JB Hunt seems to think they're special.

Lot of folks have that clause.

 

So? They have rules in place, what's the big deal?

 

48 days as a carrier. JB Hunt 50 years as a carrier and billions and billions $$$ freight moved. Im surprised they even talk to you.

 

Maybe they are special ? Did you ask them ?

 

Not saying anything here Windsmith doesn't already know but relationships with brokers are mostly a sad joke. This is definitely the case with dry van freight. I call none of the named above mega-carrier/brokers or mega-brokers but I will haul their freight from time to time when they call me. They don't load the truck in every instance but they have very deep pockets when they do. That's the one good thing about megas, deep pockets. Anytime a broker is talking about relationships their interest is only in using you up for cheap and they're always looking for the next cheaper relationship. When you can't continually cut your own rate you will be tossed under a bus.

 

I dunno, I guess I'm the exception to this - I've got a handful of guys that I use specifically for certain customers and lanes because they do good work, and I've got another handful that I use as backups to those guys. I'll grant that the vast majority of my freight is, "Well, let's see who's out on the boards and see what I can get going," but I'd say that I have about ten carriers, a mix of O/Os and smaller carriers that I rely on for specific work.

 

I used to have a few small brokers I worked with regularly. The loads were nothing special. Local 100 mile runs, quick and easy on/off same day $500. I wouldn't haul those same loads anymore. Haven't for several years now. Just not worth it. Just cheap busy work is all it ever was. Mega brokers would always be looking for $300-$400 trucks on those. In fact the mega brokers ended up taking those loads over. That's what brokers do is drive down rates for their customers. It's their job. Mega brokers are really good at it.

For a few years I had a half dozen or so decent brokers I could get loads from just about anywhere in l my areas but I now have only one broker left that I work with regularly. He's at a mega three letter brokerage. Sometimes it might be $6 a mile on 400 miles from him and sometimes it might be $2 a mile on 200 miles. It just depends on the market. There are no hard feelings one way or another and neither of us would even think to say "you in the interest of building a relationship here..." while wagging a finger. The only brokers I ever see who do that are cheap ones. He just calls when he's got something ready to go now and it needs to go nonstop. Been hauling high dollar and ordinary loads from him for years. Don't hear from him every day. Sometimes not even for a week or two. I think like some of your example I am likely a backup or even a backup to the backups. That works well for me.

 

I've noticed the exact opposite from the other side. A sizable portion of the trucking companies talking about relationship building just took an emergency load rate and want to lock that in permanently lol.