TQL

Did you try calling them early in the morning or the moment you suspected you'd be late? We've hauled loads for them also, and I've always called them, in fact numerous times WHILE I was stuck in traffic. Never got a late fee though. I wonder if it was because it was double brokered. Maybe the other broker is charging TQL, so they are trying to pass it along to you. Just a thought?

 

That's ridiculous, but they should have sent you the revised confirmation PRIOR to you unloading, they can't change the price on you after the delivery of the freight. Did they have a crane on site to unload you? If so then the charge is somewhat more reasonable, but still, they wouldn't pay you $150/hr for retention, heck I've been offered $25 an hour for retention by them, so why should their time be 6 times more valuable than yours? You give them a two hour grace period to get loaded and unloaded, it's only reasonable to ask the same from them, unless the confirmation explicitly said 8:00 AM sharp. How much was the load paying?

 

Well you -were- late. Unless the traffic was some extraordinary crash scene (not normal rush hour) or you had shipper detention that cut your time short, you are on the hook for it. If you called asap about it as Tuckered mentions, sometimes they can get that waived if it's due to circumstances out of your control.

I suppose since they're asking you to pay, you must have gotten paid in full on quick pay. Good for you. If you don't care about doing business with TQL just don't pay it.

If you want to really get them riled, take a picture of $150 cash and fax it back with their demand as the cover page LOL.

 

If it is not in the contract you sighed with them or on the rate conformation you do not have to pay it. So check your contact when you got set up with them. Nothing they can do if that is not a set penalty. That is why it is all ways best to have it in writing then they can not do nothing about it. The bigger problem is the double brokering but if you have your money already do not bother with them. If they tell you they are going to sue you attorney fees ect . I can assure you they will not. I am a agent with a big company so trust me nothing will happen. Good luck

 

Technically 8:01 is late. They don't have to put "exactly" or "not one minute after." The time is the time. You missed it by an hour. You will have to come up with some extraordinary circumstances to get them to drop it. In other words, "I hit traffic" is not adequate. Everyone should expect that and plan their trip accordingly. Now if you can attach a news article about the triple fatality accident that closed the route for two hours, that is exceptional and more likely to get you a pass.

Them not communicating is just a tactic. There's nothing in it for the broker and their team of flunkies, so of course they aren't going to take your call. If it were me (and I don't care about TQL business that much) I'd just ignore it and see if they escalate and then worry about it. If by some miracle they called to offer another load, I'd be sure to inflate my rate by at least $150 in anticipation that they would short pay against their claim.

 

Just don't call them.They can not charge you if it is not on the rate conformation. I just asked someone in our legal department. They are #### out of luck.