Finally got my own truck

I turned down 2 step decks that I need for Tuesday at my price yesterday because they marked up our carrier agreement completely. The carrier's MC started with a 2 and they were out of WI which is pretty much as good as you could ever do sourcing trucks. Some stuff's not negotiable. Our terms are fair and completely in line with what other brokerages ask for... And we have a perfect reputation AND perfect credit. They felt that they were good enough that they shouldn't have to sign something that holds them accountable for things going wrong. I feel that we're good enough (and pay well enough) that we shouldn't have to accept less than the standard terms.

 

I have to jump in for educational purposes....

@spyder7723 says....

yet....

@boredsocial says...

So...why would someone want to be in violation of transportation law?....Is being in line with other brokerage strong argument to justify the legal repercussions?

Is there something I'm missing here?

 

boredsocial. I'm not being a smart ##* here but Again I say, if your job is that bad and the risk is that high, why not run your own trucking company? Come to our side and see through our glasses. You have no skin in the game. Not upfront costs. Truck, ins, plates, fuel, repairs, maintenance. All you have, if it's your company is the bond, which isn't a fraction of the yearly costs we are out to operate, I know bc I have a brokers bond in place. This is why I circumvent brokers and go straight to the customer. So if the risk is not worth the reward, why do you do it.

You see, I am looking at both sides, bc I am on both sides. You my friend are only listening to those in your field around you. You could do the same job you are doing now, making calls and pushing papers, getting contracts, etc but just buy some trucks, hire some drivers and do away with your so-called hardships as a broker

 

Good points and well said

 

@boredsocial

I'm still tryng to grasp your position. What you are saying is....if I understand your position correctly...

If you were a carrier, you would refuse to pay repair shop bills for 10 trucks that were serviced propely, due to the 11th truck failing DOT inspection (on issues that may or may not be related to maintenance issues)

 

There is no may or may not about it. That's where you guys have it wrong. I've already been super clear about how I handle meritless claims. Make the assumption that I'm not trying to screw people. I have to pay for it when someone decides to screw me, but that doesn't mean I should be required to make it easy for them, or be grateful for the privilege. I'm allowed to call people who are out to STEAL five figure sums of money from me thieves. I'm also allowed to do everything I possibly can to stop them.

I never said my business wasn't profitable or worth doing. In fact I've been very clear that I feel blessed to be where I am and doing what I do. That doesn't mean that it's all sunshine and rainbows either though...

That law you guys keep citing only applies when the contract doesn't cover it. You can still sign almost any contract you want with any stipulations you please in this still (mostly) free country. My contract is written to make screwing me as difficult as possible. Sorry not sorry.

EDIT: Meritless means something that I know is ######## and won't stand up. I've called the USDA to inspect rejected loads on more than one occasion. I've never done another load for someone I had to call USDA on. When this happens I go into full collections mode on the customer just like I would on a truck without enough A/P to cover it. Or I eat it just like I would with a carrier without enough A/P to cover it.

Nearly all of my claims are open and shut because my customers were selected for their extreme reluctance to file a claim lol. I'm pretty sure I've told the 'truck didn't turn his reefer on from IN-SC and the total claim was like 1400 bucks' story. If my main customer is filing a claim you screwed up to a truly spectacular level. The other customer has had the opportunity to file ######## claims (loaded bulk potatoes into a dry van and they froze solid to the trailer... not the carriers fault but many produce people would claim it anyway) and instead of doing that they found a place to clean out his trailer and paid for it. They actually apologized for the trouble.

So when I say that someone trying to duck one of my claims is a thief... I mean every single word. They can try not being incompetent next time. I pay good money so that I don't have to deal with this kind of nonsense. The only guy I actually had to deduct this year had actually crashed in to my customers fence hard enough to shatter the concrete it was embedded in. I asked him if he wanted to do an insurance claim, he said let me think about it... I asked again in a week and he said he needed to talk to the owner. So I deducted it. You want your 5k don't crash into fences. If you want someone else to pay for it call your insurance company. It's not going to just go away.

 

And as you protect yourself, so shall we, by not signing contracts like yours or any other broker like you. Good luck with dealing with those willing to sign anything for a load, you get what you pay for. It's just not for me. My dealings are honest with my customers, and we have safe guards in place that protect us both, but not by withholding money on clean completed loads.

 

Let this convo be a lesson to all O/O. READ before signing and understand your rights. By doing so, illegal actions such as these will have to stop. But there will always be bottom feeders that will sign and take any load to move, so let the brokers deal with those types of drivers.

 

It would be illegal if you hadn't signed the contract. It's not hidden and it's part of every brokers contract... Because they can put it in there and it will stick. This whole 'it's illegal' thing is ########. Think about what we're saying logically here. He's saying that if you run 3 loads for 1500 each and one of them goes tits up and does 15k in damage the broker should still pay him his 3k and politely wait for him to decide if he wants to pay the 13.5k he still owes.

But remember I'm being unreasonable. That's what's important. I'm only out 10.5k how dare I not be out the full 13.5! What a monster. Who would do such a thing.

EDIT: But completely agreed. If you don't like the terms don't sign the contract. I had to pass on a customer a couple of weeks ago because we couldn't agree on terms. Their contract basically made it possible for them to deduct whatever they wanted whenever they wanted for whatever reason. That obviously wasn't going to fly. I understand you see my contract the same way. That's cool.