Load Boards

Transcore is way overpriced, for what they offer. Internet Truckstop is much less expensive (I think its still about $35/mo) and has better software and services and usually has the same loads as Transcore.

I don't know how many trucks you have, but if you have more than one or two, you need to start getting your own shippers and stop relying on brokers. Rates from brokers are OK right now, but the decent rates never last with brokers.

 

There are a TON of logistics companies out there looking for trucks. One of the keys to making $$$ is to find the ones with the freight in the lanes you want to run. But be aware that if you want to run in certain lanes there will be lower rates.

You have to establish a working relationship with the brokers, shippers and receivers... do that and you may get one step ahead of the competition.

 

Don't limit yourself. I'm also haul loads for Robinson, but don't rely on them for every load. If you're an OOIDA member, you can sign on with Member's Edge load board, the same as Trucker's Edge (a transcore comopany) at a discounted rate. You can also view loads from Landstar, MCT, and others. Internet Truckstop is another favorite.

 

Thank you all for the feedback!

you're right Ton-bundle, decent rates never last with brokers.

I see what you mean Krooser. I move 6 trucks besides my dad's , and it's just very difficult to establish shipper/ receiver relations when the contacts are out of reach.

And yes Gears I will definately look into other load boards and not depend solely on Robinson.

 

Okay! so thanks to all of you I'm all set up with truck stop and all I can say is wow. Most of the loads are light.... no 43-45 k like most at Robinson, and those that are that heavy actually pay you a price that's worth it. Once again thank you all for getting me this far with you advice and such!

Next step is to get a factoring agency. I'm so lost on this one it's not even funny. I've heard a lpot of bad things about them but I dont think I have other options. So far I've heard about Eagle (4&#37, 1st commercial credit (1.59%), and the truck stop D&S (5%)

Any recommendations? Please & Thank you

 

I don't factor any of my loads, so I can't help you there.

I'm glad that you are finding good loads on ITS. Even in today's climate the BEST loads don't ever see the load boards. A smart broker will not put their best loads out on the boards because it's a good way to lose your customer. If I see a load pop up in my area, I usually have a pretty good guess as to which shipper or receiver that the load belongs to. If I call the broker and get a rate, I can usually figure out approximately what they are charging the customer. With that info, if the load was good enough, I can go to that shipper and receiver and have a good shot at taking the load away from that broker. If I haven't ever hauled for that lane for that broker, there is nothing stopping me from doing this. In fact, it happens all of the time. So smart brokers rarely ever put their best loads on the load boards... it's a great way to lose the freight.

If you are going to go the brokered freight route, get contacts with carriers and brokers in your area so that they call you with loads before they post their freight. Get on their email lists. Call them daily with the locations of your empty trucks. I make it a goal to never get more than 20% of my freight off of the load boards. Freight still doesn't pay well enough to have a lot of fingers in the pie (brokers and factoring companies)-- that will bleed you dry in a hurry.

 

With the current state of the industry I can tell you even the BEST loads are hitting the load boards. Right now we are seeing such a shortage in trucks that the rates seem to be at an all time high. It’s a free for all out there. Trucking companies are quoting rates, in some cases higher than expedited companies. It all seems excessive but it's still apart of the back and forth we all experience with the industry. Right now the balls in the trucker’s court and they get to name their rates. Time to make your money back people!!
As far as load boards go, with everyone so desperate to find a truck everyone is posting them, or running their truck load volume through the LTL networks. That will only last so long as were already starting to see the LTL companies bring their rates up in some cases 30% and cutting accounts were their OR doesn’t work for them anymore. Even though load boards claim to have better trucks or better loads, were all the same. We all get the same loads and trucks from the same sources so ultimately you out there should find the cheapest board. (Free ones are not what I’m talking about. They don’t spend the money for the information needed to populate their site with loads and trucks) ITS, Getloaded, 123Loadboard, they nickel and dime you. Pay $35.00 for this, oh and if you want this pay another $35.00 for it and for you brokers who move trucks and loads you have to pay $100.00 for a combo package.
I'm not trying to sell anyone here on any because I know I'll get booted from this board if I try, but I will tell you this our board is one price for everything (all products) and you get the same products as ITS and more than what you get from Getloaded. We have actually developed certain functionality just because one member wanted it. Did I also mention we have done plenty of research to make sure we are the cheapest board out there?
I guess my point to all this is it's your time as truck drivers to make your money back you all lost when fuel spiked and load availability was at an all time low. Good luck to all of you, without you our country would come to a standstill.
The Load Board Guy...

 

So, if you work for or own a load board, then the most that you can possibly know is the rates of the loads that hit your load board. You cannot possibly know the rates of the loads that are not posted on your board.

As someone who works for a decent sized trucking company with a decent sized brokerage department, I can tell you that the best loads are not getting posted on the load boards. We are calling or emailing our most trusted carriers to haul our freight and they are calling us to haul theirs. We have a relationship with them that goes back for decades and you cannot get that on the spot market. Of course, we also paid them good rates a year ago when rates were in the toilet, and they did the same for us.

When I have a truck that needs a load, I:
1. Contact (usually email) customers that I know have had freight in the area in the past.
2. Contact asset based brokers who have had freight in the area in the past.
3. Contact non-asset based brokers who have had freight in the area in the past.
4. Post my truck on the boards. If brokers call me, I have the negotiating power.
5. As a last resort, I call on loads posted on the boards. I usually have to make 20 calls for every 1 load that I take.

This is the industry standard practice. So you can see that the load boards are only used as a last resort. This same general practice is used for brokering loads. Call known contacts first, post as a last resort.

So no. The best loads are not hitting the load boards. Better loads may be hitting the load boards than were hitting them a year ago, but the best ones will never make it to the load boards. If you are seeing $2-3/mi loads hitting the load boards that just means that the best loads pay better than that.

The best jobs never hit the classified section of the newspaper. The best loads never hit the load boards and the best trucks never hit the load boards.

Let me ask you this... if the best loads are hitting your load board, what's the average rate that you are seeing for 1 pick, 1 drop, non-Haz, legal weight van freight from where you are at in CT going to Chicago? $1/mi? $1.10? $1.20? Yeah, great loads.

Not trying to be a jerk, but what you are saying just doesn't match the reality of the situation. Sometimes sales pitches need to be kept in check...

 

Well Mr LoadBoardGuy, PM me with a link to your site. I'd like to do a few demo searches if that's possible to see what y'all got to offer.

 

Still waiting for a reply... So far I'm not very impressed with your level of customer service