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

Here we go with back haul.. What is that? Where you back up? There is nothing known as a back haul. Go into the truckstop and tell them that you need the back haul rate on their fuel. Every load that you take is a load that is going from point A to B . If the rates are to cheap deadhead out to someplace else. Next time they won't be. A few years ago a drywall manufacture in Las Vegas thought they were the only game in town.. And the rate showed it.. Telling the truckers if you don't like it you have LA going south and Salt lake going north.. One day the trucks headed out empty.. The company is where ya goin.. LA.. And loads weren't moved. But boy those rates sure sprang up to where they should have been.. It's not back haul.. It's called a HAUL. Sorry but there are a few words that just jack me up... EVERY LOAD even going home is a haul.

 

Here is my spreadsheet for the last month or so. I pull a drybox...
I book my own freight, I'm leased to a company, I negotiate my rate for waht I need to haul it. It's still not enought!!!

See my blog and monthly reports here
http://higb7.blogspot.com/search/label/Monthly Reports

[TABLE="width: 684"]
[TR]
[TD]4-Oct[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]100694[/TD]
[TD] 32609[/TD]
[TD]Huntsville AL[/TD]
[TD]33052[/TD]
[TD]Orangeburg SC[/TD]
[TD]$800.00[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]422[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]$1.90[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]7-Oct[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]100715 [/TD]
[TD] 33120[/TD]
[TD]Hannahan SC[/TD]
[TD]33307[/TD]
[TD]Evans GA[/TD]
[TD]$600.00[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]168[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]$3.57[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]9-Oct[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]100761 [/TD]
[TD] 33344[/TD]
[TD]Augusta GA[/TD]
[TD]33722[/TD]
[TD]Lynchburg VA[/TD]
[TD]$900.00[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]370[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]$2.43[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]10-Oct[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]100804[/TD]
[TD] 33729[/TD]
[TD]Lynchburg VA[/TD]
[TD]34069[/TD]
[TD]York PA[/TD]
[TD]$900.00[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]300[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]$3.00[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]11-Oct[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]100807 [/TD]
[TD] 34109[/TD]
[TD]Harrisburg PA[/TD]
[TD]34720[/TD]
[TD]Augusta GA[/TD]
[TD]$850.00[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]660[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]$1.29[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]21-Oct[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]100962[/TD]
[TD] 34751[/TD]
[TD]Augusta GA[/TD]
[TD]35440[/TD]
[TD]Brazil IN[/TD]
[TD]$1,000.00[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]675[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]$1.48[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]22-Oct[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]100998[/TD]
[TD] 35505[/TD]
[TD]Carlisle IN[/TD]
[TD]35912[/TD]
[TD]New Albany MS[/TD]
[TD]$1,025.00[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]460[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]$2.23[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]23-Oct[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]101017[/TD]
[TD] 36042[/TD]
[TD]Florence AL[/TD]
[TD]37575[/TD]
[TD]Miami FL[/TD]
[TD]$2,800.00[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]886[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]$3.16[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]26-Oct[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]101060[/TD]
[TD] 37582[/TD]
[TD]Augusta GA[/TD]
[TD]38207[/TD]
[TD]Wheeling WV[/TD]
[TD]$1,300.00[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]589[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]$2.21[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]28-Oct[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]101065[/TD]
[TD] 38286[/TD]
[TD]Friendly WV[/TD]
[TD]38467[/TD]
[TD]Peninsula OH[/TD]
[TD]$700.00[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]169[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]$4.14[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]29-Oct[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]101083[/TD]
[TD] 38543[/TD]
[TD]Ashtabula OH[/TD]
[TD]39112[/TD]
[TD]Suffolk VA[/TD]
[TD]$1,350.00[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]560[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]$2.41[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]30-Oct[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]101096[/TD]
[TD] 39146[/TD]
[TD]Hampton VA[/TD]
[TD]39779[/TD]
[TD]Buffalo NY[/TD]
[TD]$1,600.00[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]629[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]$2.54[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]1-Nov[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]101122[/TD]
[TD] 39794[/TD]
[TD]Buffalo NY[/TD]
[TD]41029[/TD]
[TD]Pearl River LA[/TD]
[TD]$2,300.00[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]1200[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]$1.92[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]4-Nov[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]101183[/TD]
[TD] 41087[/TD]
[TD]Belle Chase LA[/TD]
[TD]41460[/TD]
[TD]Houston TX[/TD]
[TD]$900.00[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]359[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]$2.51[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]5-Nov[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]101211[/TD]
[TD] 41501[/TD]
[TD]La Port TX[/TD]
[TD]42943[/TD]
[TD]Lakeland FL[/TD]
[TD]$2,400.00[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]1412[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]$1.70[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]11-Nov[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]101279[/TD]
[TD] 42952[/TD]
[TD]North Augusta SC[/TD]
[TD]43895[/TD]
[TD]Tulsa OK[/TD]
[TD]$1,900.00[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]936[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]$2.03[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]12-Nov[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]101313[/TD]
[TD] 44020[/TD]
[TD]Siloam Springs AR[/TD]
[TD]44462[/TD]
[TD]Temple TX[/TD]
[TD]$1,262.00[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]439[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]$2.87[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

 

Can someone help me get a handle on some of this ? I am not an o/o and am no longer a driver but just would like some clarification on the Broker/ O/O relationship and it may help the Original poster.
I assume the broker has already made the deal or set the rate with the shipper or receiver to move product (X) from point (A) to point (B) knowing what the the product is and the dimensions and weight ..correct ?
Why is there such a game of phone tag to haggle for rates between Broker and O/O -- Why doesnt the broker just post it as Product (X) from (A) to (B) for $$$$ with say 25-30% (just making up numbers here) brokers cut ?
If what is written above is correct about the Broker already locking in the rate with the shipper or receiver- it seems to me you cant lose by just being truthful with the O/O.
First, you will move the shippers receivers product very quickly. second you would quickly establish a list of the very best O/O's that move what you are brokering most efficiently making your customers happy which in turn gets you happy returning customers. Third, you the broker and O/O wouldn't have to spend near the amount of time on the phones with each other playing the game --am i missing something here --is it just greed ?

 

To the brokers, what is your overhead ? --i am confused about that also -- frankly (and i am not being a smarta--). I think all you are doing is making money as a middle man --really couldn't the shippers or receivers just by pass you brokers and go direct to the trucks directly -- i know you make it easy for everyone to make a deal in a central location --but what else are you doing for either.
From what i can tell if you have a phone and a computer your in business.
I am not trying to bash you brokers just trying to figure out why all this haggling is going on with these rates if the deal has already been done set between you and the shipper.
Are there other costs on the brokers end -EX: Bonds, insurance etc.
I surely can see you making a nice profit on little perks to the O/O like a percentage for fast pay if they choose to use it.
And please someone explain to me why back in the mid 80,s they couldn't get a flat bed load moved in Florida for $1.00 a mile yet according to what i read on this site some are pulling stuff for about the same rate 30 years later --i know diesel wasn't $4.00 a gal back then.
Also for the brokers, what do you do if you cant get anyone to haul for what you bid --is the load contracted -or do you just renegotiate ?

 

Broker doesn't do his/her job and get it delivered, there are Millions of other brokers that can. Depends on what carriers that particular broker deals with. Some have more carriers than others. Some have O/O that will haul for pennies and some not. Depends on a lot of factors including who in area to get the load etc.......

 

www.ams.usda.gov/mnreports/wa_fv190.txt

 

Good info GITRDUN45 --but completely lost on me -it looks to be a percentage range chart, was that for me or the others -- i am coming in completely blank other than understanding that the o/o goes to the broker for work, or viseversa.
What info i was seeking is why the rate game --"IF" the broker already locked down the rate with the shipper is it greed -or does the broker have cost's.
I know there is "Getting payed risk" --but the trucker has that same risk from the broker, and a lot of costs associated with getting the load delivered.
If the broker lets say is getting 25 -30% -- seems like a lion's share.
Is the broker out hustling up freight, or is the freight coming to him ?

 

More less coming to them cause size of Brokerage and clients they already have. Some seek out new shippers just like you and I can. All about negotiations. No matter who it is. Get own authority and you can eliminate the broker and deal with shippers yourself. Still negotiate tho. There are free websites you can check out freight lanes and what their paying at that time of year. After time you will know what moves when and where and how much. ...Now ya lease on your truck to a company/carrier most pay flat rate to you guaranteed. So they(Leased O/O) don't have to negotiate. Sad part about that is they might be Guaranteed say 2 PM for every load but the broker/carrier can be getting 4 pm and driver doesn't know or cares less. All about how hard you want to work and what makes each individual happy. That's why we all have choices. Company, leased on to Carrier O/O or O/O with own Authority.

 

Good info for sure, are you a Driver, O/O or a L/O ?

 

O/O in January '14. Been working on this for 4-5 Months. A LOT to research and to learn. Have a lot of O/O friends knowledge. Good thing is technology. Can find answers to everything online. Tons of info on videos from O/O's on Youtube also. Type under search owner operators with own authority and click on Casanova601, He's a good friend and O/O with tons of knowledge.