Poor brokers not making any money

Like it used to be. A shipping department with employees that had good bennies and a good hourly rate or even a salary.

 

Back then they didn't have to deal with a multitude of carriers, all wanting a different rate. Carrier base was limited, they didn't demand advance money, they didn't have to dig so deep to qualify one.

 

Used to be?? I’ve seen brokers for the 40 years I’ve been in trucking. So it’s not the brokers it’s the shippers fault. We’re going to get to the root of this sooner or later!

 

So it's the shippers fault that they don't want to deal with 50 trucks and everything that goes with it to cover one load?

 

I’ve mentioned this before when this has come up. When I was a driver at the small flatbed company I worked for we did a lot of hauling for a mill in Western MT. We did “maxi” flat work (105k gross). They maintained a carrier list for the maxi trucks and would send out their load list every week. They used to post the regular truckload stuff on a load board and eventually grew so tired of dealing with truckers and truckers being late or not showing up at all that they turned to CHR (I know, evil). With one simple email a week all their truckload stuff was handled and the shipping office was only left to deal with the 4 or 5 carriers that had a direct line to the maxi loads.

 

And that's why brokers exist and are here to stay. There are shippers who send out e-mail blasts to any broker or carrier that asks them. They take the cheapest rate and will drop you for someone cheaper. Most want a consistent rate so they know how to price their product.

 

Landstarve made Dave a "thousandaire"

 

Long as im happy with the rate it's all that matters. Accidentally had a broker send us the wrong paperwork with his rate on it (bigger brokerage) and they were only taking 13% which i thought was plenty fair

 

When I turn $15K+ profit every month, I could not care less about what others got in their wallets. I care about my money, and my way of making profits. I don't want to share it. I don't want to show it.

I am the World's biggest hypocrite though, my capitalist's stand will shift as soon as we go down to 2 dol per mile on average. A socialist devil will be awaken in me and I'll say, yeah you dam brokers, why you think you can live a good life while I run 1.5 a mile like that, have you no shame? I am, somewhat, ashamed to say that, it makes me a man of no firm principles. I am sorry, I can't help it and for that alone, I may first go to Hell...say for a year or two before I go to Heaven. That's all right, I can take the punishment and redemption. I just need to make it work, somehow, for the next 17 years...before my full retirement.

 

Joe, I always enjoy your perspective. I completely agree though, when I'm making what I think is good (for me that's about 20k gross per month) I could care less what others are making. I just don't see it ever getting better for my uneducated, not so ambitious arse.