Load Boards

and also list the details of the load, tarp, oversize...etc. It would save time for both parties.

 

LS is pretty good at putting special requirements in on the van/reefer loads (liftgate, etrack, extra load bars, etc) in the details that appear when you click on the load. Not so aware of the flatbed stuff since I haven't looked at them.

What gets me is the ones that don't at least post the weight. I can understand not including the rate due to competition and wanting to negotiate, but not including the weight can really be a time waster especially when I'm trolling van loads with my reefer LOL.

 

I have been given two different excusses on this. One is that when posted is that they don't know this information just that they have a load and details will follow. But I have called right after load posted and they have all the details.

Two is time. They have loads that need posting, calls coming in, confimations going out. Basicly, over worked or lazy. This I buy more than anything.

 

I think that some of them only put in enough information about a load to get you interested. When you call they sell you the load.

 

In my opinion 360 load board is a over charged crap board. They used to be the best but any more they seem to have all the big brokers that tend to bid loads way to.cheap and then post them all day long. For this reason there alarm feature is worthless to me. I called them and they want me to pay $250 a month for there software to fix this issue and be able to block bad brokers. That's funny they say they are the best so then why do I need to pay all.that money to fix a known problem they refuse to fix. I think internet truckstop is the way to go. Much cheaper and they actually care and.listen to there customers. Unlike 360/ they will fix issues and not slam us with a big fee. After today I will go out of my way to make sure everyone realizes what 360 is really like.

 

I'm hoping I'm posting this in the right forum/topic, but I have been thinking about getting into auto hauling.

Without getting an MC# and insurance, I can't register on centraldispatch.com to see what kind of rates are the norm for certain lanes/regions.

I've also searched this site and others extensively, and while finding a crapload of helpful information about this industry, I still as of yet have not found much info regarding what I can expect to make from loadboards, specifically centraldispatch.com.

I had read a few forum threads about them, but those posts were made in 2008. I noticed a lot of complaints about that site, one of them being brokers posting cheap freight, and truckers who take them. People would complain about the brokers, but then I guess CD went ahead and recruited/let dealers post directly onto the loadboard, bypassing brokers, and O/Os complained about that too. But I have not seen any forum posts/threads about this site that are current in the last 3 years.


Also not sure if I'd have to go find my own customers to augment what I can get on loadboards, or if I can use centraldispatch.com and still make a profit while I work on finding my own clients.

I plan on hauling 3/4 cars with a dually, but may instead choose a rig with a 6 hauler, depends on if I can find a big truck for cheap enough, but with fuel economy being probably half of a F450, and insurance probably half for the F450 and being less than 26k# GVWR, still deciding what would bring me a better profit margin, but I still need to know if I can survive at all starting out with the CD loadboard.

Not to mention, it is easier to fill up and deliver 3 or 4 units than 6-10 units.



I figure with a dually 3/4 setup, my expenses after payments and insurance, with some thrown in for maintenance and registration, and fuel based off of 2,500 miles, expenses would be around $1,500-$1800 a week. So I'd have to clear $3,000-$3,500 a week to make it worth my while.

I've also checked out instant-quotes from 3 different auto hauling companies, quoted moving a typical 4D sedan from Michigan to Florida, one company wanted $893, one wanted $750 and one wanted $500! That is a lot of variability...

Can anyone help answer some of these questions?


BTW, I have 3 years OTR experience, with a Class A.

Any help is much appreciated. Thanks, and hope to get some replies! If you want, you can PM me if you think this may clutter up this thread.

BoyWander

 

I hauled cars a number of years ago, but I owned 10 car rigs. I do have a good friend who hauled with a wedge and Dodge dually. He did well at the time. He mostly used Central Dispatch for his loads. I used personal contacts and direct shippers, mostly car dealers. There are other load boards that have cars, but Central Dispatch is probably still the primary load board for car haulers. They are no different than any other load board. They have good and poor paying loads.

Before Central Dispatch will allow you to subscribe to their board, you will need to have your authority and insurance in place with cars specifically listed on the insurance. Not all insurance covers cars. In fact, some insurance companies don't even want to cover cars due to the high claims.

If you want to check rates for specific lanes you might see if you know anyone who subscribes to Central Dispatch who could share some of those rates.

You can also check some of the other load boards and see what they may have listed.

Load boards don't always list rates. You need to call them. You could check with some brokers who handle cars and see what they are paying for certain lanes. It would at least give you an idea.

 

Thanks, Gman. Yes, I wish I knew someone who used centraldispatch.com

I know there are other loadboards too, I've checked out uship, it looks a little "iffy" to me. What with the bidding process, doesn't seem like you could really schedule yourself using that site. And looks like there are always bidding wars between a select 3 or 4 people, probably mostly Brokers who broker out the loads to shippers.

Have seen other loadboards, but again, they all require you to have MC# and insurance.


I'd just like to get an idea on what kind of rates I'll be looking at.


My ideal scenario is that I'd be able to on Sunday load 3 or 4 cars in Michigan, go and unload them all at one place, maybe Florida, on Tuesday afternoon, then load more cars that evening, go back to Michigan and unload them all Thursday afternoon, and look for units until I pick them up again on Sunday.

If I could haul 3 cars each way at $500 a piece (roughly 42cpm), then I could profit $1400-$1600 a week.

How possible is this scenario?

 

I think it might be a challenge for you to pick up at one location in Michigan and drop at another single location in Florida and then reload back to Michigan. You will probably need to make multiple stops on both ends to make it work. You may also need to take an indirect route to get back to Michigan. There are those who make a good living hauling cars back and forth from the Northeast to Florida. The first thing you need to do is get your authority, if that is what you are planning to do. In the mean time you could start calling some of the auto freight brokers. Check the car auctions. They would probably have a few names to get you started. You could also lease to someone such as Jones or Hot Shot.

 

I wouldn't mind picking up at different locations and dropping off at different locations, and I realize that my ideal scenario isn't going to be typical, maybe not even often...I wish there was a way where I could learn a lot more about how this industry works.

I have a job offer by a friend of mine who drives a 9/10 hauler OTR with a Peterbilt, does a lot of Northwest stuff, and down south/south-east, he is willing to train me to do the work, so I will probably take that offer and learn the ropes. Only thing is, he wants to drive team, with him and I, and he doesn't have a double sleeper. He says that if we were to be laid over, we would get a motel room, but he says he's been running 4000+++ miles a week, so we would stay pretty busy. He is willing to start me out at $1k a week, with a raise after I know what I'm doing.

I did dry bulk with a pneumatic for a few months with a company who did not maintain their equipment, and it was a nightmare job half the time, I hope I will have a better experience with this line of work.

Meanwhile, I'll probably work for him and save up the money I'd need to start my own business.

Thanks for your replies, G/Man.