Baskin Robbins?

[terryandrene]

Not a week goes by that someone asks, "what's the best carrier with which to lease?"

A while back, Broompilot mentioned that there are 31 expedite carriers that advertise with ExpeditersOnline. A long while back, a respected leader in our business community said "Asking any individual what's the best carrier is like asking any individual 'what's the best ice cream flavor'".

While now sitting at a great (not) layover site, Asheville, NC, I realized the coincidence of those two statements. We have 31 carrier sponsors and Baskin Robbins has 31 original flavors. In the same manner that no one can quantify the best flavor of ice cream, no one can quantify the best expedite carrier. I like Chocolate, you like Vanilla and everyone else has their favorite. Then again, yesterday, I liked chocolate; today, Rocky Road is the best flavor

How would you even define the best?

Is it more revenue miles per year, every year? Is it the least deadhead miles? The most pay per revenue mile? How 'bout the friendliest dispatchers? Easy access to the carrier President? Highest FSC? Cheapest Qualcomm, insurance or other charges? Find your own freight capability? Strict adherence to safety regulations? Lax adherence to safety regulations? Nationwide freight? Regional Freight? Home every weekend? Keep you busy every weekend? Busier solos? Busier teams? Etc, Etc, Etc.

The best we can tell any aspiring expediter is to talk to as many recruiters, owners and/or drivers as necessary for you to determine which flavor is the best company for you. To aid you in determining the questions which will be helpful to make an informed decision, check out the following site’s information:

http://www.ooida.com/Swimming_sharks/help_list_owner_ops.html

Terry and Rene'
[font color="purple"]FEDEX[/font][font color="blue"] Custom Critical[/font]

 

[markafd]

We'll guys my favorite flavor is vanilla with orange sherbet. And as for what I would advise anyone for in a carrier is pay on time and correct and not to mind sitting a little when you are making more per mile than you would with another carrier which is what I have found with FDCC. It is a constant fight trying to explain it to someone that gets upset with sitting over 24hrs watching other carriers fly past him/her. But when you compare apples to apples we all seam to make about the same in the end except I may have been watching a movie on saturday night at the theatre while you faught chicago traffic. In over 3yrs (still learning) never been paid late or with a descrepancy. In closing if you like constant motion go with carrier"A" , If you like some personal Time Go with in my case FDCC or carrier "B". Good question I will follow the answers on this one.

 

[Moot]

The best expedite company to work for is the one that offers the most miles, highest pay rate, lowest deadhead, all miles paid, paid layover, friendly dispatch, national, regional and local freight, free QC, free insurance, free health club membership, and a free insulated coffee cup with sipper top as a sign-on bonus. Oh yeah, they also give you a shower card good for unlimited showers at any truckstop.

 

[TeamCaffee]

Nice post Terry and said very well if I could I would give you two points. We have such a hard time when people ask what is the best carrier? We like where are at but know others that do not like this [font color = "purple"]company[/font color] have moved on and love where they are at now. Each person has a priority list of important items and you have to find the perfect fit.

 

[Paul56]

Clearly there is a problem if someone likes ice cream with a different topping each day of the week. :+

 

[slfisher45]

I am more of a litteral kind of person.
One seems to get into difficulty when trying to interpret a written statement. The voice inflection is missing along with facial expressions that often indicate which way a mesasage is headed.

Now I just read the post bt Markafd and I see a person that lists two flavors as his favorite and only one is ice cream. If I took this at face value, which is what I read, then I don't put much into anything else he's written.
Now, Moot, I can work for his company.

I don't wanna be criticle, I just wanna understand.........

 

[Crazynuff]

Just FYI , like many carriers Baskin Robbins was bought out by Martin Foods who in turn laid everybody off and sold all the Baskin Robbins trucks and sold a plant that had had a multimillion dollar renovation just a few years before . Baskin Robbins ice cream isn't made by Baskin Robbins , Famous Amos cookies aren't made by Amos and Jimmy Dean doesn't make those sausages . Everything has it's price . There is no real security anywhere .

 

[fastrod]

I found the best carrier to work for. Myself. I get to keep all the money and company policy is what I decide it should be.

 

[bigjoep89]

Concrete truck driver 15 years
Concrete sales mgr, 13 years.
Expediter 2 years.
FECC

Terry well said! I am certain that we couldn't get three random expediters out of ten to agree on any one thing. If it were clear that one company was the best to work for they wouldn't be for long because that particular company would soon have way to many trucks.

PS. I gave you two points,not that it counted but it is there!

God bless our Military and Vets.

 

[x06col]

Good point BigJoe. However, the problem wouldn't be too many trucks. The problem would be too many what's in the trucks, if we took the whole ten. Best way to start, would be with the three mentioned and let the seven walk, then, there would be opportunity for a big happy family. Notice, I typed "opportunity for" .

 

[Broompilot]

In Baseball you need 9 players to cover the field. We do the same thing, take away the 7 you are talking about and customers can no longer count on us to cover the bases correct?

If they cannot depend on us than sooner or later the business has to go elsewhere Planes etc.... Competition is not just good its great, but to much will hurt all, there is no perfect world, just perfecting oneself, correct?

 

[x06col]

But, if the only thing available to you was a couple skids for a much smaller truck (smaller truck/rate) and was under your percieved revenue floor, how dependable would you be? Would the teams record still be error free with a full roster?

 

[simon says]

What's wrong with Ashville? You drive a van? Go downtown, several great blues bars, lots of antique shops, and good food. I like the place: a mecca in a desert (NC). If you go out to the east side beltway, it's just the usual chain food mania.

 

[simon says]

I can always watch a movie or go out with my girl when home. My best runs come over a weekend that usually leaves me time to enjoy myself, get to the destination, and get my 34 back. It's the only way I make decent money with my carrier. The rest is all short runs...and I'm still out here 5-6 days.

 

[Broompilot]

Refuse to discount for one skid. You BUY THE WHOLE TRUCK not part. My Carrier as believes in this philsophy. Full Empty does not matter.

You need it moved, you pay the full rate, if not NEXT BATTER.

 

[x06col]

Next Batter. Ahh, now I understand why so much typeing lately.

 

[ACE]

Know yourself and then find a carrier that will be most compatible with your personality and desires. Do not be in a hurry to make a choice on a carrier.

Take the opinions and advise offered by others and step back and say would I be happy if I followed that advice or business model in 6 months to a year.

"Thought with out action is a disease but action with out thought is a disaster"

 

[Broompilot]

Go ahead and discount there Col, than spend all of your days looking into the screen on that computer to add three loads to get to the $1.50 mark that you feel is necessary to move the truck. But one thing while you spent all day working on loading that truck and driver I already delivered the load and am being dispatched on the second.

So your #s are not as impressive as you make it out to be since your spending all of your days and nights looking for freight to max that truck out at a $1.50. And just how many miles did you really run at the $1.50 rate?

I will admit my # is way below that, but according to you I am going broke. For those that know me, AM I GOING BROKE by your observatioins? This business can be done on much less than a $1.50 in my honest opinoin I do not see that as obtainable week after week, month after month or even for a full year if you are not LTL or have a speciality Truck. And this aint a LTL Web Site its Expediting or is it?

I just give my opinion without trying to make myself look better or smarter than anyone else who posts here. If you disagree you feel obligated to make a smart comment, to make yourself look better than the rest. If you have something good to say than by all means say it, but reading back over some of your posts they all end up the same way, you can never admit to someone having a better idea, or dissagreeing.

 

[TeamCaffee]

Craig, you are right 1.50 all miles for any load when you are not a specialized truck? We have a hard time saying what our bottom line is that we will take a load for. Depends on the direction, toll roads, weight and other considerations. We are also not opposed if we are asked to take a solo run and I believe our bottom line on income shows we run hard. We do not sit and wait for the pie in the sky load or cherry pick and we do ok.

 

[x06col]

That's right Bob & Linda keep it rock'in and you will do well. And taking things case by case is a good thing insteada having pre-concieved locked in concrete requirements. That is a recipe for failure in this business. Unfortunately. But, to each their own. Seems usually after about three years in the business folks decide they got it all figgured out and take a bump.