I am a Freight Broker at TQL - looking for conversation and dialogue

When I got in the business broker only took 10% of the gross revenue off the top,,the brokers had good paying freight and paid with in7 to 10 day.
Today it has gotten to be bidding wars between brokers, they bid the rates just to win the loads from the shipper regardless if the fact that the rate is too low to be profitable for the carriers. As time went on the last 20 years or so brokers keep taking a bigger percentage of the revenue that go as high as 40% to 50% or more. when a broker hits a home run on a load with a very good haul rate they get greedy and look for the cheapest truck to broker the load to. A good broker takes the same percentage no matter what the rate, As far as paying the carrier or truck most brokers pay in 30 or more,,In the last several years brokers have turned into factoring companies too offering fast pay for 5% to 7% or more of the revenue,,

It was a good thing when a couple years ago brokers bonds were increased to $750K. It should have been more,,
I work with a just a few brokers for the biggest percentage of the broker freight I haul. They are good honest ,don't hire just any truck and pay with out fees with in a few days.

A broker needs trucks to make money and many carriers need brokers but when brokers skim too much off the top they are killing the goose that lays the golden egg for them
And for the good honest brokers they need and should demand that the trucks they hire be good and honest also.

Unfortunately there are too many bad truckers and too many bad brokers in our business. All it takes is a few dollars for each to start a business.

When I broker lies to me, cheats me or is dishonest no matter what they pay I will never do business with them again and for sure tell all my friends,, Brokers should do the same,,
When ever I speak with a broker looking for freight and he or she uses the word "Backhaul" I hang up.
I have found most Landstar agents are dishonest or at the very least when trying to broker a load very greedy,,I have found the same with several large broker firms too. I generally stay away from the small mom and pop operations because they do not have the financial resources to pay until they get paid..
Few truckers and brokers really have a true understanding of what a contract is and that's the basis of what the agreement between the carrier and the broker. A legal contract and if either party to the contract does not fulfill any of the terms to the contract a default happens..If and when a broker has not paid me by the terms of the contract and on time I fill a claim with their bonding company right away,,Usually payment comes very quickly.

Nobody should do any business with anyone that is not 100% honest all the time..Why would anyone want to help someone that is not good make money and stay in business..You hang out with dogs you get fleas..


BTW back in the early 80's when interstate trucking was deregulated making very easy for a trucker to become a carrier for $300 it also made it easy for anyone to become a broker.. The number of brokers that could broker regulated freight went from 60 nationwide to now over 18,000.

 

I use The Internet Truckstop. If you click on a load to get details the broker gets notified. When I feel like being bad I click on TQL loads going to places like Baltimore or the Bronx where nobody wants to go. The record so far is 9 calls in a row. I just hit the ignore button. All TQL calls show up as the same number so I have them programed into my phone.

 

Wonder if there is a way to post up your truck so that only TQL can see it .... have everyone do this, post one truck that may or may not be available anyway in about 9 different locations (none where it actually is) all going to the same destination ... let them call and throw a dart at where the truck really is ... "that truck is already covered but I have one over here if you pay a bit more for the deadhead miles" ....

 

ha ha ha. now that's funny.

 

a good way to stay loaded is to collect the email address of the good brokers and dispatchers you have worked with,,every time you are headed to a destination or are looking for a load email them and tell them where you will be. The good ones that like your services will have a heads up and might have a load ready when you are empty. I have gotten a lot of good loads doing this,,

 

Yup. Very true. Many of my loads are a simple email and done!

 

How about a little honesty?
If you say your going to do something, do it.
and when the load doesn't work as planned, be fair about it. don't automatically screw the carrier.

 

good for you. thats awsome. Im just starting my brokerage and with stories like this I know I will shine and be successful.

 

Its good advice and I will use it remembermlm logistics will be one that would deal with.

 

The girl that I had finding me loads is an agent for a large brokerage firm. She moves 7 loads a day out of Texas 6 days a week. She makes $50 on each load. She lists the price and they go in 2 seconds. All her loads are now covered by a bunch of regular guys. She does nothing at all now and makes $350 a day and the customer is VERY happy. If this was some unmentionable brokers they would not list the price and try and move for as much profit as possible. That broker would eventually be kicked out for not moving the loads quick enough.

Some agents in PLS do this also. I move a ton of loads for a particular broker within PLS and don't even question the price because it's so good.