New Broker wants O/O advise

By law, we can ask for it at anytime and it's supposed to be shared with us. Rarely is it though. And I have never been given a brokers rate sheet.

 

1 ) Be honest ALL the time

2) Do not start cutting deals

3) Get / Give correct info

4) Try to pay in less than 30 days

 

With the good brokers yes, but not always. Also a lot of brokers let their customers run them over because the customer know they can get someone else to haul their freight.Godd luck in your endeavors.

 

A good relationship between a broker and driver-O/O starts with communication and honesty.

If you have a shipper that loves to take there time loading I would love to know in advance, and I would really appreciate if I was provided detention pay after an hour or two (at a reasonable rate). It seems that in the past few years (during the time of recession) it has taken an act of congress to receive any detention money. I don't care if my truck sits there 30 hours waiting to get load as long as I am getting paid detention at a reasonable rate. When I receive detention money it has to be enough to pay a driver lost wages for the time that he sat there, it has to pay for fuel and other expenses incurred while at idle. Some brokers and shippers don't grasp the concept that a truck and drivers cost money when they have to sit and wait.

Provide us with the correct information the first time. I find it very annoying to have to call back because I went to check in somewhere and don't have a number that I need to check in. Not only does this delay us but, it may cost us one, two or three spots in line while waiting for the correct information. With the new hours regs every minute counts, I can't afford waiting.

I understand that rates are different on different lanes, but rates are a huge thing in this industry. This is an issue that I wish would change for the better in terms of the owner operator. I am like some of the other guys in here, my equipment is paid for; however, there is still ALOT of cost incurred. Pay us a decent rate, again rates vary from lane to lane and I realize that. I am not out here to run for free, I am out here to run a successful business and provide for the people that rely on me.

 

Seems like a lot of folks are really worried about "getting a fair share." Who cares, as long as you're making enough to satisfy your own business? If the broker is a better businessman than you are, he's got no obligation to pay you more just because he can. You, on the other hand, have the ability to say "NO" if the offer isn't enough to meet your needs.

OP: Just never forget that the carrier owns most of the risk in this transaction. If you're going to mess with their money, it better be worth losing a carrier, who will then badmouth you to everyone that will listen. Think about that when you consider an advance fee for lumper payments you or your customer ought to be making in the first place. Or excessive detention. Or TONU charges. Most carriers accept that not every load will go perfectly. If you demonstrate that you will bear some of that burden and meet us halfway, it will go a long way toward good business relationships and service from your carriers.

 

Number 1 rule in being a freight broker= BE HONEST

Number 2 rule in being a freight broker= REFER TO RULE #1

 

You are correct I do hold the right to say "no", but when 80% of the stuff you are offered doesn't pay enough to meet my needs sooner or later you will end up out of business. I would say 90% of the stuff coming back home doesn't pay worth a lick. By that I mean you are lucky to make more a couple cents per mile profit. I am not out here to run out for a profit and then come back by breaking even. That doesn't seem like very good business. I don't seem how some of these guys pull for what is offered.

In my opinion, most of these guys that speak like REDFOREMAN or KR have a DARN good GIG going on and are in a very good position within the industry. They are making decent money and have it figured out. Most of us on the other hand have not yet had that "opportunity" yet to make some decent money. And until I have that "opportunity" I will continue to complain about rates.