Share what you know about dealing with brokers

I run a flatbed, so they can't put any seals on me. But what I am getting at is if you can fit two shippments on your trailer both going to the same area, how can a brokers tell you no you can't do that?

 

GMAN did an excellent job of addressing it. It's all about integrity. If the shipper/broker is paying for "dedicated" or "exclusive" use of your wagon then that's what you give. If they are paying an ltl rate then you can load additional freight and they get ltl service.

 

Bill is 100% right. I don't really care what the broker is making as long as the rate works for me. If they weren't making money they wouldn't be in business. As far as negotiating, I have a rate in my head that I HAVE to get and try to do better. I try to let them throw out the first number but people I work with regularly I tell what I need. The other thing that is hard to find out is what does this load require as far as time. If it's coming out of a shipper that takes 30 minutes to load and going to a receiver that requires no lumper and gets you out in an hour then I may be willing to haul it for a few bucks less on the exact same lane than a 3 hour load and 3 hour unload because it effects what I can do on the following load.

 

Thats a good one! To ask the broker how long it take to load and unload.

 

Forget the rate just for a second. No matter what it is paying, if you can fit another shipment on your trailer why not? Its extra money! I have done this a few times before and no one ever cared as far as the shippers and recivers.

 

If I call up a broker and asked about a shipment, they are going to tell me how much it is paying. So they know how much money I am making.
Most of the time I can get an extra $50 - $75 out of the shipment.

 

What matters is what that are booking. 20' and 12k lbs or 12k lb load. If you are getting full load rate, not asking about LTL then you know you are slipping one by.

If it is not a big deal then just ask.

 

If the truck is supposed to be "dedicated", what do you do if you take on a partial to fill the trailer and an hour after leaving that shippers dock, you get a call from the first broker that he has a half load to be picked up on the way. He is under the impression that there is still room on the trailer because HE didn't fill it up yet and the space on that trailer is supposed to be dedicated to him.

 

If the rate confirmation or broker states that the load is exclusive use of the trailer, then it is not ethical to put something else on the truck. I remember several years ago I took 6 pallets in a side kit from Tennessee to California. It paid a truck load rate, but didn't even take up half the trailer. I could have easily thrown something else on the truck, but the shipper paid for the entire trailer so I didn't even attempt to put anything else on the trailer. I never make an agreement on a load that I don't adhere to. I also don't cancel a load that I have committed to in order to take a higher paying load. Just this week I was offered a load that paid $1/mile more than the load that I had already committed. It would have benefited me financially to have taken the better paying load, but once I commit to a load I don't cancel it for one that pays better. I don't want a broker or shipper canceling a load to give it to someone who will take it for a cheaper rate. I consider it bad business on either side. Once you give your word you keep it no matter what the reason. I suppose that I am a bit quirky about that sort of thing.

 

Not quirky, just smart business.