brokers, riddle me this ?

Dear People. You must know how your income is made. I have no quick answer to please you. Over the phone I deal with people. Most are trustworthy, some are not. I relied on a back haul. I got stuck for weeks. DIY. This is a tough way to make a buck.

 

This automatic jump that everyone is looking to short you is really a sad statement. Now, trust but verify is just prudent business.

Most brokers never actually make a decision on how the miles are ran. They have a piece of software that they enter loads in and the developer made certain decisions on how the miles would be calculated. Some may have the ability to over ride the miles (like we do) but when you are running fast the extra step isn't worth it when the person on the other end of the line is still going to run zip to zip.

Heck, LS even uses air miles.

 

Then they can put their cheap freight on a #### airplane!

Most of the brokers I dealt with paid me on truck practical. That was usually off so I'd increase my bid depending on the rate to cover for their mapping software and the deadhead on the other end. Current company Im working with really screwed me on my last run. I got paid on 536 miles, 68 miles empty and another 531 loaded. They paid me truck shortest on my deadhead coming out of Milwaukee and truck shortest coming back from Chicago. My hub miles were 671 and 676 those Two days. 1350 miles and I got paid for a little over 1100 needless to say I was livid after being told I'd be paid on truck practical. 100% of the time.

Thank god for PC miler on my computer to check they're routing and how they're calculating their miles. I don't get shorted too many miles as I've been lucky although getting screwed over like that didn't exactly make me too happy. Not to mention the tolls up in windy.

I don't think to highly of freight brokers and don't think to highly of getting shorted milage. By my calculations over the weeks and running theoretical trips what I'll be shorted for over the next year was well over 20,000 miles. Multiply that by 1.60 average and I'll lose well over $30,000. Not pretty at all. I figured what a broker has cost me for milage and pay by shorting milage and it wasn't even that bad. About the only difference is the broker carrier agreements were worth the paper they were written on I don't believe this "lease" agreement was. I learned to read things over with brokers read this agreement over and seems like contracts and a mans word is worthless now days. So much for handshakes and the way things used to be.

 

Think you may want to look to LS for more freight. Rare for my guys to haul for less than $2 PRACTICAL from LS.

 

I got a good one for you. How come there is nothing to account for tolls? Like the GW is $76 I think and a lot of roads it can cost anywhere between $20 to $200 to travel. I'm pointing this out because all of the tolls are increasing fast. Just so you brokers know, I don't travel anywhere there are tolls not unless its paying really good. Screw the Northeast!

 

Alot of people use zip code miles or don't include city miles even use the house hold movers guide. So that is why you get the lower miles. I have taken a class in Dallas Tx to get my broker authority and it goes into detail on what they use to get miles. Don't worry I am not going to be a broker I figured A 3 week course to learn about booking loads will help me as a O/O

 

I have dealt with LS a few times BBB. You're out of TN, you may get some better rates down there than I get thrown up here. I suppose the day I finally had had enough was when they through me a rate of $650 on 400 miles. I said no way. I've had a few problems with LS loads. We went a couple rounds over a Sioux falls load, and got into it over an Endicott brick load. Rate con said 12 skids they tried to put 24 on the truck. They paid us on time, but I had some difficulties working with them. I understand they're a big company, I understand you deal with different people, but I had a few agents that I would've liked to strangle. Seems like I always dealt with the people that though I was robbing them. I didn't think an extra $200 on a 1200 mile run was that outrageous. But the agent acted insulted. Same way when I bid out a south Dakota load. I wanted an extra $75 for the tarp fee and he about had a heart attack and then through me an extra $75 on top of what I'd already bid it out at for tarping.

Now Patrick transportation is a division of land star last time I knew. Those people are on the ball and very good to work with. I have no problem with them. And jerry is a great guy. I called him sir and he said no need for that my name is jerry and that's what you can call me. We both got a laugh out of that one. He paid on time and was great to work with minus the wrong directions. I turned at the wrong sign for that town. Shoudlve waited for the 2nd sign. Turned around and got back there. No worries at all.

LS did pay on time, but I had my fair share of headaches when it came to talking with agents and it finally got to the point where it wasn't worth it anymore IMO. If it works for you though more power to you and I'm happy to hear that. For me it wasn't a good mix. I had a few brokers I was very happy with and land star was decent to me at first. It just went down hill. It happens that's business. If you are happy with them and your trucks are making money with them great. I just had problems with them and didn't get the rates you are getting. It could be that you're a better negotiator as well. I don't have good negotiation skills nor do I have good people skills at times. I found out its a lot easier to run dedicated and pull somebody else's trailer for me personally. Same thing for my dad. He is happy where he is now. I have found a company that seems to be worth while now, and I have not heard bad things about them. Hopefully I can settle in here for a long time. I appreciate your advise, maybe in a few years or so I will take another look at land star or if I ever bring another truck on I can use them. Right now is just not the time though.

 

Exactly!......

 

Because people who take cabs dont ask for money back for waiting at red lights, they understand its part of the business. And it is an unfair comparison. Anyone would ask a cab what they would do a cross country trip for, they wouldnt just ask them to fire up the meter.