Carrier / agent?

So you're pretty much an owner operator who has 4 other owner-operators under your authority? Using load board should be temporary. The brokers on load board are scumbags of the earth. It's just not a lucrative concept. Which state are you located in? California should be your outbound. You can use brokers to get to California when you're new. A lot of people will say stuff like, " no such thing as backhaul or you should never take anything under $2.30 or $1.70 backhaul Ect Ect." However, they never elaborate on how to get those rates. Every company is different because we all have a different cost per mile. Figure that out and you can compete with local companies. Build up your company credit for good fleet deals.

 

You're the first I heard that is doing okay with load boards. There is a lot of potential out there, but you'll have to find shippers. There should be profit after expenses. And paying yourself is an expense. A lot of carriers are just paying monthly payments and making less than a normal job. If it's not making money, shoot the business. File bankruptcy. Why would you buy another truck( liability) when you don't even have customers or clients? With all the respect, I hate it. I hate your idea, business, and carrier and agent post. You're losing money and I can feel it. You are deceiving yourself by saying you're doing okay for four years. Sorry but I am telling you the truth. Back in the days, there was a remedy for these kinds of load board jokers. The medicine was, well cheap trucks. Nowadays the scales and the regulations, it's impossible.

 

What's your problem with loadboards? I've been working off loadboards leased to a carrier for over 6 years now and I love it. I wouldn't want it any other way. You can be successful off load boards. Not everyone is.

Most brokers are ordinary one off kind of deal. A few are real low down scum bags. And even fewer are awesome. I work with some that are trustworthy and pay very well. Also wor with a lot of random ordinary ones. I try to screen out the scumbags but once in a while get taken, it happens.

Sorry Mike. I didn't mean to derail your thread. It's just aggravating to see people that think they know something about working loadboards when they don't because they're just talking about what they heard from someone else. Or they were an abject failure at it themselves.

You don't have to have direct customers to make a good living but I do think for a small fleet it would be better to have a mix of direct and brokered. IF your fleet can service those loads. Leased operators doing a good job of getting rates from brokers are probably like me in that they prefer the randomness of it and the excellent pay. Even if it gets sketchy from time to time. But if what you are doing works for you no need to rock the boat. Good luck finding a brokerage to work with.

 

What! You're making it harder on the rest of the owner-operators! You would not have it any other way! Seriously that's BS! I can tell from this that you make very minimum money. To operate a successful carrier with load board LOL! Why would someone want to work for a company that uses load boards? I am just saying worker smarter not harder. Yes! This will hurt you and some that think they have it figured out! kill your business if you have not found direct customers. Oh and yeah okay not all brokers are evil! But trust me on this buddy, you won't find them on Loadboards! Now let the lying begin.

 

My company hauls direct freight, brokers out some, and loads a little brokered freight on their own trucks now and then. Their core business is most certainly not hauling all the time with brokers. Mine is. I don't haul any of their direct freight.

I know lots of drivers who operate just like I do and perfectly happy with what they make and how they operate. You sound like sour grapes. Why is it if you can't figure it out you think you know it all and no-one else can either?

 

And again you're really not even helping OP derailing the thread as you are. He's not asking about loading his trucks up with brokered or direct freight. He seems to have figured out something that works for him. I'm not seeing him crying about evil brokers and/or poor rates. That's what rejects usually do.

 

He's getting feedback and contemplating if his idea is worth it. I know a lot about trucking. Especially the business area. I have worked in companies that grew rapidly. I have seen companies that fell rapidly. I helped grow companies. I know shippers. I know loan officers that can give you sweet deals. I know what finance options to take when operating a fleet. I know you'll ask the question, " if you know so much then do something about it." My story is another cup of tea. But believe me, Supply Of Chain is something of fundamental to know these days. Fundamental accounting is another plus to know. A lot of people coming in and getting bad deals on truck finances and making it easier on brokers to manipulate other real owner operators. Nowadays operators are getting loads just to pay off their payment. It's sickening. The brokers drop their rates because they know there are plenty of desperate companies out there. Rejects? Really? Go look at your tax returns, profits. I don't mean to put you down, but when you're honest people won't like you. Sorry but real words here.

 

I've admitted my profits weren't so great in 2015 and 2016. That's no different than most other people in the same time frame. Everyone was either flat or down. My 2014 profits cut a check for a brand new trailer. That's working exclusively with brokers. So you're calling me a liar? There's probably a dozen people or more on here who know that ones true. I don't have time for BS. Like I said you sound like sour grapes and a failure. No its not easy out here as you surely know. But there's more than one way to skin a cat. Not everyone can cut it. You think the way you run your company, or tell everyone else how to run theirs, is the only way to profits? How many trucks do you run btw? How big is your brokerage? I'd think with all of that industry knowledge you'd be setting the world on fire.