As a shipper, how do I find owner operators?

Wide Load's point is well taken: you simply need to find a good broker who will connect you to good operators. Also, keep in mind the wise advice of "You get what you pay for."

 

If you're paying fair rates and connect with the right broker who will do the same they ought to take a lot of headache off of your hands. From what I see of hazmat out here on loadboards the rates are just as cheap as everything else. Would you haggle over $3 or $4 a mile on 400+ miles to a poor truck market or are you one of these brokers who thinks $2 a mile on loaded miles is plenty for every market and maybe a tad too much for anything over 400 miles? Makes no sense to spend the money and take the added risk for no extra reward over any typical dry freight. It's one of those situations where you would think it's a trucks market if a guy can haul hazmat but I guess not.

 

The hard part is finding the right broker to work with. I know it is difficult to find honest honorable people but they are out there.

 

Must have not read something right. So you are using a broker but looking to get a better solution than what you have? If that is the case I can give you names of several brokers that will not take a huge cut and get the loads moved at the rate you are talking.

Likely a good bit of education for you is to call on some of your loads when the broker posts them. My bet would be that they are more concerned with making a big profit first rather than who they are covering the loads with. If 85-90% of the rate you are paying is being passed through to the carrier then problems should be the exception and not the rule.

Email me I will give you a couple contacts with solid companies that you will not be disappointed in.

 

i used to haul a lot of haz mat. but here lately they seem to think it should pay the same as regular freight so i wont touch it. i think if your paying $4-$4/mi you shouldnt be having any problems as most van guys would hand over their first born for that rate. too many are running around for $98cpm + fsc. and no boost for hazmat. then again the wrong broker will put it on the board for $1.40 ajd sell it to some truck that wont show up or break down. paying the higher rate they can be more picky about who they sell it to

 

That's 5 loads a day 365 days a year, on average. I'd think a good broker would take care of an account like that, make good money, and the trucks should too.

 

That would be one heck of an account. Could probably have one company of a good size only to handle it.

 

From what he is saying it does not sound like the loads are going to the same areas all the time. This type of account is a challenge for a carrier and it would likely be very expensive to have a dedicated carrier. Working with a good broker that has the ability to figure out certain lane volumes and match carriers with lanes will likely gain him better service. Many will sell this but few have the ability or willingness to provide this.

It would be a challenge on its own but Hazmat complicates it.