One step closer to Independent

I can't believe how many can't send packets via email. I use Myfax for these folks. Also allows me to fax my invoices to get paid faster.

 

More and more brokers and shippers are willing to accept fax or email copies of bills of lading instead of requiring the original documents as proof of delivery. Some still require originals before they will pay the carrier. You should subscribe to one of the internet fax services such as efax or myfax. It will pay for itself several times over each month. An all in one fax/printer/copier is also a necessity unless you want to pay from $1-3/per sheet to fax from a truck stop.

 

Nothing quite as useful as a good all in one printer in the truck. You can conduct a lot of business without depending on anyone else. I don't have fax but my scanner converts documents to PDFs and everyone accepts them. Not for bills but to get loads. More are accepting e documents and someday we will see that as the norm.

 

I usually color scan and save as JPEG's as they're quicker than PDF's as far as my equipment is concerned.

 

I didn't mind paying truck stops $0.25/page, but when they raised it to $1-3/page, it is too much. I had to do that a few times until I decided that I could pay for an all in one printer with a couple of contracts. It is hard to imagine how we did business before cell phones, laptops and all in one printers. I still have my little black book of brokers somewhere. Since cell phones have become so prevalent, it is becoming increasingly more difficult to even find a pay phone. I remember getting ripped off a couple of times by pay phones in Indiana and Illinois. It cost me about $5/minute.

 

Don't go anywhere without your certificate. ALso, brokers will need a copy of it before they give any loads to you (along with other paperwork)

Congratulations!

 

On the technology front, I bought a program the other day called PDFill. It allows me to take any PDF and fill it in. Took a couple packets to get the hang of it but it is nice not to have to print pages out, complete them and then scan them to email or fax off. It was only $20 and they have a trial version that leaves a watermark on the documents. It even has a way to use mouse to sign or you can scan signature and import it.