So new....what do I do?

Umm...glad to see your up and running but, and I mean no offense when I say this, shouldn't u have figured these things out first??? That being said, don't know much about rates as I'm a company driver, but can tell you companies get the PODs via fax or overnight mail, or get a portable scanner for the truck and have them scanned in.

 

Make sure the business is covered for DOT as to what driver records are needed... Drug testing is a big one...plenty of threads in the O/O section on this.

 

Yes it does. They sign the bol and give it to the driver once they finish unloading.

 

Make sure you follow all DOT regs. They require drivers to keep log books etc

 

climb onboard; solidarity baby

 

I have similiar questions. Did you find out the answers? We are at about the same step.

 

I moved this into Ask an O/O, I think you will get better responses here.

If he has no financial stake in the company then he is not a "partner" but an employee.

You need to know what your cost to operate is, I like to figure mine solely on a mileage basis, others use a daily number, some use both, some used fixed, variable, and mileage. There is no wrong way to do it, just make sure that EVERYTHING is figured into it, one that I think a lot of folks fail to add into this number is replacement cost of equipment. Once you have your cost of operation then you will know what your break even point is, add to this what you want/need for a profit and that is YOUR rate, it never hurts to ask for more either.

POD is a signed bill of lading, I use one of these http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...CR5MZ3UO1oDDd9nPw&sig2=zrZ5u1N5jHUAFyIfZVy6vw it is small and sends it directly to my phone, I can then email it to wherever it needs to go, there are no hassles with truck stops or complaints from anyone on clarity of the document. You can also make up your POD forms, but I think they are a waste of time and money, and are redundant.

You dove into a hornets nest, but that's ok, many before you have, and many more after you will, and there are a lot of success stories to have come out of it. I think the biggest thing when dealing with brokers is to always know the answer to any question they might ask you, you need to sound confident at all times, always know what you want to haul a given load before making the call. They can sense fear and uncertainty in your voice, and being new at this you will have this, it is completely normal, but in time you will overcome it. Be prepared to here "we don't have that in it" a lot. Some of them will be lying when they say that, others will not, they like to say things of this nature to keep their profit margins higher, and they can't be blamed for this, I would do the same thing. You will make a lot of calls for nothing, but once you hit the right one with a load that has got to go, it will all be worth it. It is the game, welcome to it and enjoy!

 

While I do not normally respond to start up threads, I will give you 2 recommendations for getting everything going.

First, Search for the NASTC website and call them. They have a fuel card that will help you get discounts and more importantly control information and spending. The fuel card can be set to control how much fuel can be purchased - I know you have the "best" driver ever but you can be stolen blind in this area alone 50 gallons at a time, cash if you choose to allow cash advances, oil or other purchases or repairs are required. The card can be setup to require the information you will need for IFTA reports as well as tracking you MPG. The requirment that you go to TN for their training class will be worth it in your case. They will try and sell you their other services while in the class but again, in your case that will be very helpful. They have a program that will get you started with driver files, drug testing, IFTA filings, Log Auditing, and software to help you track/invoice loads - it's called MSP 2 and it is only around $100 per month. They will help you prepare for your new entrant audit and provide ongoing training - web and cd based - for your driver.

Second, set up your truck/driver with a good set of electronic tools as Oscar suggested. To turn your cash faster you want the driver to be able scan bills, receive load confirmations, print any required documents and be reachable via cell/text/email. I personally carry priority mailenvelopes and stamps with delivery confirmation bar codes and mail my invoices and bills the day I deliver to get paid as fast as possible. It is well worth the money to get the printer/scanner, wi fi and smart phone. Being able to take pictures and send them to whom ever when required can be the difference between a small problem and a huge issue.

Just remember when you book loads - they want to move the freight as much as you want to move it - always put the pressure on them to pay more. Asking for 5%-15% more does not cost you anything but can be a huge boost to your bottom line. Also, you are allowed to say NO I won't haul it for that, even if they say some other giuy will.

Lastly, get set up with a program like quick books to help you track all you expenses. I do trip recaps both for fuel and profitability, then roll those up to monthly, quarterly, an annual reports. It will be prety clear after the first month or two how much you need for each loador mile.

Good Luck