What do you want in a broker?

Just saying that things are not always what the appear. Just for the sake of discussion, let's say that a broker offers a load to a trucker for $2.00 a mile. Trucker never shows up....for whatever reason Or took the load and never made delivery, so it's a recovery load. Broker now has a serivice failure which might result in a financial penalty to the broker. Broker still needs to move the load, but needs to cover their loss so the next trucker gets a lower rate. I know on military loads, this is a fact; I have also looked at some broker/shipper contracts that have a similar clause. Not defending bad brokers because we all know they are out there. Just offering some insight to mull over.

 

BHW, your situation is different in that you had a defined contract. I would certainly talk that one over with a lawyer who specializes in transportation law. If anyone is being paid on %, then they should be provided the details of the load. If you were not provided that information, and your contract said you should have receive it, then I would be raising all kinds of H#&&.

However, most brokered loads are offered at a flat rate.

 

Well.... when truckers are willing to step away from the boofay and actually go out and sell their services to shippers, there will always be a need for brokers....... Until then truckers should not complain about what a broker makes..... There is one thing that truckers can do to fight cheeeep rates..... Say No.......

 

I believe most everyone here is in agreement with the "Don't haul cheap frieght!" statement but, the fact that "we" are pointing out is that it is not cheap frieght until a pathetic excuse for a human makes it into cheap frieght. There are multitudes of laws regarding theft and legalized theft is exactly what they are being allowed to do. They know that a person that may not be so-well educated with regards to their exspenses or are in such a frazal about keeping their kids fed and housed that they will unfortunately take cheap frieght. This is what unscrupulous brokers prey on. Most people do not know that the IRS is illegal. Most just pay their taxes like good little sheep because we have been forced into believing that is just the way it is. That is why frieght rates are the same now as the were in the 80's yet every other cost has gone up. Ignorance is the tool of the brokers just as it is the tool of the IRS. Keep the masses ignorant and we can control them. Every tirant, be it a single person or a group of politicians uses ignorance for thier own personal gain. so yes I care exactly how much a shipper is paying and just how bad that POS broker is trying to scew me............ and you.

 

Wow, I just don't see it the same as you do. I work with some great brokers. I make great money, they make great money and we rinse, repeat. Do I care that one of my usual brokers made $800 (22%) on a load that paid me over $3.00/mile on a legal load? Not a bit. Another broker basically "bought" my truck for a week. Paid $8K to do a lot of sitting and ran about 2000 miles that week. Heck, enjoyed it so much sent the truck back the next week and did it again.

And in the 80's we were leased to a carrier making $.82/mile. So I have to disagree that the rates are the same today as they were in the 80's.

Have I ever encoutered an unscrupulous broker? You betcha. Burned once. Others have tried, but I catch them at their own game BEFORE I haul the load. Actually picked up some great direct customers because of some unscrupulous brokers and bad truckers, too.

Do I care what the broker makes on the load? No. What I care about is what I make on the load.

 

Again we are not talking about "HONEST" brokers. They are the exception to the rule. Credit card companies get away with alot of crap because the are unregulated. They can do it so they will. Unfortunately many brokers have taken the same stance. There is no law against them taking 40,50, 60% of line haul and then taking a portion of the FSC too? Without laws and regulation the unsavory will do as they d$%n well please, whether it is pushing drugs on children or stealing money from an honest working man.

 

I disagree with full disclosure in a spot market, which is what all brokered loads are. Just as my financials are not for public disclosure, I would not expect another private business to have to disclose their financials. I'm talking about third party intermediaries only. If you are running as a true independent (own authority), then the onus is on you to make the right decisions for your business, which includes setting your rates. If a load doesn't pay you what you need, then move on to the next call. Look at it this way; let's say you call a broker on a load and you tell them you need $3.00/mile. (You don't say $3/mile, you give them a flat rate). Broker may say yes, or they may say no, or they may counter your rate. On the other hand, if you call the broker and ask "What's that load paying?" then you have lost any leverage you had. They might offer you a low rate.

To say that "honest" brokers are the exception (meaning the majority are unscrupulous) is disheartening to hear. If you really feel that way, then maybe being a lease operator is a better fit. Even if they are offering $.90/mile they also provide a fuel surcharge. In the 80's, the FSC was only $.04.

Regulation is not the answer. More government is not the answer. Enforcement of existing regulations is what is needed. And that has nothing to do with rates, but has everything to do with penalizing brokers who don't pay (stealing) and who operate without credentials (fraud).