Without giving away any secrets, how to find loads

Discussion in 'Ask An Owner Operator' started by OOwannaBE, Feb 25, 2017.

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  1. OOwannaBE

    OOwannaBE Medium Load Member

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    Hello, I have decided to not lease on to a company as an owner and in the meantime I am still saving up more money to cover any unexpected costs. My question is will online load boards be enough to get me going until I can establish relationships with certain brokers? Or should I try and build up some contacts of brokers first and then try to run? I just want to know if online load boards are good enough. With the current company I drive for they sometimes give me the phone number to setup everything with a broker and the brokers I call always seem to be impressed with how fast I took care of the load and covered all of the bases. So I'm not sure if I should ask them for loads first or start with website searches. Thanks..
     
    Last edited: Feb 25, 2017
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  3. mnmover

    mnmover Road Train Member

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    Before you need to find any loads you need to get insurance, authority, money for expenses until the payment for your services is received. Check with nastc, they have a new entrant program that will help, also a discounted fuel card. I would suggest leasing to Landstar for 2 years to learn the business side of trucking. Large companies buy fuel at discounted prices. Landstar can supply the trailer if needed. Mercer might be another option. Going alone, the brokers will take advantage of your lack of knowledge about the industry and lack of negotiating skills.
     
    Lepton1 Thanks this.
  4. OOwannaBE

    OOwannaBE Medium Load Member

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    Right I mean after I get all of the legal things for my truck to work. I decided not to lease on. Leasing on seems you are still a company driver who pays more bills. Plus I have to trust my eyes and all Landstar drivers look like they make basic company pay after their expenses. They all drive old Columbias that are falling apart so they cannot be doing well compared to owners that have everything customized on their clean truck.

    Edit* interesting you mentioned nastc I just Googled them and they are headquartered 30 minutes away from where I live.
     
    Last edited: Feb 25, 2017
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  5. ExOTR

    ExOTR Windshield Chipper Extraordinaire

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    I'm not an owner/operator, but quite a few of my friends are...
    Benefit of leasing on with a company is fleet discounts on tires/parts, volume fuel discounts, and cheaper insurance.
    If you're just starting out, even with experience as a company driver, some of the megas might be able to save you over 1000-1500/month on insurance alone. You'll also be able to study lanes for a year or two.
    Schneider for example- I have a friend that had been working with them in different capacities for years now. Started as company driver, bought his own truck and leased on with them for a few years, totaled truck and transferred directly back to company driver, saved up and bought another used truck, recently blew the motor, is back to company driver again while saving for repairs, but looking elsewhere to lease onto when he gets up and running again. Schneider won't let him sign back on with his 2008 for some reason.
     
  6. ExOTR

    ExOTR Windshield Chipper Extraordinaire

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    There are quite a few horror stories about a lease driver being a "glorified company driver", but quite a few success stories as well.
    Financial discipline,the company you choose, and just your mechanical luck all play a large roll in success.
    If you spend money like a company driver going "paycheck to paycheck" you will fail imo. If you can save 25k a year as a company driver you are more likely to succeed imo. You always hear guys bragging about bringing home 2k/week in the summer, then complaining that they are running negative in January and blame the company.
     
    CJndaTruck Thanks this.
  7. OOwannaBE

    OOwannaBE Medium Load Member

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    I have thought about it for a long time and decided not to lease on first but thanks. I will have enough money saved up to cover all costs and live for a year with no income. I can save way more than 25k per year.
     
    spax Thanks this.
  8. Ridgeline

    Ridgeline Road Train Member

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    Really?

    out of 7000 plus trucks in their fleet, you saw how many?

    That's rather insulting to many people who run with LS, especially from someone asking how to find work.

    Have you actually sat with any of them and asked them what they make.

    "Leasing on seems you are still a company driver who pays more bills."

    You are clueless to what it is all about.

    The last time I looked, my revenue is not doing bad with LS, it is rather above last's years mark and almost to the first quarter goal.
     
  9. Mattflat362

    Mattflat362 Road Train Member

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    Once you are ready....simply post your truck/specs/times/days available on DAT load boards (free to post a truck) and wait for the phone to ring and the long term (maybe a couple short term) relationships will begin..

    No doubt you will under bid some things and no doubt you will simply hang up on some people.
     
    OOwannaBE Thanks this.
  10. kemosabi49

    kemosabi49 Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

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    Landstar is a rare company in that you can run an older truck. Some may not look pretty but they have to pass a LS inspection, which is more detailed than a normal, annual DOT inspection. An older, paid for truck can put a lot of $$ in the bank.
     
  11. Ezrider_48501

    Ezrider_48501 Road Train Member

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    how you get loads without giving away any secrets.

    you need to get in contact with people who have loads they need moved. Make a agreement to move there load for them.
     
    MJ1657 and Ruthless Thank this.
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