Finding Contacts

I'll be honest, I've not heard many drivers trying to do that and succeeding. You could try local businesses first, try to cut under what the next lowest guy bids. Other than that, It's pretty much calling and talking to customers, shippers, even some local farmers (Assuming you're somewhat near farmland) may be willing to give you a shot. Good Luck, and be safe!

 

Continue to talk to as many owner operators as you can. I got my own authority April last year, but I knew of a place that would hire me 3 months before. They weren't paying all that great avg. $1.50 per mile making $2400 to $3000 a week before fuel. But steady all year overnight freight. Just had another owner tell me about a local nursery needing O/O. They paying percentage. I'm doing 3 loads a week making about $500 more. But it's only going to last bout 3 months. But I will deal with this shipper every year. Some guys will tell you what's hot in what area but you got to know what you want to do. Flatbed or produce etc.

 

Mine is a second hand response. My family does self dispatch, and they hate it. But it's still easier than running through a broker. Look into farmers if your flatbedding. Some farmers sell their hay and misc other products overseas, and they ship out of LA Harbor and such.

 

A very good question Rich Trucking!!!

First,I would like to say your approach to being a successful owner/operator is correct....

Its Not as Hard as 1 thinks..Especially if you are going to opersate a flatbed

Cold calling is ok If you have Several pcs of equipment to Load.........

Keep in mind, A Lot of Transportation Today is NOT Handled by the Shipper or Consignee, A Middleman (Buyer) Is usually the one handling the Transportation

Depends...Many Lumber sawmills you see Are Hired by a Lumber BUYER to Cut timber for their customer....So You would need to Contact the Lumber Buyer for available Freight

Same with steel....A middleman (Buyer) Usually just an office somewhere,Puts Together Material For Their Customer (consignee) Whom in turns shops around for the best Deal on the customers requested material


Many Independents Dont Understand Who To Contact(Which is why they use Brokers)..This should Help you Folks..... Contacting The ACTUAL shipper 8 times out of 10 Will Tell you that Their Customer handles the transportation, Which is NOT the Consigneee..(Its a Middleman Buyer/Grower/3pl.. etc etc etc)

 

I have gotten more lasting contacts by doing 'favors' for shippers, receivers, other truckers, etc. Ask the people you talk to what loads do they have problems covering. Let them know you will take odd loads, retrieve loads that have a power unit problem, anything to help solve their problems.

 

Stick it out in the same lanes. Ones that seem to work. Quit running willy nilly all over the country chasing rates to wherever. Figure out the solid lanes at different times in the season with brokers and maybe you can find that direct.

 

I think you'd be much better off hammering choptank and other nursery brokers for big bucks late in the afternoon on these loads. I had a nursery contact me and send a packet over. I read the contract it was ludicrous. $1.50-$1.65 a mile plus surcharge, so maybe $2.00-$2.15 a mile. I suppose we could cross that nonsense out and write "negotiable" in it's place. From the daily emails I can read the desperation at times. Landstar has been paying $3 give or take as far as I could tell from 2 years watching alerts on the very same loads. I've hammered different nursery brokers for $3.50-$5.00 a mile on good miles multi stop loads many times. Not that difficult. No reason at all to ever haul nursery for sub $3 mile in a van on long hauls.

 

If you plan on starting out with brokers, you will be required to sign a contract. Most broker contracts have a clause about back solicitation. That means that you cannot haul for an account that they first told you about without paying a fee to the broker. There is usually a time limit of 1 year. After that you would be free to call on the shipper.