Truck Load Rates Halt 8 Week Slide 2.0

It’s pretty astounding some of the junk I’m seeing here recently with the brokerage part of my company. I see some really nice rigs too but man I sometimes feel we’re scraping bottom of the barrel even though the pay is very high. Also, can people not afford to wash their #### rigs? How can you demand $3 to $5 per mile and send me a picture of your truck that hasn’t been washed in a year? Or company info using mail box letters? How is my customer going to feel warm and fuzzy seeing that hunk of crap roll in? Some people need to have much more pride in their equipment.

 

With all due respect and my sympathy for you...I would not want to take a load from someone demanding a picture of my truck even though there is nothing wrong with its looks. I'd just find it all too strange and would make me suspicious that there could be some more "strange" stuff involved...LOL.
Actually, one time only, I was willing to go as far as taking a picture of inside of my trailer - they wanted to see logistic posts, that the floor was solid and that I had 4 straps inside that trailer. It was TQL ...

On the other hand, you're the one with the money...since you pay, you can demand.
I've never paid too much attention to it but I never noticed that anyone ever cared about the looks of the trucks at pick ups or deliveries...I could be wrong though. For a broker it can give a bit of indication whether you can trust a guy or not.

 

All good man. I understand. Some of the crazy amounts of fraud and double brokering out there may or may not blow your mind.

I only do it with one customer in particular and we didn’t used to do it until during the shut down. The transportation manager said were putting everything on your shoulders and performance must be perfection.

We had a lot of the business anyway but their other vendor to move freight lost a load for 4 days and they had to get the FBI involved. It was a real mess sounded like but good for me. I decided to pull out all stops and demand perfection myself.

We’re talking very sensitive freight too, more then ever with covid if you catch my drift. I can’t send in junk and risk anything, it’s already a risk with nice equipment. I’ve actually never had even 1 carrier refuse. I have had some people photoshop their company name onto someone else’s truck though! Smh. Had some trucks being held together with zip ties. I don’t regret it.

 

I get it. Many drivers who keep a dirty truck keep a dirty trailer. Since everything I haul is food grade, I'm use to keeping my trailer spotless, and having a dark colored truck, it needs to be washed at least once a week year round. I actually had a gate guard say what a nice looking truck as I arrived for a delivery last week. Hearing that feels good, and customers do notice.

 

My truck gets washed every time before I put it in the shop while I am on hometime. That's once every 6-8 weeks or so. Other than that, I have better things to do with my time than get in the way of other drivers who want to get work done.

 

I know of one shipper that requires pics of truck,trailer and driver. Most of their stuff is normal value, but every once in awhile they have some high value loads.

 

I’m enjoying the whole truck wash debate. “Even though I’m spending less money, washing out my trailer is for work but washing your truck isn’t for work so my money is more important even though I’ve chosen to go to a truck wash and get in line for my trailer to get washed out”.

The guys that wash their trucks weekly or more probably spend less time in the bay than a washout. And many of us are paying cash and don’t have to wait while they call for authorization for a washout. Nobody’s money is more important than the next guy. Lots of other trailers to pull if waiting for a washout bothers someone that much.

 

I wash mine once a month or so. Some months I may wash it twice...as a result of a spontaneous reaction to a good mood and too much time.
I did wash it yesterday at Blue Beacon. $83 for truck @ trailer, I declined the Rain-X. Does it really do any good?