Passing on a thought....

I believe in the system you are suggesting. I worked in an industry prior to trucking that was "in the same boat" and we were " fishing" for solutions . Might give an indication to the industry. Over regulation, undercut by foriegn interests and the long running independant operator was being squeezed to breaking point. large fleets and factory operations doing away with the individual who worked hard to stand on his reputation and his word. Honesty, integrity and reputation are a sadly lost thing of the past in modern business. but our biggest problem was that none of us could agree on any one solution because we all had different ideas of what would work. I truly believe that your idea is good theoretically but trucking owner operators are individuals and will allways have to agree to disagree. just my 2 cents worth.

 

Nah that's their way of not answering simple questions although if the mods would remove my canada comment I wouldn't be offended in the least.


Forming a pact to get one contract from one isolated customer. Fine. Building such a coop in a free market, well I'll be waiting for your success.

See you opened with complaining that big companies ran cheaper. I see no way any collective can prevent that.

The rest you mention is available now while still leaving the decisions with the individual O/O.

 

Pay me in free beer and ounces of silver- I'm in !!

 

This concept has been around for many years in other types of transportation:
(From their website)
Welcome to United Independent Taxi Drivers, Inc. (also known as United Taxi). We have been providing the greater Los Angeles, San Fernando Valley and South Bay areas with quality transportation services since 1977

Owned and operated by our drivers, United Taxi is a non-profit organization dedicated to safe, courteous and efficient taxicab service. With the lowest complaint ratio in the Southland, our drivers go the extra mile to ensure that each and every United Taxi customer has a pleasant and timely trip.

Each cab an owner and a vote. They have elected officers and board of directors.

I enjoyed my time there. It's a good business model.

 

Sure were a city(county?) sets the rate it would work. Heck maybe we can get the Feds to set a rate here guys what do you say. We could get them to regulate the price of fuel and tires and trucks........


We could all vote on it every November, we won't let any of those people vote only the really smart one that totally agree with the mob






Yes yes political again right? But no just an example of this lunacy taken to the extreme.



I'll say it a last time nothing succeeds be committee. There has to be one nut cutter in charge. Even those evil big bad corporate stock holders of those big carriers understand that simple fact. Now they collectively choose wether a particular nut cutter stays or goes but as for piloting the company one man is the only way.

 

Yes, it's been done before. In business, things change immediately, tomorrow your whole system might be outdated. But, a few smart businesspeople...... who have an eye on coming trends in business and trucking.....might make it profitable and might make it last for awhile..

 

The concept is sound, it worked for IGA.

As quoted from Wikipedia

"IGA (aka Independent Grocers Alliance) is a name used by many independent grocery stores throughout the world. IGA stands for Independent Grocers Alliance. It has since expanded to the world's largest voluntary supermarket chain, where the IGA banner is licensed in 45 countries and territories to more than 4,000 independent supermarkets served by 37 independent distributors. The headquarters is in O'Hare, Chicago, Illinois.[1]


IGA was started in the United States in May 1926 when a group of 100 independent retailers in Poughkeepsie, New York, and Sharon, Connecticut, led by J. Frank Grimes, began operating as the Independent Grocers Alliance. This group quickly expanded, and by the end of the year there were more than 150 IGA retailers. In 1930 there were over 8,000 grocery stores using the IGA name. The company uses the "Hometown Proud Supermarkets" slogan. Today, many IGA grocery stores are still located in smaller cities and towns throughout the United States."

The idea being that a sole independent grocer(O/O) couldn't compete with the pricing offered by the larger chain retailers. (Schneider, Werner, Hunt, Prime, etc.) In an effort to retain and attract their customers these grocers at the time pooled their resources to create the necessary leverage to negotiate lower bulk pricing, making the small neighborhood corner mom & pop stores just as competative in price, product, and quality as the larger chain stores.

"Everyones situation is different" This statement is repeated all through this forum, some O/O's have truck payments some don't, some know how to live within their means and some don't. What might be a good rate for one, may not even get me out of the bunk. The point is that the larger trucking companies have the leverage to negotiate better pricing on things we all need to survive.(Fuel, tires, trucks, trailers, repairs, etc.) thereby lowering the required rate to be profitable. 9 times out of 10 when an O/O looses a direct shipper it is either their own fault(poor service) or their throat has been cut by a larger company(Schneider, Werner, etc.) If 100, 1000, or 10,000 O/O's were to band together to generate that leverage for better pricing we all could be better off. Just like that local neighborhood grocery store, we could offer the same rates as the big companies, and still be profitable in our own businesses. We would each run our own companies as we see fit, we would cater to our current customers just as we do now, we would be able to solicit new customers, knowing that we have the buying power of a large company.

As for myself, I would do it. Cheaper insurance rates than what I'm paying now, better fuel discounts, actually fuel discounts of any kind, better pricing on tires and repairs. Work out a discount structure with T/A, Freightliner, Peterbilt, etc. Bookkeeping services would be done at our corporate office. We solicit the load, negotiate a rate,(specific to our own situation) haul the load, submit the POD and rate sheet to our accounting dept for invoicing, we get the check in the mail or on comdata or whatever(O/O preference).

Something like Landstar, in that the company owns the trailers and we use them for what we need. Boxes, Reefers, Flatbeds, Step Decks, Goose necks, Bulk, etc, etc. The only difference is that the company doesn't get 30-35% or more of our money. We only pay for the services we use. (accounting, IFTA filing, back office services) If an O/O decides to do these functions himself/herself then no fee. Or how about the office help are contractors. Example: The accounting dept has 8 people working there, each one is their own business. The owner op then checks out each one and decides which one is right for them. Each one has a different pricing structure for their services. Keep in mind this would all be voluntary.

Sorry so long, just got me thinking. It could work, not necessarily this way but maybe something like it. I think if enough of us got together it could be worked out. Sometimes you gotta think outside the box. Just throwing ideas out there.

 

Wish you were around when they had the discussion about 34 hour resets and whether or not you get more hours back doing that, I notice that you take alot of them. Been awhile since I had to use a log book, some here say you never have to take one if you do it right, maybe you could explain it to me cause I know you get right down to the second with it, thanks ahead of time.

 

Unions demoralizes man, wow you must be from the south, did the masta tell you thats the case. If it wasn't for unions nobody would be making what they make now. I doubt very much if ups drivers feel demoralized, and if they do sign me up for some of that anyway. I like her idea, there might be some areas that need to be ironed out, but at least its a start.

But you really don't need any of this to get what you want, the power has always been with the truckers, their just too stupid to realize it. If trucks stop it won't matter about shippers, recievers, dispatchers, or customers. Just stop and you will get what you want. Problem is you don't have the testicular fortitude to do it so you will always be at the mercy of the above mentioned. Diesel fuel will probably hit 5.00 gallon because big oil is not satisfied with just their big profit, they want to control the entire country and right now they are. If your going to make a change you have to hit America where it counts, make sure the shelves are empty.

I would let all the produce in Californication rot before I would go in there and comply with their crap. Majority rules and truckers are the majority. But until we band together under some sort of agreement we will continue to take it on the chin. Maybe this will be the start of something good. I'm tired so I'm going to bed, goodnight.