Non-Truck Driver/Non-Broker Wondering How to Find Return Loads

Your math looks like somthing mad scientist dreamed up.

Do you even have a CDL?

Hurst

 

Tell you what if you can find me those kinds of rates here in Kansas City, I will bring all my trucks in and gladly pay you $50 per truck per load as a consultant for my company.

 

Have you figured out if it will save you money running your truck round trip without worrying about the deadhead?
If you enter into our arena and are just trying to cover your cost to get the truck and driver back to haul your own freight, you will be adding to a already degraded marketplace. Many a shipper has tried to ship their own products and found that it is more cost effective to pay a trucking company vs. trying to become a trucking company as well. The reason a lot of companies got rid of their private fleets in the first place was to pass the risk and cost onto the motor carrier. If your company can afford to have the truck, trailer, and driver sitting around and are just wanting the trucking part for a convenience for them to service their customers in BFE, then go for it.

 

Hurst, he lost me at "To whom that it may concern".....

 

The reason we own our own equipment is because of the level of service on the specialized loads we need. I've tried using trucking companies before, and the only thing more certain than the endless succession of price increases is the creativity of the excuses why it "can't be done this week". Combine that with the driver of the month syndrome, we've given up and do it ourselves. Delivery is part of our product, and no, not just anyone with a CDL can and will do it to our standards. No more phone calls from the border that the driver was refused entry into Canada.............

Owning a trucking company is a ginormous hassle, but I haven't found another way to do what we do successfully. I know, just got the truck in the shop yesterday and I'm looking at an unexpected inframe. Yay! The fun of owning rolling equipment.

As far as finding the back haul, the first one is the hardest, but after that it sort of falls into place over time, if you work at it. You'll end up going to the same area regularly, and you'll slowly build up a stable of customers. We haven't looked for a backhaul in over a year, and we haul into B.C. Freight out of there is sparse, but we found a place we can load pretty much any time, day or night, and get back home for a decent price. Over time, if you offer good service and a fair price, the shippers will fall into place.

If you don't want to spend time filling your own truck, you can try to develop a relationship with a broker and task him with keeping your truck loaded on the way back. That will also take time before it runs smoothly, and the revenue will likely be less.