mercer transportation

I believe you're telling the truth about two different Mercers. The broker Mercer calls me almost daily offering at best moderate priced freight. You guys appear to be doing much better than the rates they offer.

 

I believe you're telling the truth about two different Mercers. The broker Mercer calls me almost daily offering at best moderate priced freight. You guys appear to be doing much better than the rates they offer.

 

Those are really good numbers you see if they would prove it I'd be there in a sec but besides you telling me I see no proof I have been pulling loads for them over 10 years you would figure by now I would of atleast got a few good ones
The truth will set you free!!!

 

if they're not good why you pulling them?

 

so....my question is: I am a DD. if there isn't any freight for me in an area (as I see the DD part of Mercer is kinda slim), am I allowed to use a load board to get a load to get somewhere? What I'm trying to say is, do I have to use the Mercer load board exclusively? or can i get stuff from the load boards?

 

Well they say you can use a broker load here and there to suppliment, but from what i have seen its like this. by the time you do find a load from another source, mercer has to approve it and it seems by the time you get it all squared away......its gone. usually. i tried going out side of mercers board twice with no good results. in my opinion, they want you to use what they have.

as far dd, they do have some freight, but im not sure how well you could survive with just running rgn/dd. from what i've seen mercer is strong in flatbed. i pull a step and do OK. see more work for flats over here and the rates between flats and steps are about the same most of the time really. also it depends what kinda area your in for the rates. i think we all know that though. good luck.

 

Im not with mercer but I did ask recruiting and they said you can use a loadboard only if you are sitting for 24hrs or more

 

Upon reading all the previous posts (and adding a couple of posts as well) I am getting a different picture of Mercer. To those of you leased on or previously leased on please confirm, add to and/or simply correct my observations.

1) It sounds like the coordinators are basically an O/O "eyes and ears" for available freight. Many refer to these folks as dispatchers.
2) An O/O can choose to work with a coordinator. They can also choose to monitor the load board themselves and book freight? Note: my understanding is every O/O is assigned a coordinator. It is up to the O/O as to how much involvement they have with their assigned coordinator.
3) Agents.....I'm a little confused here. I know Mercer has agents spread out across the U.S. and Canada. They all have protected territories, customers and DO NOT have any trucks of their own. How much involvement can an O/O have with an agent? For example....I have moved brokered loads into my home state. If I am leased to Mercer can I contact the agent directly, let them know I will be in an area they have freight and haul it should they come up with a load or must the load be offered to the all the leased O/O in the area first that are ahead of me? Furthermore how is enforcement of loads handled at Mercer? Is there a system in place that indicates all loads have been offered to all available Leased O/O first before it hits the brokered board and/or is assigned to a truck?

 

Go to page 12 thread # 120 it explains their system.

 

Thanks Rickybobby. That post is the best explanation of the Mercer system I've read.

The question posing some confusion on my end is the relationship an O/O has with agents and the protocol an agent must follow with regards to loads. What I am asking is this....must ALL loads be posted? If not then there must be a "Buddy System" in place?

For example....we all know the west coast can be tough to get out of during particular times of the year. I know an agent has freight out of Southern California coming back my way. It's January. I can book a load to S. Cal. I call ahead to my agent friend and let them know I'm heading to S. Cal. Low and behold they have a load out there coming back my way that will meet everyone's criteria. Do all the guys sitting empty in S. Cal. get a heads up on the load thus keeping it "fair" for everyone?