Brokers

I don’t have a problem with his question. It’s just that there isn’t an answer for it. Honestly it will vary between equipment type, location and the actual agent not necessarily the name of the broker. About 10 years ago I had a great relationship with a CH Robison agent. He got promoted and that relationship fell away. Same with a landstar agent. Great relationship until he moved away from landstar and his business model changed. Recently I had a great relationship with a guy at a small brokerage, but he got fired and they started slow paying.

I am willing to work with anyone with good credit and some integrity. You can find them at most any brokerage that’s been around a few years.

 

Well i know ur just joking but honestly linkedin is a good social media app to find brokers to work with.

 

Very true I have a great relationship with a CHR agent. He started the same time I started as an OO. I am one of his favorite people to work with since we got to know each other when he just started out. I would bug the hell out of him and got to the point he would send me all the information every few hours on jobs. He now has moved up and has people working under him so not as close but can get him to book anything. Also will give me a lot of inside information on what they really have in the jobs and if they have trouble with the facilities. No problems getting detention or fixing issues either.

 

Yes it is.

 

Everything changes. Contracts, People, rates. The list constantly changes. I had a steady Load from an excellent Broker for 13 yrs. It finally changed, Prime took it over. I had a couple chances to book the same Load through them, at a higher rate, as they couldn’t cover it. Even got called by Shipper to haul a particular tough 4 stop run. No Thanks. The Broker nor I will ever work for them again. Working together, we made the impossible happen. 4 food warehouse deliveries in one day. It was a real hustle, the others couldn’t do. Even if I could get them direct, I wouldn’t. Loyalty works both ways.

 

Every time I've talked about brokers, with peers that also haul reefer freight, I can't tell you how many times someone I might use as a go-to is hated by the other guy. Or vice versa. I think some folks set their expectations too high and get disappointed often, or take things too personal. You'll eventually settle on a short list of good dudes to work with. Nobody can tell you who that will be.

Funny you mention this. The only thing I ever hold a grudge over is getting screwed on payment. Everything else can eventually work out or turn around. Loyalty only goes as far as the executives next performance bonus. Sometimes it takes a year or two of poor service pain at a low rate to get their heads right. Or until their replacement comes in with a budget to fix the problems their predecessor was pressured into causing in the first place. On average I've seen a roughly 18-24 month cycle.

Right now with high inflation, everyone in the supply chain is trying to push that on someone else in an attempt to cut costs and avoid retail price increases. Unfortunately, truck transportation is probably the easiest cut to make at first, until they get a taste of that pain when shelves get empty and production lines stop from late or no-show trucks.

Personally I wouldn't stop taking their calls altogether. But I would put them on punishment a while LOL.

 

I would do the samething. Make them pay extra to even consider it, at some point it will come back or I would just make good money off of it or not touch it.

 

Business is dynamic. That is what makes it fun.
Lost a lane 3 weeks ago. New supplier. Lane shifted. Now I’m doing another good lane, different commodity with the same customer. It takes allot more work to build the tri-quad haul but that’s my job, not the customer’s. Good to keep cordial.