Dealing with brokers as a company driver

My husband is dealing with this now. He's under his first meat load which apparently is a brokered load. He's had these brokers call him 19 f'in times since last night to check on their load. He's tired because every time he'd fall asleep another jerk would call. I told him that the next time someone calls to let them know he's going to block their calls and they can go through the company. He even shared his gps through his phone and that wasn't good enough. At only about 2 months into this new career he doesn't need this during the enforcement week.

 

Hello Hoosiergirl,

Who is the broker? I am building a database blacklist.

 

have dealt with many brokers over the years and yes they do want to talk to drivers, if you drive for a small company.
they will probably get your number when you call them for dispatch.
I just tell them, "I don't answer the phone except for emergencies from family, you'll have to leave a message". then I never call them back unless they cancel the load or change something.

 

I drive for a smaller company as a company driver. Nearly all of our backhauls are brokered and I deal with the broker directly on pretty much every one of them. We deal with a lot of smaller brokerages that are pretty easy going, and I’ve established a go to guy with the bigger brokers such as CHR and Echo who pretty much handle everything I need. It’s never really bothered me. Only one I hate dealing with is TQL because they do tend to pester (more frequently on the most stupid loads, like last week they wanted 3 check calls a day and picture verification of everything on a load of potting soil...) and another group out of Texas whose name slips my mind but can never put a load together without problems or miscommunications. The rest I deal with are happy with a call when loaded and empty

 

They mentioned we sometimes get brokered loads where I'm at and the question came up about the apps... It was encouraged that we comply but it won't be forced on us. I asked what if we install it and play along until we get bills in hand (at shipper) and them delete it? Orientation guy also the safety guy said... I don't give a #### once you got the load ignore them delete the app wichever that's fine. (Paraphrasing)

 

Watched a video from truckingexec on youtube. He did it yesterday. More of a discussion, live. Subject came up. I could swear it was that same one; TQL. The opinion that alot of truckers who put their availability up on load boards have the note for them not to call.

A driver could just say: "no comprende englis'!"

 

Are you sure that’s not your job to let anyone involved in a shipment that’s in your control know where you are and is delivery still on time.I think you’re probably making a issue in what in reality is a 2 minute conversation on a phone.Would it make you feel better if the company told you it’s your job to call every 30 minuets and report you’re status.

 

I'm a broker and I talk to truck drivers all day every day. I try to get to the driver as quickly as possible in the process, because as a rule I don't trust dispatchers much. I don't have to explain to a bunch of truck drivers why.

Generally speaking if I called someone 19 times they never picked up the phone and the information I was seeking to get/give was actually important. Trust me when I say that in this situation I'm significantly more annoyed about the 19 calls than the person getting them. If I'm calling you in the middle of the night you should pick up the phone because there is something seriously wrong lol.

But I'm the kind of broker who actually asks what the drivers sleep schedule is going to look like and puts that in the load notes to avoid waking people up. Talking to brokers periodically is part of pulling spot market loads around IMO. Some of them are awful and make about 5x as many check calls as necessary. There is nothing wrong with telling those people firmly but politely that if they don't give you some peace you're going to block their number... And telling your dispatcher that you don't want to haul any more of their loads if they are going to be calling you 25 times a day. Trust that if on the next load your company and this brokerage do your dispatcher says 'sorry I can't give out this drivers number because last time you called him 56 times in 11 hours and really pissed him off' the deal will still get done. Your dispatcher will just have to hand over his cell number and suffer instead lol.

 

I'm an owner operator leased on with a company that dispatches me on over 90% of my loads. Sometimes to get a backhaul dispatch will get a broker load or I will get on the load board apps to find my own load.

Here's my take on it: service the Hades out of the customer.

When I am on a broker load that requires lots of check calls, I take those calls unless I am sleeping. I will proactively call or text the broker with status updates if anything changes, like traffic delays.

Why do I do all that? Because in this case the broker is the customer.

This has paid off. I now know for a fact if I am dispatched to a certain area that is generally a dead zone for backhauls I can count on picking up the phone and calling a certain broker and she is always happy to know I am in position to haul a good paying load for her with a difficult customer.

If you are a company driver your job is to service the hell out of your customers. Other drivers families are counting on you not to screw it up. Brokers are customers. Deal with them appropriately.

 

And that ladies and gentlemen is how to get max money from brokers. Being that GREAT carrier really isn't that hard if you're already on time. The difference between good-decent and great is really just communicating with us before we have to communicate with you.

EDIT: And this is more important than it would seem. When you give us regular updates it makes us look VERY good with customers when they call in asking for information. Attempting to look this good is why those big brokerages call you 25 times a day. I personally am not afraid to tell a customer "I'll call him and find out" so I don't have to bother people constantly, but that doesn't mean I don't love the guy who emails me a couple of times a day with his location and ETA.