mercer transportation

Where were all these people desperate for trailers one year ago when I sold my van at fire sale prices just to get rid of the dang thing ?????? Sold for $3000 cash to the first person with money in hand.

 

What amazes me is people thinking one company, in this case Mercer, adding a few trucks can effect the rate shippers are willing to pay when those same shippers use a dozen carriers and brokers with access to literally thousands of trucks. Mercer could literally double their capacity tomorrow and freight rates won't change a tenth of a cent. Any one that thinks otherwise is an uneducated moron without the simplest grasp on global economics.

 

Once more. The agent will not and CAN NOT give a load to one driver for less than he would give to another driver. You are basing your argument on the most illogical and unlikely scenario. I don't care what xyz says abc agent said, or if that agent even said it. Logic dictates that either what was said, was misunderstood, or what was said was inaccurate to begin with.

 

vangtransport, the fact is whether this is first in or first out you still have to be smart about it. you have to learn how to work your board position to your advantage, and yes you can do that. that can directly affect what you get offered.

the load you might tale at no.2 position might vary greatly at what you might take if you are 30. the cherry loads wont fall in your lap at 30. at 30 the 5,000 pound no tarp isn't likely going to fall to you, but at 30 you stand a much better chance of pre booking the decent paying load with 4 foot tarp. that is called working smarter.

and I still think kjoseph may have missed what the agent was saying, I think the agent was saying that loads other outfits didn't take before they will now take at a lesser rate, thus cutting out steady loads mercer had before .

I fail to see how a lower rate rate would entice someone to more readily take a load, if it were mercers trucks desperate for freight the agent could move the same number of loads at the regular and make even more money.

maybe one day I can figure out how if a load gets cheaper , more folks are willing to take it.

and with this thread 709 pages long, where have been until the load couple days with your infinite wisdom?


and I also ask, again vango, do you think shippers ever dictate what they will pay?? why is it always agents or brokers that are cutting the rates? its as if shippers are mindless idiots with no say in what they pay.

 

amen, my brother.

 

thanks spyder, I was beginning to think I was the last guy on earth that could think

 

exactly what I mean

 

Its clear we are in our correct trade because reading comprehension would make us all go broke.

 

Maybe it's more folks are willing to take loads at a cheaper rate, not that the load is originally offered cheaper. Too many carriers and independents willing to run cheap just to keep moving or put fuel in the tanks, or get just enough to make that truck or house payment. Ever have a shipper try to reduce your rate, always on a CBD (cattle call) load? Call on the load, agent calls back it's yours for $100 less because another company already called on it, but the shipper "will let you have the load for $100 less." ... then it's another $50 less after that because somebody else already accepted the $50 reduction. It could also be a broker playing these games trying to max out their profit.

I have gotten to know several of my regular customers and I find them paying top dollar to move much of their freight. 3PLs and Logistics companies as well as regular brokers know what they can move the freight for and many try to lower that number as much as possible. Large companies in particular like dealing with one point of contact instead of multiple carriers. They see little rate change, in fact many tell me rates are going up. Bottom line is too many people taking a slice of the pie, and taking as much as they can, and as the truck owners we have been and almost always will be at their mercy getting the scraps that they decide to leave for us.

Look at container haulers, they work for crap wages most of the time giving up money for the "privilege" of getting home most every night. Ever see a shipping company invoice for what it costs to ship a container? Everybody knows the truck at either end is the cheapest and most negotiable part of the cost and they take full advantage of that. Throw in a broker or three and there goes even more money.

 

I finished orientation with Mercer a few days ago and my coordinator has only offered me one load after I called him to see if he had any loads for me. Im just trying to figure out if this is normal or not since I just started. Its been a few days and every time we talk I have to call him and he says he just dose not really see anything. I have a 53' step deck 8' drop tarps I just find it hard he only has one load to offer me. If this is normal for just starting out with them then I will stick it out and wait for something. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks