question about booking loads

I don't usually call on a load unless I either know the area I'm going in to, I have researched it ahead of time, or the load has a good enough rate that I can run back out empty. It's poor form to verbally commit to a load and then cancel.

I have done this, but only when the broker pulls a bait-and-switch.

It's also rare that I have more than two loads booked. The first one could go bad and you'd have to cancel the others because you can't get to them. Mechanical problems, weather, closed roads, detention - all of these can really mess up your schedule.

 

So many people calling on loads these days you really don't have anytime to wait some loads are gone before I even dail the number I've even had brokers tell me about the load and we come up with a price than put me on hold than 5min later click back over and say sorry just covered it WTF

Also if a company has say 10 trucks droping off in a erea they will just book loads for trucks they don't even have unloaded yet and as there drivers call in they dispatch the truck so if your going to wait all the good loads will be covered

 

Always remember that the best loads never see the load board. Develop your broker relationships and you won't have problems with missing out on loads.

 

Most of my movement comes from a core list of brokers I work with that understand my lane preference, and truck rate. If I like a particular run, I'll ask the broker if they have more of those, and if so, do they want to help get the truck back to that shipper again. Many times they don't have a "backhaul" for me, but sometimes they do. One of my brokers offered to pay full DH miles to run an empty to a hot load he needed covered- 700 miles away.

The more you use the load boards, the sooner you will not need them because you will be developing your list.

To answer your question: No, I don't preplan my loads unless it's a regular gig and I already know I need to get back to provide capacity to a direct account.

 

Would you want a broker to verbally commit to you then cancel 30-mins later because they found a better option?

Not sure if you want it then don't take it.

 

Not that difficult to book 2, 3, 4 or more loads ahead. You have to be familiar with the freight though to make a plan that works. When you find loads that pop regularly every day, or every other day you can book them days ahead sometimes then work around that. But I don't hesitate to book 2 or 3 loads that must be done in the same day. Again, this being freight I have hauled and familiar with I know the routines and don't have to anticipate nasty surprises screwing everything up. And in rare cases where something did go south I know some of this stuff can be bumped out a day or two if needed. No-one gets mad about that stuff happens with spot. One thing I NEVER do is commit to a load a day or two in advance then cancel and ditch it for something more lucrative I always cover what I book my honor is my word plus I make a little money off every load anyways. One good thing about this on freight that pops regular I have managed to position myself as the first truck to get called before the load ever posts with several different agents. I make money off of it consistently at my leasure keeping what i want for me from rarely ever posting. Good freight does get posted on loadboards you have to recognize,establish a dependable friendly reputation with the agent,then capitalize.

 

Rollin,

On that regular freight that pops up, that you are getting calls on, rates staying the same pretty much or are you seeing any fluctuation there? Also, when you get the rate confirmation, are they separating the fuel surcharge or charging as one big linehaul rate?

 

I do the same rate every time. None of them play the market on rate regardless if capacity is loose if they've got a dependable truck covering something consistely at that fine line of a better rate. Especially if they have difficulties covering it,its bad business CHR always breaks out part of the rate as "fuel surcharge" like if the load pays 800 gross in the contract it will say $106.20 of that $800 is "surcharge". No-one else I know of offhand does that. Landstar is always just flat rate, I suppose I could ask them to break one out of the gross and note it I just never do.

 

Yea, CHR will always break it out, Landstar rarely does, Epes doesn't, not too many of them do, reason I ask is, if it's the same rate always, same load etc, take advantage when gas goes up, you can add $25 etc with the explanation gas is up, over time you can get the rate up. They will always go off the "last time" you did this, so for example if gas goes up next week, you ask for the extra$25 and get it, it will always be the new rate, regardless if gas goes back down in 2 months etc,