Load Board Truths and Myths

I absolutely love your views and encouragement! Thanks for piping in about using load boards successfully. I am wondering how it will actually work in real life. What I don't know is how the interaction is between the broker I call and getting the load. In other words, do I say.... I see the load from a to b at 48k lbs. and I'm positioned to haul it. I've read the notes and it doesn't say what it is. Please enlighten me. He replies and if I let him talk he may keep talking and give helpful information to strategize if their is more on the table or not. so, I say, I'll take it for x $. Does that sound about right? Do I also ask about any other facets of the load and delivery expectations they may have noted, but not posted. Do most loads get assigned right then and they email the paperwork? Then I invoice when its delivered? I recognise its 30 days or so to get paid, but am used to carrying 30k monthly anyway, in my existing business.

Please comment on whether that's the idea, or does the conversation go differently? I've sold commercial printers in the millions of $ over time, so I get that its communications / raport building and sales. I just wonder the best approach.

Can you plan more than 3 days ahead, other than really long hauls? It seems that most of what I am seeing on truckers edge pro is only a couple days out, but I may not have the best way of viewing it figured out.

 

I already got the $99.00 subscription. Thats butta, right there. I've been following, not closely, the board for a few days. I haven't seen loads dissapear in front of my eyes even with my higher priced DAT pro. That does occur though?

 

I guess that kind of speed would take any hope of negotiation out of the picture. If there are a large number of loads, would you sometimes go for even more money, if the offer is already pretty good? Just curious how that might blow an opportunity.

 

Don’t listen to Ridgeline, get several trucks, then the misery won’t last so long.

 

LOL, not me. One truck. If its interesting, profitable and fun, I'll add one and see if I can keep someone in the seat. I don't think I want to baby sit too many drivers, anyway.

 

No pain, no gain. Besides good drivers are easy to come by.

 

I look at loads 24/7 no matter where I’m at.

Wedding, funeral, anywhere I go no matter what time it is I’ll check it. Might find a gem and have many many times.

 

That's reassuring. I thought "all the good drivers are already working and happy", or something like that. Would you pay a young ambitious guy to go to school and hire him under contract, for say a year to pay back the educational cost? I thought about that, but wonder how many guys just don't have a conception of being away from home, and fall out quickly after starting?

 

He’s messing with you .. I’m sure you know that

 

They fall out because the dispatch burned them out in less than 90 days. And they are easily replaceable because 50 more newbies are in the orientation trailer each week to fill that empty truck. The industry has no tolernace at all for newbie damage. If they scraped a curb and cut a 300 dollar trailer tire, that might get them fired. In my time when I started, if i cut the tire, it comes out of my pay. You bet that kind of punishment you don't get to cutting tires too often. Today, if a company sees damage that they have to pay for. They simply dispose of the newbie and replace same.