

    Dispatcher finds loads from various brokers, load boards and/or shippers they have connections to.

    Some of the worst advice given on this forum.
     
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  8. Prom Night Dumpster Baby

    Prom Night Dumpster Baby Medium Load Member

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    Probably what started this whole thing!
     
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  9. powerhousescott

    powerhousescott Medium Load Member

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    Is your truck set up with a sleeper configuration or at least a quad cab? Or do you plan on sleeping a hotel every night?
    There is a difference between USDOT and MC, have you checked out the restrictions between the two?
    Do you like to bounce (deadhead) lots of miles for free?
    Are you going to be happy averaging .50 - .75 per mile with your investment?

    RV and Boat moving season are over, and the rest of the year is basically scraps that none of the rest of us will haul. I have worked with hotshot guys before that thought they would make more money with a pickup vs a tractor, I dispatched them according to their specifications and will tell you that it was very hard to keep them profitable (and that was in a good market). I also learned that a lot of states don't care for hotshotters and really give them a hard time (especially my home state, MO.). That is because a lot of them think they don't have to abide by the same rules as the bigger trucks. Make sure that if you are really going to do this that you run a log book, and don't show yourself in a sleeper if you don't have one (sleeping in the front seat does not count). If you don't have a sleeper then the DOT will want to see your receipts for your hotels.

    Getting paid by the hot shot customers is also another issue, you better make sure you run an Ansonia report before you haul for them, find yourself a good factor that works with hotshotters. With all the negatives that I have given you here is the resource that you need to book your loads.

    hotshotcarrier.com
    truckstop.com (I have attached a sample of hot shot loads from Kansas City, 500 mile radius)

    If you have any more questions you can PM me.
     

    Attached Files:

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  10. truckon

    truckon Swamp Thing

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    All good advice. Just remember to be looking for high paying LTL loads. Most loads posted as HS dont pay good.
     
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  11. Lindsey Leveston

    Lindsey Leveston Bobtail Member

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    Have you ever heard of a company called pjc freight haulers? We were thinking about getting a dispatcher.
     
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