How are Brokers NOT to blame?

And these are the rules of engagement now. And I do them as best I can too but when I do I feel like I am some sort of a street-level hustler and I would like to think that there are better ways - the whole previous discussion was about avoiding all that unpleasantness which was described by you in hushed-out words - because it would be less nerve-wracking and in the long run all the same. Let them have their piece, and get what you deserve.

 

@AsphaltFarmer

That's what a slogan is.

 

I actually like it. I'll put it on my trailer's door.

Let them have their piece, and get what you deserve.

 

There is no reason to feel like some street hustler. I’d imagine that would be using means such as intimidation, violence, or cheating a system.

For me this is about winning. It doesn’t matter what it is… business, a sports game, some sort of a race, hell even a board game. lol. I want to freaking dominate! You don’t win at anything by being content and taking your little piece. If the government told me ahead of time what I deserve to make, or what place I’m going to get, I’d say shove the whole thing up your ###. I’m not interested.

 

Sports are ok. I like to win too. I prefer earning bread not being a sport. Every God-fearing person should not be deprived of earning bread. Too many people keep using the word government, but I see it as rules.

 

Nobody in this industry is deprived of earning a living. But their choices will dictate what kind of living they will have. Other than pride, what is keeping anyone that’s hanging on by a thread from suspending their authority and leasing to a carrier?

 

I don’t play the spot market, but the market in general has just as many ups and downs.
In my opinion, you can make more money over the long run with the market swings than you could if the market was somehow controlled to be steady all the time.

The main problem is people either aren’t smart enough to play the market swings to their advantage, too lazy, or lack self control. Far too many times you see people blowing their money during the good times, when they should be saving money for the bad times. Back we rates were sky high, me and several others were warning of a downturn, but it seemed to fall on deaf ears. People should have been paying off their debt, instead a lot were buying equipment and going farther in debt. Now they are starting to sweat.

 

@rch10007 The spot market isn’t a healthy relationship for either party involved, in my opinion. Without a load to truck ratio of one to one there will be an advantage to one party.

I will maintain my opinion that the low barrier of entry is a big factor of what you’d like to see changed. There’s are simply more trucks than available loads.

We can play that out even further. If carriers suspend their authority and lease to a carrier to move contract freight then even though there are less trucks on the load boards there will also be less loads because the carriers are covering more of their contract freight. Or the increase in capacity will allow the carrier to pursue more customers.

Honestly I don’t have the answer to what you’re looking for.

 

You believe that, but you also believe the government should step in and tell people how much bread they're allowed to earn?

Here's an idea - you don't want to be a broker, but you also want all the money they make. The solution? Direct freight. Problem solved.

 

I understand what @rch10007 is trying to do and I know that he thinks everything will suddenly and magically get better if we just do what he wants us to do. I applaud his ambition but I won't be getting on board. It's just a bad idea that will never ever work.
If I wanted to lead a totally guided and regimented life I would have stayed in the Army. The thing that always appealed to me about trucking was the amount of personal freedom. I don't have to share my rates with anyone nor do I have to justify how much I charge. Or how little I charge. Or if I charge anything.
I'd say that 90% of the people I see on TTR are totally capable of figuring their own rates and applying them as necessary. They should be left alone to do that.
The other 10% can be company drivers or whatever pleases them.
We don't need a leader. We don't want one either.