Load is not ready please come back tomorrow

Do you also get paid that well for this stuff? If so, maybe indeed I live on a different planet or maybe it is only open deck advantage.

 

it is a lot easier with open deck, however i would get similar numbers with dry van and reefer loads. The exception would be detention time with produce and fresh meats. But the rate is jacked up in those type of loads because everyone knows you are gonna be there all day getting loaded or unloaded, so its built into the rate instead of being an additional line item.

 

Talljoe

First, you did not ask a question, go back and read your post. You made statements with puctuation, then tossed in a slur. Maybe it would serve well to check your perspective first. Attitude is a key factor. How you deal with someone you do business with. If you aproach it with an adversarial nature, your going to get that same response.

These items you claim are nothing but platitudes. You are wrong, they are the keys. If you have a business, then these things should be part of your vocabulary.
It is a business, right? Treat it like one. Become a business professional.
The goal is to make money now and in the future, right?
Are you a charity? Or are you in it for profit?
As a business, you should know what your numbers are.
If you don’t, how do you know if your making money?
Do I care what others are getting for the work they do? Not really, I know what I need to make in revenue to afford the lifestyle my family has become accustomed to. The rates and charges reflect that. As things change, so do the rates.

Relationships. Think about this a moment. The old adage about the 80/20 rule is true. 80 percent of your business will come from 20 percent of your contacts.
Better have a good relationship with that 20 percent.
You can be polite and courtious and still hold a firm line. Your more likely to get respect from the other parties if you do.

Yes, I work with some very long time customers, some have been for 15 to 20 years. Others less. Some have come from referrals from current customers. Thats where the relationships pay dividends. Because of the time invested in these relationships, I don’t call about freight, they call or email me with load info. Thats the second dividend. Generally I am booked out up to two weeks in advance. Sometimes negotiations on pick and deliver times, usually goes very favorably.

Expectations, if they are not part of the conversation, how do each of you understand the other? The companies I work with know very well what my expectations are, the same holds for them.

Something I learned long ago. The hard way too.
Say what you do, Do what you say, Document that.
Part of that documentation is the rates, charges, fees and other things I expect to get paid for.

The terms and conditions I am willing to work under are clearly defined. Should someone not find that acceptable, well then we don’t work together. There is nothing wrong with saying no to something that is outside what your willing to do.
Some of my favorite phrases.
No thank you, appreciate the opportunity, perhaps another time. Am unable to help you with that at this time.

Run nothing special for equipment. Standard 48ft flatbed.
I can load 50k if needed, but generally run 35 to 45k on the deck. Plenty of others do the same in the region.
Whats the difference. How I do business.
I show up to load or unload on time.
My equipment is in top shape. Clean, neat and orderly.
Truck is less than 3 yrs, trailer is 6 months from factory.
My apperance is clean, neat and dressed appropriately.
I speak with everyone in a professional and courteous way, no matter who it is. Treat peole with respect. Generally do my best to make doing business as easy a possible. It pays off.

You have said you know all this stuff. That they are just platitudes that have no meaningful information. These are some of the tools of business. Why don’t you use them?

 

Thank you for your thorough response. I apologize for any offensive attitude. All the business and work ethics you described is something I also believe in and I try to adhere to as well. However, I too often feel like what the op presented in his original statement, saying that only super truckers get paid that much for a layover, for which he was bashed quite hard, which I found unfair and it made me sort of frustrated and angry because I honestly never thought that such high payment demands could be realistically presented or at least presented towards commonly known brokers off the loadboard, for whom I work every day. I argued once with EPES to give me 350 for TONU, and I was arguing and logicaly explaining the reasons for that amount but all I got was 150. I never tried to modify the carrier - broker set up documents with a charge list such as yours. So I'll keep that in mind next time I do the set up. Being still a new independent (less than 2 years) I still feel too humble or not in a good position when I do a new broker-carrier set up to make amends to their terms - feeling that I need them more than they need me. I'll try it though.

Edit:
By "I need them more than they need me" I mean that so far, my presumption was, that if I demanded the changing to the original terms most of the brokers I worked for would simply disagree and I'd have very few to work with. If I was wrong with that it's too bad for me. Thankfully, I don't have too many detentions or TONUs, but planning on getting a reefer and there these things are of more occurrence.

 

Keep something in mind, it will be very tough to get 800 for a layover charge tomorrow, if you agreed to 250 yesterday. The large sophisticated brokerage firms keep track of every single thing you've done for them in the past with the rate charged, and it's right there at their fingertips when talking to them. Take a cheap load once for tql and every time they call you after that they will feel they can get you under current market rates.

How i approach presenting my detention, tonu, and layover charges in a way that comes off as reasonable is rather simple, it's based on a daily revenue goal. If you make a grand after fuel per day, you should be able to present your grand charge for 1 day of layover as reasonable. That's the loss of income you will incur by waiting the extra day because they didn't have the load ready.

 

That would explain why CHR still wants to pay me 750 from Bufflo, NY to Chicago, IL LOL. And now having read this, I need another drink.

 

This is why knowing your numbers is important.

 

At least as important be as knowing your numbers is knowing what the market will bear.

 

Another truth.

 

Yep. That's the goal no matter what industry you are in. Sell your service for the absolute most the market will bear.