Choosing Loads from Brokers

About 12-36 hours in advance is the sweet spot. Not too much desperation implied on your part, and not too much runway left to move the load cheaper. Too far in advance and they want to wait on a cheaper carrier. Last minute can be a gamble - score something good that another carrier dropped, or pick up something the broker just booked with no notice.

As Mr. PlumCrazy indirectly points out, if you're cold calling load board posts, you're already at a disadvantage. When they're calling you or you are calling a regular customer, that tends to tip things more in your favor. I agree it is very cool when you get a broker that knows you by the sound of your voice (or an advanced phone system that pops up your top-rated profile based on your caller-id LOL). I've got one I'll give a heads up to if we're moving towards his customers and about 3 out of 4 times he'll be calling me back before I even start shopping the area on the load boards.

I'm not comfortable booking more than one reload in advance. Things can change, the truck can break, or I might need a nap.

And everywhere is a backhaul for somewhere else. A guy making a lowball offer on a load out of TX told me "this ain't Chicago or something." I just laughed and told him a guy in Chicago just said the same thing about TX. Told him we'll just try again on another one some day.. buh-bye.

 

I wouldn't call it stupid to book in advance. Just not for me at this point. I know flatbedders seem to do that more often and I'd guess it's the nature of that work with more LTL stuff to stack up where possible and plan out a long, profitable run.

We're pulling a reefer so the cargo is kind of ready at random and needs to go when it is finally ready. Most of our loads are full TL and sealed so not many opportunities to do more than one at a time on my end. On the same token, I'm smart enough to know the broker is probably getting that LTL stacking action on some loads and price accordingly. Especially when we're stopping at different grocery chain DCs on one run or final at a cold storage for a single drop.

 

Just for my two cents anytime there are extra picks or drops I charge 100 bucks per extra. Also I always call the broker and tell them when my truck bumps the dock and give them a friendly reminder that after 2 hours I start detention pay at 50 per hour. I have never had to charge detention. To me business is business and you can't cut anyone any slack. Always stick to your guns no matter what. The loose boards do give a slight disadvantage so to tip the scales in my favor if I see a load I'm interested in from a company I have hauled with I get in touch with the same guy I hauled for and try to book through them to build a reputation. Also try to be as professional as possible so they will remember you as a company not a driver. Always present yourself as a company not a driver.

 

Another thing like I said I am a $2+ freight hauler but when it comes to short haul you have to adjust you rates. my truck has a $600 a day habit Yea I talked to it and tried to tell it it was greedy but its a Volvo and has a mind of its own. Some short hauls I will do for a little less I posted my truck on the board for local work within 150 miles one broker called with a load from Charlotte NC to Winston Salem NC 81 miles from dock to dock but wouldn't go above $350 I told them I couldn't do it for that. Now someone would say thats $4.32 a mile no its not by time you put your time in it and your deadhead 62 miles to shipper from my house and 23 miles back to my house from delivery and if it would have took them a couple hours to load and unload now it could be 7 hours involved with no detention pay. Now it would have took about 30 gallons of fuel @ 5.5mpg you have to figure in city driving @ $3.75 a gallon = $112.50 that leaves you $237.50 and by time you pay your driver 8 hours and pay your truck your company profits is $0. You have to understand your profits and everything involved to achieve profits, everything and everyone has to be paid before you make any profit. If it is not going to make you a reasonable profit it not worth you time

jmcclelland2004 I dont do bump dock I go by apportionment times and if its a first come first serve I call the broker when I get there before I check in this way they can take their sweet time getting me a dock. Make sure its spelled out in you contract most have it in there but some try to slip on by without it.

 

This is interesting. How do you know your getting paid? Do you register yourself with these brokers in advance? If they never used u before how do they know how to pay you?

I was always told theres no dumb question!
. But sorry for so many

 

Make sure its on you rate confirmation sheet Most brokers I have worked with are pretty good about this. When the broker send you a rate sheet look it over if there is something you dont like call them like if it dont adress detention call and ask. I have never had a problem with this I have how ever had two of them try to short the rate but when I called them I was told that they made a mistake and forgot to change it and they sent me a new rate sheet. But I know if I had signed it and sent it back they would have held me to it. Brokers have tricks and you have to learn them as you go. Well my other guy does it for $600 you first reaction would to say I aint you other guy in a smart ##### way but just tell them you cant do it for that. And well I can get you a load back out, where you want to go? but they will never tell you what kind of rates on that load they will get you out with.