Where is the big money at?

Why not find a company that lets you do both? Dsv is one of them, but you already told me they suck... agents have their own freight, or you can work off the spot market... but I can tell you if you don't have a go getter attitude and the ability to build relationships, you will continue to complain about rates over there as well... Nobody is going to give you any good work until

1. They see you do good work-which means building a good reputation
2. You are able to solve problems on the fly and not call dispatch for every little b.s. thing that happens.
3. You get the job done day in and day out, by any means,in all type of weather. This means if ur running northwest regional, not shutting down just because chain laws are up.
4. You build trust with them - refer to #2 and 3.
5. You don't jump ship with them just because you can make more money somewhere else.
6. You don't stab them in the back at the first opportunity. Refer to #4 and #5..
7. The best way to do all of those things is to realize you are in the customer service business. And the easiest way to build your reputation is to do it thru your customers. You want the customers calling back to your dispatch/agent/broker saying " that guy Is awesome I want him to deliver the next couple loads if possible" and the answer to that is always yes, even if we have to move some #### around.

That is how you gain opportunity. That is how you get more work , that's how you build trust and respect... but just understand if that's what you want, then when the spot market rips up again in a couple years, if you jump ship to make more money you are going to leave a bad taste in people's mouth, and most likely that bridge will burn to the ground.

Some guys don't have the ability to do any of those things... and they are the same ones that constantly complain about rates and not being able to find work... Just remember the choice is always yours. I don't claim to know anything about this business. But following the above steps, have worked for me very well. Much harder to get my foot in the door with my own authority and 1 truck.. Much much much harder. But I'm still working at it. Forget about the money, and think about the opportunity, the money always follows the opportunity.

Take from that, what you will.

 

The odd's of someone staying on contract when spot goes higher are very low. When down like now, they'll swear they'll stay on it. Goes up a little bit, they'll drop it in a heartbeat.

 

So then the carrier would put out adds or ask the other owner ops that are leased to help find people they know are good. No one is just gonna give out good information on a world wide website that any dumb dumb would call and bother said carrier. The carrier would be pretty pissed if it got a bunch of response when they have not asked for such. Then that person may lose his gig for causing unwanted work to that company. Got to look at the big picture for the company, not employee or lease people.

 

How bout the guy that bought the cheap piece of sheet and is going out of business because he cant keep truck running? Ha Ha just trolling but it is funny you say something about the guy with 200K equipment. Chances are he has something new and doing better than the underfunded guy that could only afford a piece of junk to drive. Might look at it a different way. That guy that came in like that is gonna run for cheap since he doesn't have much skin in the game. JMO

 

Sorry Mom is in prison for life with out, Dad pasted when I was 15 so I got to make it on my own. Ha Ha Wish I could have got on on that gig though. Sounds like a sweet dream!

 

Yep, for sure.

Some of these people who want to lease on, especially if they’ve had their own authority previous… will ultimately just go after your customers and the. try to go back on their own taking everything they can from you.

As you know, some real underhanded folks out there.

 

The big money is in consistency. Stop chasing booms and instead position yourself to take advantage of them. Sometimes that means suffering lean times.

 

They have the ability to maintain a trailer pool at several locations and won’t have to live load / live unload? It’s not all about the rate and getting a single load from A to B. Sure some places are, but just as many, if not more, aren’t.

Guess you better stay where you are because the bust is coming for the rest of us now.

 

Well, I understand what you’re saying, and I’ve seen plenty jalopy’s pass me on the road.

My truck is far from new, actually rebuilt end to end after setting in a field with a blown engine for a number of years. 1995 Glider.

My truck pulls the same $$ as any other truck or it sets in the driveway. It’s paid for and eats nothing. And the good thing is, I can, and do, 100% of all the mechanical work when needed…..