Does freight pay better after 5pm

How late at night is to late, to call a broker?

 

Why bother they already have you pegged as cheap n easy. They'd get mad at you if you started to think you were worth 10 cents more.

 

ok, you're correct. ill stick to my low pay, while you work six months a years and live the dream?lol

 

Only way to truck. I've covered runs like yours when the broker's regular truck couldn't do it. It's pretty funny how when they're in a pinch they'll pay 2 or 3 times what they normally do, many times without blinking an eye.

 

yeah right

 

Had it happen a couple of weeks ago on a Friday around lunch. I didn't want the load so i gave them my buddy Mike's number. I told them let them know who gave them his phone number, that way he knows they mean business and hear's them out. The broker told me his regular truck was stuck down in GA due to the storm (probably took a big money load and left his broker hanging) so he tells me that he's willing to pay round trip on this same day pick/drop 200 mile run today just to get it covered.

I asked what is your idea of round trip? He says $905. I told him that was a good rate and I could do it but it would take more than $905 and really I was not interested. He asked me to give a number $$$$ and i declined instead thanking him for his time and telling him about another F2F truck that was at home practically right on top of his load do you want his cell? He took it and calls Mike telling him I gave him the number. He didn't offer round trip to Mike. Told Mike he normally moved it for $500. Mike says $1,500 and got the load. Later talking with Mike I told him that was the number I had in my head but I didn't want the load it was not convenient for me. So anyways, Mike got the load for approximately 3x what it normally moves for. If the broker was telling it right and I have no reason to doubt it knowing typical rates to trucks.

Anyways, Mike sometimes pulls better rates than me to us it's like a game. He's a member here too. Lots of members here know first hand I consistently pull top notch rates.You ever have a broker tell you you're way above market average when they griped and did or didn't give you a load? I hear it all the time. Usually from some random broker that ain't never had a good account in their life and would screw it up if they did. This broker who gave the load to Mike was a pro he didn't complain or flinch. He did what he had to do. He made it back on the regular truck fairly easy.

Instead of making excuses why you have to work so hard to keep so little you ought to go back and read some of my comments over the years. You might figure out how to add 50 cents a mile or better to your own average if you applied yourself.

 

rollin coal, your post got me to thinking. It would be interesting to find a book on the brokers point of view. What their strategy is when it comes to negotiating rates. More than likely they don't expect the truckers they deal with to educate themselves on their side of the trucking business.
Also, when you have companies like Landstar making revenue in the billions. That's a good sign there is some room for negotiating a higher rate.

 

I've had some of them pick my brain either upon agreement to load my truck or an agreement to disagree. I'm not fearful of giving away any tricks or secrets. It's a respect thing. I openly tell them how's and why's. In the moment none of that really matters if they have no options and need a truck. That's what I always listen for. A broker listens for the same things to sell it at a low price. Many times what they're saying, and it's like they don't mean to give away some clues but in the moment of need with that pressure on, they can't help themselves... Drivers do the same thing when they call on a load and probably don't even realise it. I know when I've got a fish within seconds then I get a rush. Brokers are the same. Most of them are college educated the best ones probably studied psychology. Don't see too many of them willing to share war stories.

 

rollin coal, what about that broker that you deal with on a regular basis and he asks you for that "favor" and do it for next to nothing?

 

That's interesting how the game is played. How long would you say it takes to learn the basics of negotiating with brokers? You probably run into a new line from a broker every other day. It would be interesting to hear an o/o and a broker going through the routine.