Norfolk-Intermodal Discussion

I am very interested in doing this myself. Could you answer a few questions for me?

What is required to pull intermodal freight under your own authority (beyond what is required for van/flat)? Is there any additional expense? Cargo limits?

Is it all brokers that you work for?

Is it difficult to stay busy or find loads?

Is there any money/work running the rail, or do you only run the ports?

I am sure that it varies from region to region (I am near Phila), but could you give me a range of what you think an o/o could make after fuel?

Your help will be greatly appreciated!

 

very few run under their own authority pulling cans

 

Why is that?

 

because the market is run by big companies specially in the east coast but here in my area theres a lot of smaller companies and use the bigger ones as brokers to protect themselves from lawsuits ect ect!

 

Thank you for answering each of my questions.

I have been looking for information on running intermodal as a mc, but I have found very little.

I am in a (family) situation that it is best for me to not be gone for days at a time. I have pulled intermodal freight before (mainly rails, some port), and this may be a good fit for me. So, more questions:

With this company that acts as your broker, how are you dispatched/ how do you find loads?

Do you negotiate rates for each load?

Do you receive detention pay?

What limits do you carry for cargo ins?

If I understand you correctly, pulling intermodal loads with authority is about finding intermodal broker(s) or a company that can act as a broker. Is this correct?

To the best of my knowledge, in this area (phila), there is no negotiation with companies that o/os lease on to. Most here pay 70%.

It also seems to me, and correct me if I am wrong about this, but most or all of this freight come from brokers. So being leased on to a carrier means that the load first came from (at least one) broker, then to the mc, then to the leased on o/o.

So if the broker takes (20%?), and the mc takes 30% of the remaining 80%, that doesn't leave very much.

 

There is a way to get to the freight.

A guy that I knew here in Philly had a connection at the pier. I don't know what department the family member worked in, but he has all the freight he wants from the port. He has opened up a few satellite offices now. His biggest problem is finding more owner operators (to take advantage of- he's a shady character)...

I have heard that other drivers pay someone to actually pull the freight from the pier. Are you familiar with how this works? Anytime that I went to the port, we just got our load and left.

Right now, I am looking into the insurance for my authority. I am probably about 6 months away, so I want to get my expenses in order. Even with the research that I have done, I can't really figure what I will make, leased on or with my authority. So, we'll see what happens.

Hope you had a good, safe holiday.

 

Also, in my research, I came across a guy that that also is doing this with his authority. He is an i/c for J.B. Hunt and for CSX. He said that he also had another mc that would broker him freight if needed, but I think he mainly hauls for the other two.

Like you, he said that he has no problem staying busy, and he is happy with what he is making.

If I can go the authority route, I think I will do something similar.