Carriers' mentality on late deliveries

A deal is a deal period. I don't care if it paid 2cents a mile or 200 a mile. We've all made good deals and not so good deals. But keeping your word should take presidents

 

Hmmmm

 

Ahhhh I think I understand. The carrier picked up load in Laredo, leaving Laredo, but the they are using the trailer that's supposed to deliver that same trailer in Laredo...so the carrier was allowed to use the trailer en route to delivery of the unit itself. So they reloaded that trailer out of Laredo to go somewhere else? They are trying pretty much run a load with a trailer that wasn't meant for them to use longer than 6 or 7 days initially agreed upon and it's really the customer's trailer. If I'm understanding this right, it's ultimately the carrier's issue. If they miss the delivery, the customer will charge you first but then you'll need to pass the buck since they're aware of the late fees.

 

I did a load out arrangement once, it was somewhat of a recovery though. The broker had me hook the trailer in Louisiana somewhere and gave a date in which it had to be returned to West Memphis, AR. I had the trailer for about 2 weeks, til that date arrived. Periodically that broker woild call to see the location. My dispatcher said #### it, we will use it for 2 weeks since it was an Ervin Lease dry van. It wasn't costing the company anything to use it for those 2 weeks. When that date came, I delivered back to Ervin Lease in West Memphis. Apparently they had trailers that needed to be returned and sprawled out in various parts of the country. So you gave them 1200 and if they played their cards right, they could made more money on top of the the rate you gave them because they had a few days to use basically a "free" trailer.

 

Just a few thoughts

Here is how we do it, we don’t. If we are asked to move a trailer, loaded or unloaded, it is a full rate move. Unless it is a deal where we are going to end up with better compensation in the end of the work OR if it is a good customer.

Gentleroger hit on what should be a consideration - the relationship and the trust built by having one.

you don’t have one with this carrier, so I would not expect them to do what they said they would because they can make money off of the use of a trailer and get paid to move it on top of that.

right now it depends on what your contract with them says about late delivery?

I would recommend that you focus on building relationships with carriers, not this one, and stop moving trailers cheaply.

 

Let me see if I can follow this.
An empty trailer was scheduled to dropped at a set date. The trailer initially arrived early? Customer said too early, come back at set date. Driver didn’t want to wait, then went off chasing freight, with a trailer that was not theirs? Driver is now chasing and delivering freight, with a trailer that was supposed to be dropped? Now will be late?