How much do you have in it ?

Look at the first post.

 

http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/regulations/title49/section/371.3 It talks about mandatory records for brokers, including the payment received from the shipper and the amount paid to the carrier. You will notice it also states that the records shall be open to review for all parties involved. Which would be the carrier, the broker, and the shipper (or whoever orders the truck).

 

Truckers are poor business people. I just did a load where I was 1 of 11 trucks moving some pipe. Broker says I am the only one who called to let her know when I was loaded and empty.

 

It's funny how really that is about all you have to do to set yourself apart from the crowd. Check calls. Communication. I do a lot of lucrative loads. I've lost count years ago of the repeat business I got on more lucrative runs just because of the fact I communicate. They will even tell you they appreciate that because no-one does it. And others wonder why they can never get a rate. Obviously they have many other shortcomings but the fact they think people can telepathically and psychicly figure out what they are doing is a glaring one. And they will laugh at you and say yeah right. While you laugh to the bank. You know the kind. Been doing this a while leave them alone and don't call they will get the job done they know what they are doing. Nice customer service skills in a service industry bud that's sure to win everyone over.

 

at some time I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A GROUP DISCUSSION ON THIS - PHONE - SKYPE or something - anyone going to make the TRUCK SHOW

 

You are so right.

There are shippers / brokers out there who value service ( doing favors , communication , dependability , availability , friendliness , getting the job done correctly on time ) over paying a low rate. It takes time and effort to find these loads, but it pays off in the long run.

 

So would these unicorn brokers you speak of be willing to supply the payment info from their customer to the carrier if requested ? [emoji106]

 

You have to make an actual effort to find them unlike unicorns they do exist. Not going to answer for him but I suppose if that is the law they probably would if pressured but then what good does that information do you? Because you've burned a bridge with the broker and did you plan on using that info to back solicit? Is the customer going to pay you direct the same, more, or less? If the even talk to you. If you're getting a good rate from the broker would it bother so much then?

Is it only supposed to be OK for you to profit 20% or more but the broker should always take 10% just because? I'll have to say on some of the more interesting loads I have done it would be nice to see what came off the top after these people literally handed over stacks of cash to book the truck. I have heard the old "well sometimes they only make $50 or a $100" which I have seen before and know to be true.

However there were times when I know for a fact the open checkbook deal was not just for my part but I have never seen anything what that looks like from the other side. I'm positive on some of my big scores that a couple of thousand or maybe more came off the top. But really what difference does it make? I'm ok with it really. Good accounts like that are not a dime a dozen. Anyone giving me access to something they've worked hard at deserves to profit.

We are all looking for the big score from time to time and I am not crazy enough to believe in a business this competitive that they (or any of us) make out like a bandit on everything. I also admit there are times when I book an ugly load and try to squeeze an extra $50 only to get the old "well I just wouldn't make anything if I did" when sometimes I know it to be a lie. But the flip of it is sometimes it might not be.

But even so I always determine every rate that is acceptable to me which includes the ugly ones. No-one ever held a gun to my head but I have heard a lot of crazy talk, begging, yelling, screaming, laughing, patronizing, etc, etc - regardless the choice was/is mine alone.

 

You're way off base RC.

1. I don't back solicit. I do sometimes use load boards to find direct customers. Not that hard when 5 brokers posting out of a town to Google and figure it out or ask around. If the customer is blasting out an email or shopping brokers they usually won't mind adding me. I actually had to resist booking loads with brokers out of a few locations because I wanted to go direct. Again, I do not back solicit and if you say that one more time we will have a problem, got it ?

2. This was an exercise in curiosity. "That's all I have in it" great, show me or shut up.

Didn't have anything to do with getting more money. He stated what he had in the load. It would've been simple to prove. I was prepared to haul for the agreed rate, I signed the confirmation. The only thing I gained was next time I see this commodity out of the same location I will know. That's worth something.

You don't see any of these brokers on here jumping in saying, "Sure, I'd send it. I have no issue with carriers knowing my payment." And that should tell you something too. I'm gathering information, get it ?

 

What I don't understand, is if it's the law, why aren't more people asking? Why aren't people asking on every load? Why is this not more prevalent? I understand people are afraid of losing business, but if everyone asked, wouldn't it make this whole thing easier?