Brokers. What is the biggest problem you have to deal with?

Lots of great information, thanks guys.

 

Does a new broker mc scare carriers? I have money to pay them before my customers pay me but, I'm scared that if I start my own brokerage with a new mc I won't have any trucks to haul my freight. Thoughts??

 

Well...It kinda works both ways, Many Brokerages Shy away from using newer carriers with a high mc

Its a Give n take..........If You can Get started paying COD to get your feet wet or quick pay......Join the TIA, And Get your Name out there, Carriers will start to feel a little more comfortable..but its going to take time

 

I don't have time. That's my problem. I'm going to start with 2 big customers. If I can't move their freight I will lose them. Uggggg!!!!

 

I have a fairly new Broker MC# and I've never had a carrier question my ability to pay or refuse to take my load. However, the one thing I have on my side are references. All of my carriers get paid within 25 days and O/O's talk just like the brokers do and I get a lot of referrals. Also, I've been in this industry for several years and I think I treat everyone very well.

It sounds like you aren't jumping in blind and you will probably do very well. If you have two big customers, just make sure you have the money to pay your Carriers. The larger the customer is, the slower they pay, in my experience. If you don't have 60 days of float money, I would make sure you get it before you start.

 

How do you guys get new clients? For those in the logistics companies do you have a intelligence team that gathers leads? Agents, how do you cold call?

 

As a former driver that ALWAYS got it done professionally for a questionable carrier that I had to question why brokers were using. I'm talking some fairly good brokers. What is it exactly you look for when you enter an ongoing relationship with a carrier?

 

i live in lancaster pa and your 3.2 a mile going to the new england is not enough,is really hard to get a decent load out plus the deadhead and tolls.

 

Zinita, I know it doesn't pay to start from here to go there. But if you are from New England and want to get home, it is a fair rate. Are you based in Lancaster ? What kind of trailer do you have ? What lanes do you run? Curious if I could be of any help. Or inbound to Lancaster from down south.

 

I have to agree with BigBadBill. It is so hard to find a good trucking company now a days. Being a newer broker it is even harder. I am struggling to get the customers loads covered because I am new to the game. Forget that I am a woman. I came from the other side of the industry. I was a dispatcher and 90 % of our loads were from our current customers. We rarely used a load board. The only time we did was to do a short hop to pickup our current customers load. My biggest problem though would be the weather and traffic and trying to explain that to the customer is the hardest part. They don't care if the road was shut down because of an accident; even if you called ahead to let them know why the truck might be late.