Reinstating authority - with possible partner?

Partnerships are difficult, but not impossible. Going into it, you'll need a lot of capital as you suffer the first year or two, making the mistakes we all make, and learning from them. If you don't have a freight source, and intend to use loadboards exclusively, you'll need even more capital set aside because you'll be sitting frequently. Eventually you can build a contact list from the boards, and not have to use them as much. It helps to also own your equipment. If you don't, and you're not running consistently, you're going to face a sense of urgency to take cheap loads in order to pay for your equipment. That will undermine your profitablility and also get you branded as a cheap carrier with some of the bigger brokerages, which can, and does influence their rates.

With plenty of start-up cash, and a good buffer in the bank account, you will face much less turmoil than if you go in on a shoe-string budget. Worse, try adding a partner, whom also is tight on funds... sweat equity is a great concept until you start getting behind on bills. If you can establish your company and learn the ropes by yourself first, that's what I'd do. Build it into a profitable operation running in the black, then if you want to grow, find a partner candidate which will bring something good to the business; whether that be venture capital, a business degree, or industry experience in an area where you can use it, like sales, or dispatching, etc. I guess my opinion is that if you throw two guys and some equipment out on the road without a tested business model, you'll be facing a lot of unnecessary challenges as you're trying to focus on building and refining your operations. If you decide to form a partnership, don't cheat yourself good nights sleep by not paying an attorney to help form the legal basis of the organization. It's money well spent to know you've done it right, and that your interests are protected in any event.

I'm not trying to discourage you- with enough initiative and cash flow, you can make it work. I'm sure you're an exceptional individual, and wish you luck. You're in the right place to find answers for questions pertaining to trucking!

 

Some kind words up above. I too am looking on getting my authority, but like stated I am saving for the first 1-2 years of "slow" business as we get established

 

First, with ST's you are going to need 10+ units in order to make a go of it. And these days it is pretty hard to just pop in and get access to freight away from brokers without tractors. That is what the expedite 3PL's are screaming for.

We are already established in the expedite world and would be willing to discuss how we can work together.

Shoot me an email.

 

Would expedite work with 3 trucks 3 trailers? Dry vans; and teams?

 

The only ship that doesn't float is a partnership. Let the business be yours and yours alone, with you having the final say on every aspect of it. If you feel that you need help getting it going or help running aspects of it hire someone, do not make them a partner.

 

They're at the wrong company if they're sitting. The great thing about TT expediting is the flexibility one has to haul other freight also. But if you're leased on to a "force dispatch" company that pretty much all they do is expedite, then you will sit while others follow the money in different segments.

Sent from my droid using Tapatalk 2