Load Board Truths and Myths

No, click the link. It's a discussion going on in another part. Don't post just yet. There are questions the original poster hasn't answered.

 

Why? you paid way too much. My DAT subscription is only $35 and gives me everything I need (broker credit scores, averages, etc.)

One thing you asked hasn't been answered. Load boards move/refresh every 30 seconds or so. In a popular shipping lane on a regular weekday loads will hit the boards and be gone within one minute, sometimes less. It's VERY fast, impressively fast what modern logistics has become.....and also very frustrating at times.

 

True but if you get in to this you can figure out the averages well enough. I can't see triangulated suggestions being very useful the way I run and I guarantee they won't benefit you. Those fillers are going to be heavy food loads paying little delivering at 0300.

I like your attitude, take it all in, learn what you can. You'll learn the most getting in someone else's truck before you spend a lot of money. Good luck!

 

I run a 9 truck fleet and have grown it from 1 truck off 90% load board freight. Right now in a #### freight market you may mostly get scraps. But in a better market you may mostly get much better then average freight. If you are talented at negotiating and also run and adjust to where the hotter markets are then you can match contract freight in the bad times. In the good times you can out pace contract freight extremely easily while they are stuck in contracts and stuck on certain lanes.

Also, it’s true a lot of the best freight doesn’t hit the boards, it first gets offered to the regular carriers that have been doing it. However, how do you think those regulars first found it and the brokers found them? By posting it. So, whether it’s a new lane that pops up and your the first to get on it, or the regular carrier can’t get to it, then you can jump on it and try to become the new regular. I have routinely dead headed a lot of miles just to protect this regular go to freight because I know it’s well above avg paying and I don’t want to lose it to a new guy. However, sometimes I just dont have capacity and can’t help it, which opens the door to a new guy such as yourself.

It takes hard work and tenacity to make it on the spot market through the ups and downs. About anyone can make it in the good times but making it through the bad times is hard. However, if you can’t make it then bow out and be a company driver or do something else.

Edit: I use Dat power. In a poor market like right now it’s important to have auto refresh and you still will probably miss some loads. My load planners have very fast dialing fingers and still get beat. I think your going about it the right way, sort of like a free money trading account before you go live real money. Things won’t go as smooth as your tests but still is as close as you can get. As far as Florida most of the year it sucks coming out but that’s why you gotta do good getting in to offset. Good luck!

 

Look for loads that tend to hang around that no-one else wants. Usually going to deadhole areas. Crazy appt times, etc, etc. Those can be your moneymakers.

And if your bread and butter is working off loadboard dont cheap out on a $30 subscription. Unless you like calling on loads that no longer exist because they don't ever take them down from those boards and the refresh rate is whenever you refresh it manually. Sorry that's already covered, sorry that's already covered, sorry that's already covered will be ringing in your ears all day long.

In a shipper's market like we have been experiencing for over a year now if you see something you need, know the numbers, and are confident you can book it quickly - well you already missed that load by several minutes from being cheap on your loadboard subscription. You get what you pay for imo.