Dealing with the brokers - what's the best way?

Only $1.75. WOW! I pay $2.50 to go cross country. Take that $1.75...

 

I wouldn't accept either load. Crosscountry loads are not what I haul. You were bragging in another thread like a proud shyster freight broker that you can cover all of your loads for $1.75 all day every day, that there was no need to pay anyone $2 a mile that trucks weren't worth that and no-one deserves a rate like that... ...and now, well sometimes, you might pay as low as $1.50 a mile to as much as $3 a mile... and of course you have cross country loads paying $2.50 a mile. So what is the real story? ` I know what it is. You pay whatever you have to to get the freight moved when you need it moved and only wish you could cover it all for $1.75 right? I don't think you have any respect nor concern for your carriers when you think, as you stated, that $1.75 is plenty and no-one should get more than that.

 

Here it is. It was earlier in this very thread. This why I question what is really so good about your freight? Answer, nothing... You have ordinary cheap freight no different than most of what the brokers are shoveling off on loadboards yet it is direct and 100% to the trucker, yippee!!!. I find it amusing how you hype up working direct and the truck owner getting 100% of cheap rates like it is something special and a big deal. The truth of the matter is you got tired of brokers charging you market rates to cover your freight and figured if they could move it for $1.75 a mile then why the heck were you paying them more than that? There are lots of direct shippers on loadboards who try to move stuff for cheap every day. It's spot loads and is what it is. You only pay when you have to and resent it greatly when you have to pay anything more than normal cheap nothing rates.

 

I was patiently waiting for you to bring that up.

 

Yeah I'm like Dannythetrucker I have a way with words lol... ...I think Bigmoneymonty summed our sentiments up nicely? lol How have things been going for you?

 

My deadhead is between 20 to 25% for the year, I take high paying loads knowing I will DH out to where reasonable rates exist. I know my breakeven cpm and refuse to load my truck for less than that. My all miles average is what matters, and is doing ok for a bad year with lower volume than I'd like to see.

You go buy a truck and get out of your ivory tower, go own and operate that truck, go live in and with that truck for a month or two at a time. Then report back to me about how I'm holding an industry hostage. I think we all know who the easy money, fat cats are in this industry; and it ain't owner operators. That's a fact.

 

###### boy! I think you nailed it.

 

I've used some of rollincoal's tricks and tactics to get more than a few good rates off of load boards. In fact, I was once told the broker's were not going to be allowed to leave the office until they had the load booked. My rate ? a little under $10/mile. I was getting ready to order some pizzas and have sent to their office when they called and agreed to pay what I wanted.

These days I am hauling direct with one customer in particular. Frankly, there loads are kind of a PITA, long load times but I have a drop trailer there. still, loads are seldom ready before 9 pm and must deliver next day usually 500 miles or so. I get a solid rate, but I don't gouge. I figure if I can provide them good service on these loads i should pretty much have a lock on it, there's just not that many people willing to do it. So what I'm saying is that when you haul direct, if you are interested in steady business you do have to keep your prices in line with the task or eventually you'll lose it. But when you deal with brokers you can demand whatever you want and the worse that can happen is they say no. rollincoal likes playing that game, I can do it if need be, but it's not my cup of tea really. I get tired of the games after awhile. The other problem with direct vs. broker is you always have to get to your customers. When working strictly brokers, you can take it or leave it, go anywhere, etc... So now I am getting a very good rate on my direct loads, but I'm batting about 50/50 getting back there. Sometimes I even haul cheaper than I'd like or eat a lot of deadhead, but the math works out and of course I'm always beating the bushes for better pay getting back. It's a different game, pro's and con's, I wouldn't say direct is always better than brokered loads.

I think it's a good idea to try to learn both games. If a good direct opportunity comes along you should be able to go in and give them great service at a fair and profitable rate. But you also should be good enough at working load boards that if all else fails you know you can still be profitable. Some times people are so scared of losing their direct customers they will put up with too much or overcompete with other carriers, etc... If for some reason my direct customers started yanking me around, I can easily take my services elsewhere.

 

I don't remember asking you to take my loads. You don't give a crap, remember. $1.75 is my average. I will pay what the load is worth. I have little respect for someone who believes they are above everyone else. Such as yourself. What I was saying concerning the $2/mile was not to assume EVERY load is worth that amount or more. Because that is not the truth. You are mis-leading drivers with your comments that only brokers pay well. I am trying to repair the damage you're doing and let others know that brokers can be very dirty. I have only had problems with deliveries that were covered by brokers. They don't follow through. Too many times I am the one helping their drivers. I am the one they call, NOT the brokers that hire them. Only brokers have dropped the ball on my loads.

 

Yeah, the nail is in his head.