They do but not as much as the smaller carriers and O/O's. It's probably difficult for the big carriers to haul produce under contract because growing schedules can vary so much from year to year and produce loads have a lot of cargo claims. I tend to stay away from fresh produce but like frozen. I don't like dealing with loads that can a receiver can say is spoiled depending on their mood.
Truck Load Rates Halt 8 Week Slide 2.0
Discussion in 'Freight Broker Forum' started by Scooter Jones, Mar 7, 2020.
Page 212 of 682
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TallJoe and SteveScott Thank this.
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There is no need to act like a clown and loose your dignity and self respect trying to negotiate.
Call on the load, ask for details, offer your price, by simply saying something like "unfortunately I am not able to do this load for $X amount, would $Y work for you?"
There can be a little negotiation throwing numbers at each other and then load is either booked or you move on to the next call.
Brokers usually write down your phone number and the offer amount, so they will call you back if things change as long as you sounded polite.
You are not gonna be able to get everything you want all day every day, however if each week you can negotiate only $500 extra, that's like $24k for the year.
A typical Chicago dispatcher won't spend 2 hours playing Cat and Mouse game with a broker for $200 extra on a load and only make typical 10% $20 on it, but for you, as one man show, that extra $200 per day is a nice chunk of cash.
And when the hot times come, you can be at extra $2000 per week driving the same amount of miles, but just spending extra few hours on the phone.
However the best way to make money on the spot market is not haggling to death, but being in the right place at the right time. From your posts it seems like you sticking to the same areas and miss out on the parties, what take place in the places outside of your comfort zone. Instead of wasting time bidding on the apps, study the DAT and get to the hot areas.
I never remember you posting being in the Carolinas, AR, MS, TN, GA, but that's where the whole action is happening in Apr-June. Those areas are not far and you still can come home for the weekend.
This whole negotiating thing it is indeed uncomfortable for many people. A lot of times there is an awkwardness during a phone call. Americans hate awkwardness and open confrontation, it's part of the culture, something like after a job interview people say they will call you, instead of telling you in the face that you are not hired. However with practice, you stop caring about that and negotiating does not awkward you anymore.
IMO, before switching from company driver to O/O with own authority, guys should go work as door to door shoes salesmen, telemarketing or some other stupid sale job, where you have to sell all day everyday to lots of people.
That job for 5 months will make one a better O/O than driving for someone for 5 years. -
Last edited: Jun 27, 2020
Dave_in_AZ, whoopNride, TallJoe and 2 others Thank this. -
Dave_in_AZ, whoopNride and Dale thompson Thank this. -
In my area there's much better freight than that heavy beer or water. I have a pet food plant a few miles from me, but the rates are low and they take forever to load you. Rates on beer in the southeast and midwest have always been low in my experience.Dave_in_AZ Thanks this. -
Oh, and after the 4th I am going to start coming north to crash y'all's party!!!PPDCT, Dave_in_AZ and DUNE-T Thank this. -
Rest? It's a toss up.Dale thompson, TallJoe, SteveScott and 3 others Thank this. -
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