I need a list of Dry Van Shippers in DFW(Dallas-Ft. Worth) area

Actually, I already found a better way to go about it. The local library has hoover online and another local business DB that you can search for shippers on.

I am not asking for a handout of anyone's customer list. It seems to me brokers are so insecure about carriers who find their own customers thus all of this none sense comments.

There is another thing I hope to elicit from you brokers which is have you done any other type of marketing besides cold calling that worked for you... Like Google, FB, direct mail...

If you are an OTR Owner Operator you have no choice but to work with brokers because one truck and Trailer cannot cover the entire country. I am not doing OTR my market is local and Texas, all I need is a few customers to stay pretty busy. Also, brokers bring another value to the table they are logistics managers. So you are not in competition with me in any shape or form.

 

As if this is such a big secret how to market a trucking company. Ok just be defensive about it. I'll research it and post my findings here and other places for everyone to see. It just amazes me how brokers take this question as if a carrier is not even allowed to market themselves.

 

Here is how I would overcome your objections. When I go to load and unload I see Megas all over the place. So the need for an independent capacity is there. My truck and trailer are relatively new and yes I can rent a truck as good as any of them on my Credit Card. Then When I make these deliveries on time with brokers they love it and love me. So that tells me these brokers don't hit a home run every time with a carrier.

So here is my value proposition to a shipper, I am a good friend to have in their bag of folks to call on. I may not be able to help them every time they call but once I agree to take their load they can rest assured it will be done on time without issues.

In terms of cheap rates, the numbers are in my favor. I don't need that many customers to keep me busy. I only need a few small decent-paying shippers to work with. When I take a load from a small-time broker, half the time the dock isn't even made for a semi to dock. So these shippers are not exactly valuable to mega carriers or mega brokers. They will appreciate the personal service I can provide them. The point is there is a match for what I am looking for just like there are a ton of small mom and pop brokers out there that find loads.

Another fact to keep in mind that half of the trucks out there are owned by one truck/trailer OOs. Thus any shipper in normal times will have to work with an independent or almost independent(leased) OO.

Above all this industry is very much relationship-driven. All I need are a few customers that just like working with me. The point is they are out there. I need to go get it. Because it is the only way to build a business. Being leased to a carrier and solely relying on load boards and brokers is not a business it is a job with the added headache of maintaining a truck.

Is it going to be easy? Hell NO. If it was it wouldn't be worth pursuing.