Brokers Think They're Doing US A Favor

Sorry for the misunderstanding. When you said 'own money' it sounded like you were saying something different than simply paying cash. Myself I prefer not to carry large quantities of cash, that just seems like asking for problems, so i use a fuel card and if i need or want to fuel at a place i that doesn't accept my efs card then i break out the business visa check card or business Amex card.

 

Gotcha now bro. Yeah.... I don't carry cash either, I use debit card. I do have a Fleet One Fuel card. Only time I use it, is if I'm in need of fuel and there is a Pilot or flying J near. Otherwise, They charge for using outside of their network.

 

I'm a broker. I don't think that a trucking company is doing me a favor by hauling my freight. I also don't think that I'm doing them a favor by giving them freight. It's actually a very neutral transaction.

I do get a bit annoyed when carriers act as though they are the customer and I'm providing them a service. Let me disillusion you right now: I'm providing a service to the shipper. For a guy who has to make 100-200 phone calls a day to earn his living I resent truckers who think they are the only person who works hard. I work 7 days a week and usually 60+ hours during my busy season. Also my customers have a lot more leverage over me than I do over you--so despite all the times brokers have screwed you over I assure you truckers have screwed me twice as hard over the years.

 

Actually a broker provides a service to both parties in a transaction. That is the whole point of what a broker is. All too often this is neither understood nor practiced by the buyer(shipper/consignee), the seller(carrier) or the broker.

 

In the car hauling side of things it seems that one of the biggest fish (Dependable Auto) is on the verge of doing just that.

 

I believe, if I was a broker I would be cheering on truck drivers to haul for more. If I was making a percentage of the freight cost than the more money to the carrier would be more money to me. So I guess the real question is...are cost down because brokers are truly price gouging, or is there many many companies taking loads way to cheap!?

 

The answer is both broker will quote for less and carriers will haul for less. Then you have some that gouge the carriers.

 

How hard can it be dialing a phone and typing an email ?? The only reason you exist is because shippers are to lazy, stupid or just won't hire people who can find carriers to haul their freight. Or carriers who haul direct don't do a good job at it. If not for these two facts you more than likely would still be working at micky D's

 

So you admit there is in fact, some skill and effort involved in being a broker.

 

Well that's dependent. As a rule I'd say most broker have zero skills other than selling a lie and talking fools into falling for it. There are a few I've hauled for and still do that have skills. The problem with good brokers is the bad ones have about run them out of business as well. One of the larger carriers that broker freight has morons that build their loads and sell shippers unneeded services. Today one of the worst offenders called me today. They didn't bother to read my posting where it stated 12K or less, 40Ft or less. So to waste his time I ask the questions I normally do P/U. , Del locations , and money paid . The rate sucked but to waste more time I ask what the commodity is, it's galvanized metal and it needs a tarp. I had to tell the guy how stupid their load builders were and still are, I been down that road with these fools before and they wanted the same even though the customer didn't request it. After taking up a good several minutes that this guy couldn't bother someone else I sprang the news that I couldn't haul 38K. I waste their time like they waste mine.