Cheap Freight Doesn't Exist

Thats some very good info about the real rates the magazine carriers charge. I have a good direct customer base, most of who used mega carriers before me. Most of them disclosed the rates they were paying to the mega carriers which is a lot more than most folks seem to believe. The lease ops working with the megas are the only guys being starved in the whole process.
We found that we were more appealing to a large number of shippers simply because our customer service as a small company is better. This is why I believe the days of the O/O will be better than ever so long as you are not working for a mega carrier. You need to work direct!
By the way, I don't mean to hijack this thread but I had a weird incident with Coyote Logistics this morning, Iv posted it to a thread in "ask an O/O" that was started a few years ago. Some of you were on that thread.

 

Yep. I've had big outfits who really like the team service try to get me into a dedicated situation. The specialty stuff just pays so much better that I politely decline the offer while still holding the door open to possible future opportunities with them. There's certain people with great stuff that I can always call if I need to...it takes awhile to get to this point. It took me the better part of three years to figure it out and execute the "plan".

Agreed. I'll always help someone, but the one thing I can't do is think for them. I got lucky in the respect that I'm a natural at negotiation, and that I live my vocation. It drives my wife nuts, but I'm always thinking about the the conversations that I've had in the past, replaying them in my mind, going over them, identifying the things, (tactics), I did correctly, and the things that I could have done better, and yes, even the ones where I "blew it", as this prepares me for the conversations to come. Preparation is key to success...My wife will see me when I'm in a state of contemplation..."Man, you are steady deep in your own mind involved in some deep conversation with yourself"...lol...The one area I've really improved in is in closing, I'm good at closing. I get the number to where I'm comfortable, and then I close hard. I get the additional that I want, and if it's not there, I can always take the number that "works" for me, should I choose to. This would be the one area I don't think a lot of O/O's understand, the "how to" in closing. When I say, "command the rate", I'm also talking about closing... in sales the term is, "always be closing". There's a whole art form to rate negotiation and I'm sure there's a lot of different ways to skin the cat, but at the end of the day the thing that matters is, did you end up with a cat pelt, or not?

BBB brought up a great point, "are you a buyer, or seller?"

 

I don't know about van or reefer but in flat bed you can easily gross $7000 a week without using all of your hours. Work harder and your gross will be even higher. If you decide to go that direction PM me and I will be happy to help the best that I can.

 

thanks Dave. This whole mess if u look back couple pages cause a few know it All's saying I don't know my stuff and I'm going to fail. Guess they think the banks,cpa and me are stupid. I wish no ill will towards all. You'd think we would be brothers and mentor each other than to be negative and wish bad things on people when they don't know my FACTS.

 

Starting out was quite easy for me so I don't see why it would be any different for you or for anyone else. Careful planning and execution of all your plans is to me the most important part of any start up.

 

this is a repeat of the same conversation that ended up the same way a few weeks ago.

same result.

remember this , trucks dont run on paper.

many sports teams look dang good on paper, and finish at the bottom.

that's all anyone is trying to tell you ya.

Robert burns, Scottish poet, said it best. "the best- laid schemes of mice and men, gang aft agley." or "the best laid plans of mice and men , often go awry.

the awry reaches up and bites ya when ya least expect it.

does your cost of 1.12 include your wages? and banks and cpas etc have never driven a mile or delivered a load.

gitrdun45, you are actually lucky to have this advice.

what you totally cant understand is all this "wisdom" we are posting here is hard earned the hard way, we have made these mistakes. everything you haven't even screwed up even once yet, we have already screwed it up twice.


who ever said experience is the best teacher dang well knew what he was talking about.

 

who said it was anything bad???? but fact is I was right, you got something on your record where ya cant get hired, turns out its a 3 year gap in trucking. I love it when I am right.

 

the biggest thing you are missing, is paying yourself, you got to do that. it has to be figured in, just as if you had a hired driver.

 

tho I agree ,I disagree . If I live in truck and have 5300 figured in fixed cost for food. I don't have to pay me cause I have ALL figured in. But of course if I'm not way off I plan to pay myself. .40 cpm. So that would make my cpm 1.52 . But only have yo average 1.12 to survive. Next question you think I left out of operating cost. I have to admit I was getting fired up but now I'm loving your questions as it's verifying I covered my bases. Thanks really.

 

you had to go there. Insurance gave me outrageous quotes. Getting that pin pointed down as we speak . Know more by Tuesday but my numbers I keep discussing is my total cost off all ins. At 8500 year. I agree with you on that tho. My insurance lady out there on another planet.