Bottom Fishing (or bottom feeders)

Bottom Fishing
I felt like I should write this article to help all of you Independent Carriers out there, whether you are a member of the Independent Carrier Group or not, learn some of the bottom fishing terms in our industry. If you have some new ones that I have not heard feel free to add them.

Bottom Fishing term one: I get loads moved for that all the time (definitely bottom fishing here)

Bottom Fishing term two: I have two other bids for $300.00 less than you want for the load

Bottom Fishing term three: I will put your bid in and get back to you (they don't really have the load in the first place, and are using your number to try and get the load, they very rarely get back to you)

Bottom Fishing term four: That is all I got in it (they really don't have jack crap in it, the only time they have anything in it is when you agree to haul it)

Bottom Fishing term five: Can you do me a favor (have you ever noticed when this term is used it always involves some kind of cheap load for some kind of crappy shipper or receiver)

Bottom Fishing term six: How can I help you cover some of your trucks (I did not remember ever posting to anybody that I needed help covering my trucks)

Bottom Fishing term seven: I have a back haul for you (would somebody please explain that truckers don't know what that is, that is a made up term that the broker industry came up with)

Bottom Fishing term eight: I have a customer that needs you to give them a bid (RFP) they will take your numbers and choose the lowest one from the group of fish that were suckers enough to give them their numbers

Bottom Fishing term nine: Can you bounce / deadhead for this load for free? I really need you to cover it for me. (Nothing in life is for free not even life itself)

Bottom Fishing term ten: After booking the load, you get a call back 30 min later, sorry the load canceled. (If you don't have a rate sheet within 10 minutes of booking the load you should be looking for another load, better to be the one calling and saying sorry I already booked that truck)

If you hear any of these terms the best thing to do is be polite and say have a nice day and get off the phone as fast as possible. With the limited time and freight available in this market you don't need to be wasting your time trying to negotiate with bottom fishing companies. Quit feeding the bottom feeders and they will go away, quit being a bottom feeder or you will end up going away.



Alfred Scott Jordan

Powerhouse Transportation, LLC

A member of the Independent Carrier Group

 

Thanks, I actually started it as kind of a David Letterman style joke, but with the serious flip. I suck at jokes, I have been told so here on this forum. Believe it or not I love to have fun, but I guess my idea of fun is kind of weird, I love to simulate my brain with discussions and find out how to resolve problems.

 

The guys at Face Book, Rate per mile masters are living it up over there.

 

Ha Ha! I think you are right, I must have heard it from them so many times that I forgot to give them the credit for it. Hope they don't come after me for plagiarizing their handbook.