Brokers how much do you help new carriers

A broker should know the driver's side so he knows the questions to ask. For example in flatbed, we NEED to know the weight and dimensions before we can offer the load out. Different trucks have different max load weights.

For example: shippers offers a load at 45,000 lbs. The truck I send can load up to 47,000 legally. Actual load weight? 48500 lbs.

If I had known the actual load weight up front, I could have saved the driver, the shipper, AND myself a heck of a lot of hassle by sending in the other truxk that COULD load that 48,500 lbs. load legally. Would have saved the shipper some money, too. Yes, I did get TONU for the first truck, paid straight to the driver.

 

Do brokers ever help new carriers out with rates? If there is a new carrier and the going rate is 2500 but they say 1000... Do you coach them, or just say SCORE! Or if they say 4000... Do you let them know the going rate, or just get ticked and hang up?

 

For us whether its a new carrier or an old faithful they should ALL be treated the same way as if they are the best driver in the world. We book new trucks on loads all the time here but we also keep meticulous records on every single truck that has hauled every single load. Each carrier literally has little notes included from the last people who have used them. We will often pay the good ones a bit more to keep them around so they WANT to haul our loads. Only makes us look better to customer. And if the carrier really suck we will not use them for about 6 months after which time we will review the incident with the carrier and explain to them why we havent used them and from there will decide to give them another chance. We have successfully give carriers 2nd chances before, and we have also unsuccessfully given 2nd chances. They dont get thirds.

 

Wow, looking for an agent in NW PA? Not me, I reallynlike where I'm at, but I have a friend whonknows a bunch of people in a bunch of indusrties in the Erie/Meadville/Sharon PA area. Way more contacts than I have. At least, currently.