two brokers

yes,,many agents work for several different broker firms

 

double agent...

 

Yes, double brokering. Just as a carrier can get the load and pass it off to another carrier.

Double brokering works on both sides, broker and carriers

 

Yeah, I don't do it here, but I know people do it.

 

Look at maybe factoring BOL. Fuel advances, quick pay, and don't wait for the shipper's payment.

 

I got a load that originated from XPO, picked up at Ceva, and the load was normally hauled by Universal. All 3 companies have their own trucks. Would you call this triple brokered or just double? I know guys working direct that would probably be happy with around a 3rd of the rate I got on it. Double brokered, co-brokered what difference does it make? Some of the most lucrative loads I have ever hauled were just as screwed up as this one and you ain't got a snowball's chance in hell of getting in on this direct. But if they pay my rate I don't really care. I'll take the easy, lazy way every time. No point in doing any leg work. They can haul it for nothing most of the time and I'll help out now and then if they need me to.

 

Well, it makes quite a bit of difference. IF, as you described there is no way to go direct I then want to know do they have a main broker or 3PL and the other brokers are getting the load from them ? Why in the hell would I want to accept a load from second broker if I can deal with first broker and reduce likelihood of communication failure and likely have opportunity for more money ? There may be another option too, sometimes I can go to the final customer, they may be being charged more for shipper arranged trucking than I would get hauling for shipper, broker A, or broker B. So why would I want to haul for the broker if the final customer can send me as their truck, make more money, and be less susceptible to being outbid ?

I also want to know if rather than an A broker and a B broker the shipper is simply using many brokers. If this is the case, there is probably an email list, now why in the world would I want to pay a broker a percentage to recieve an email and attempt to pay me as much less as possible when I can probably recieve that email myself with the added benefit of seeing when loads are hot as well as building a relationship ? I mean if I haul 100 loads perfectly for a broker, but he sends one truck that messes everything up the deal may be off. If I haul direct for the shipper and the broker's truck screws up it just makes me look better.

There are different sorts of shippers, but by and large my experience has been there is far, far less legwork in booking loads directly. I get a few emails a day from various shippers. If I want a load, I send them an offer and if they like it they email back a load tender, often within minutes. How in the world is that more leg work than sifting through load board garbage, being put on hold, listening to them attempt to tell you about the load when they have no idea what you are getting, filling out packets and returning load confirmations, trying to determine what they really can offer you ? What's this legwork you speak of ? I find shippers much more easy to communicate with than brokers.

 

CEVA is just the cross dock that consolidates the freight with their own trucks and others. XPO manages logistics for General Motors. So if you're working direct for General Motors you're working direct for XPO. Universal has probably a thousand or more of their own trucks and do tons of GM dedicated. Don't have a problem getting answers when I need them quickly. They don't deal with one trucks or small fleets - mega corps they need volume. You wouldn't want to haul any of it even if they would. It's all about the need in the moment if it's any good. You can't just show up like with a flatbed and people just give you a solid rate on van freight. You have to seize the moment and take advantage.

 

RC, in a situation like that I definitely want to get the load from XPO. It's not uncommon when a broker or 3PL gets in a bind on a load to send out a HELP email to all the brokers and/or carriers they work with. Now, my first choice is to be one of the ones getting that email. That way I know first and have the most details or contact with someone who does.

I don't want to get it from one of the other brokers who received the email because they are first going to try to fake me that the load isn't hot, drag their feet trying to find a cheaper truck, possibly miss the load altogether. get details wrong in the telephone game, etc.., etc....

That's why I care if it's a direct shipper, sub broker, co broker, 3PL. I want to be dealing with whoever knows the most, and has the most control. Plus these middle people seem to be experts at avoiding responsibility. When they talk to the trucker they blame the shipper for problems, when they talk to the shipper or 3PL or crossdock or whatever, then they blame the truckdriver if there's a problem. I mean that's why I care, getting a good rate today is only half the equation for me. I want information on how things are done and to establish a connection for future opportunities.