Rates are crashing and fuel to the moon!

Actually Carriers need to be more careful these days who you deal with. Especially when you consider who has more to lose. Broker isn’t heavily invested in equipment like a Carrier is. Things have gotten all out of whack. It’s like the old Teamster said years ago about deregulation. Drivers will be making the same, probably less and be responsible for the cost to run the Truck. It’s so true, especially when you consider the huge 3pls controlling a lot of the Freight. Everyone and their brother owns a Truck.

 

Good luck getting anyone to sign off on that. Everybody knows once they sign off on the load it's their problem then so nobody will. I've had full loads on the truck or nearly on the truck that I wouldn't sign for and made the shipper unload. It makes everybody mad but that ain't gonna be my problem anymore. XPO actually had notes in their system that I did this. The idiots still call but I wouldn't touch any load they're offering ever at any price. Blacklists are a 2 way street. Some of them mean something (mine) and some don't (every broker in a bind).

 

Had an issue with XPO almost two years ago and they handled it pretty bad. Never got paid for the hassle and they went on my black list as well. Still get calls from them and explain sorry I wont haul for you guys after the last issue. The broker ended up just ghosting me after a few days. I had to figure everything out myself with the receiver, was a total nightmare.

 

They cancelled a weekend Load on me. Last minute, no reason. Never had a problem beforehand. I didn’t even complain or ask for TONU. Next time they refused to do Business with my company. No reason. When asked why, they hang up. Somethings amiss. Doesn’t make sense at all. Oh well, out of my control. It’s been about 4 years now. The other problem Broker is TQL. Good riddance to them. I hope they both go under. Bad Business Practices.

 

Yeah I hate TQL with a passion. Rude little snotty kids is what most come off as. I have not done a load for them in about 1.5 years now as well. Unless last minute need picked up they never pay worth dealing with them. I would be just fine with both going out of business as well.

I don't care if they are cheap as that could be the business model. But dealing with the arrogance when quoting a load is too much. Always have to reply back with some stupid reply with 10 of their buddies on the email to see what they told the big bad trucker. Ha ha Just a waste of time mostly.

 

I don't actually need the customer to sign anything, but saying that usually changes the attitude of the person I'm talking to. Couple weeks ago I show up on time for my delivery 0800 appointment and get told "you're late, you'll have to wait for second shift". There's no way I'm sitting around for 7 to 10 hours, so I said I was taking the load back to the yard and my company will be in touch to reschedule delivery in a few days. Magically he found me a dock.

 

Well there's a world of difference dealing with Schneider National's direct customer versus out here with a broker. If you don't have something signed and documented with brokers you've got nothing.

 

You do not have to have a lawyer involved. What you do need is a published rules circular. Most owner ops have never heard of such, but it list all your charges layover, tonu, min rate per mile, extra stop, detention and in this case what happens to refused freight. It is a legally binding document and the broker has no say. You need to nut up. You are a business and as such you need to say you will not allow your equipment to be held hostage. You are not a mobile warehouse. I’m not intimidated by freightguard or what if xpo blacklist me.

But you do whatever makes you happy. I will not sit for 7 days for 1200 bucks. I will take the load right back. Yes I will have a fight to get paid, but I will lose far less than I would sitting for 7 days. I can promise you that Pepsi would unload the truck. And they would probably fire that broker as well. So they have a dog in the fight too.

 

Sorry, but all I see is a keyboard warrior wishful thinking. Pepsi will not unload your truck and will just call the police to get you out of their private property. They might or might not fire the broker, but that won't matter to you, you already got screwed.
After you get kicked out and being in pissed off mood decide to dispose the freight, you also gonna get an insurance claim, that will cost you way more in the long run vs a week of lost revenue.

When it comes to published rules circular it's another dream, you must have signed all your broker contracts over 10 years ago. Nowadays you get an electronic contract that you can sign or decline, but can't modify. The absolute majority of DAT loadboard freight is owned by brokerages with electronic contracts, they just not gonna bother modifying anything for you, when there are thousands other spot market carriers who will sign it without reading.

 

I believe you are wrong, but it doesn’t matter to me. You do whatever is best for you the way you see fit. I will continue to run my business the way I see fit. That doesn’t make me a keyboard warrior.

I believe @Big Road Skateboard dealt with a similar situation a while back. He handled it pretty much the way I would have. Magically he’s still able to find loads and keep trucking.

and as far as electronic rate confirmations very few brokerages in my segment use them. Most everyone sends over one that you actually have to sign.