Help me PLEASE!! Turning around a trucking business

We are finally in a good spot!! We are taking most of our trucks to KS on a wheat-run for a few weeks, then we are set-up with a very reputable vegetable hauler when we return. The drivers are happy because we can pay them a little more. It is nice to break free of depending solely on a somewhat-crooked broker. It feels great to be able to demand a certain price and turn down loads. I have learned A LOT from you guys and from experience. This was trial-by-fire, but there were only one or two times I thought I would have to give up. Thanks for the encouragement!

 

Thanks guys!! It is crazy that we are getting paid at least $4-5 more a ton per load after breaking free of the broker we were using. We have proved ourselves (so far!) to the direct contact and I hope we can keep getting loads from him and from the other direct contacts he has put us in touch with. My husband and I are putting in more hours than I thought humanly possible, but I am happiest when I am working.

I still don't quite understand our drivers, but I am a lot less naive, forgiving, and trusting. I still will do my best to praise and reward the good ones.

Glad we are finally making a profit!!

 

Rollin coal is right...NOT out-of-the-woods at all, but at least hear some good news along with the bad everyday..you know? I got a terrible phone call today though..one of our trucks started on fire. We got the semi towed back and the dashboard is shot, but gracefully, no one was hurt and the damage wasn't extensive. A mechanic said it looked like the wiring may have been faulty, but we will find out more tomorrow.

I think with any new trucking company, there are good days and days when you just want to hang it all up. For a few weeks there, every phone call or email was a bad one. Now at least, about half the phone calls are good things or at least not bad things. We're getting there. I'll keep you posted!!