Blackball?

[xiggi]

Part of a team?....I've been at 2 US carriers in my US career....thinking I was "part of a team" surprise...I was NOT.....The carrier is totally in charge...your only option is "yes or no".....or leave for another, what an owner operator thinks is for the most part irrelevent...as a "team" member I was NEVER asked for input on changing company policies..I was always just told that they were changing....told my contract was changing, told rates were dropping, told certain perks were no longer in effect or worse not told until I went to apply them and told then they were no longer available or at a reduced rate.....when was the last time you negotiated with a carrier about your contract? It is a take it or leave it deal...here is our terms...NO input is required nor requested from valuable team member....
Carriers lip sync very well....Team...partner? My s$$....They treat us like employees, they just can't help themselves to not treat us O/O's as equals....They'll never see us as businessmen like themselves and treat us, respect us accordingly...Most don't know, neither do they even care about how much it costs us to run our businesses...while they continue to chip away at rates so they keep their profit margins...There is no level playing field for us O/O's....of course the qualifier...IMO

Nice rant......

Lol you didn't have to be asked for your opinion John heard it every morning when you called.

 

[ATeam]

That included thank you notes after the run, excellent communications during the run, making it easy for them to find us before they had a load to dispatch, etc. The agents who picked us knew they had a well-dressed, well-equipped, highly professional team; and if they did not know that, we sent them photos and messages to make sure they would

This in the same vain as playing for the team as a team member is it not?

I would not say that. At FedEx Custom Critical it never paid off to be a team player. Dispatchers used that card when they wanted us to take an undesirable load and we quickly grew wise to that game. It paid to become well known among the dispatchers as a professional team and that's where the marketing came in. But at that company, the benefit was limited because the dispatch system limited dispatcher freedom to pick one truck over another (that changed later and we left the company because of it).

At Landstar, the agents have that freedom and marketing is more beneficial. At Landstar, the approach was more professional and we were better respected. No one there ever asked us to take one for the team or make a sacrifice because we needed to take care of the customer. At Landstar it was all business. Where the loads made good business sense for the shipper, agent and truck, the freight moved. Offers were made and accepted/rejected on their merits.

In the Landstar system, it's not about being a team player. It's about being seen by the agents as good enough to be picked to play (which Landstar drivers are, the standards are high there) and extra good to be picked first.

 

[JCH]

I would not say that. At FedEx Custom Critical it never paid off to be a team player. Dispatchers used that card when they wanted us to take an undesirable load and we quickly grew wise to that game. It paid to become well known among the dispatchers as a professional team and that's where the marketing came in. But at that company, the benefit was limited because the dispatch system limited dispatcher freedom to pick one truck over another (that changed later and we left the company because of it).

At Landstar, the agents have that freedom and marketing is more beneficial. At Landstar, the approach was more professional and we were better respected. No one there ever asked us to take one for the team or make a sacrifice because we needed to take care of the customer. At Landstar it was all business. Where the loads made good business sense for the shipper, agent and truck, the freight moved. Offers were made and accepted/rejected on their merits.

In the Landstar system, it's not about being a team player. It's about being seen by the agents as good enough to be picked to play (which Landstar drivers are, the standards are high there) and extra good to be picked first.

I'm still new to the game but I like what you have stated I was hopeing to here that a team approach was the order of the day but if it's not then as always the truths is good to hear early and will be remembered thanks

PS I forgot to mention that fed ex was one of the carriers we were looking at very hard

 

[ATeam]

I'm still new to the game but I like what you have stated I was hopeing to here that a team approach was the order of the day but if it's not then as always the truths is good to hear early and will be remembered thanks

In a business where you are a self-employed contractor providing services to a carrier and/or customers, it's not about team. It's about being really good at what you do so your will succeed in your business while serving your carrier and customers well. As an expediter, your colleagues are also your competitors. You rise to the top by figuring out what the people you serve want and giving it to them. You stay at the top by looking out for yourself also, so the money will be there to sustain your business and lifestyle.

All sorts of customers will sing your praises if you haul cheap freight for them. None of them will lose even one minute of sleep if you fail in the business.

 

[Ftransit]

We need a touche button

 

[OntarioVanMan]

I'm still new to the game but I like what you have stated I was hopeing to here that a team approach was the order of the day but if it's not then as always the truths is good to hear early and will be remembered thanks

In a business where you are a self-employed contractor providing services to a carrier and/or customers, it's not about team. It's about being really good at what you do so your will succeed in your business while serving your carrier and customers well. As an expediter, your colleagues are also your competitors. You rise to the top by figuring out what the people you serve want and giving it to them. You stay at the top by looking out for yourself also, so the money will be there to sustain your business and lifestyle.

All sorts of customers will sing your praises if you haul cheap freight for them. None of them will lose even one minute of sleep if you fail in the business.

Man Phil....I used to tell people just that and they snickered and snided at me....that you were my competition not team member....I have blankets and straps and bells and whistles so I can get that load before the next guy, regardless if they are signed on with same carrier....I want every advantage to get picked over the next van....I don;t work for a fleet, I work for ME....

 

[JCH]

I'm still new to the game but I like what you have stated I was hopeing to here that a team approach was the order of the day but if it's not then as always the truths is good to hear early and will be remembered thanks

In a business where you are a self-employed contractor providing services to a carrier and/or customers, it's not about team. It's about being really good at what you do so your will succeed in your business while serving your carrier and customers well. As an expediter, your colleagues are also your competitors. You rise to the top by figuring out what the people you serve want and giving it to them. You stay at the top by looking out for yourself also, so the money will be there to sustain your business and lifestyle.

All sorts of customers will sing your praises if you haul cheap freight for them. None of them will lose even one minute of sleep if you fail in the business.

I guess that I'm looking at this as a job more than I need to
The intent is to own my truck and haul for a carrier that will use me and let me make fair money for the load I'm on but it doesn't sound like I can expect them to treat me as part of their team just one of their servants

 

[OntarioVanMan]

I'm still new to the game but I like what you have stated I was hopeing to here that a team approach was the order of the day but if it's not then as always the truths is good to hear early and will be remembered thanks

In a business where you are a self-employed contractor providing services to a carrier and/or customers, it's not about team. It's about being really good at what you do so your will succeed in your business while serving your carrier and customers well. As an expediter, your colleagues are also your competitors. You rise to the top by figuring out what the people you serve want and giving it to them. You stay at the top by looking out for yourself also, so the money will be there to sustain your business and lifestyle.

All sorts of customers will sing your praises if you haul cheap freight for them. None of them will lose even one minute of sleep if you fail in the business.

I guess that I'm looking at this as a job more than I need to
The intent is to own my truck and haul for a carrier that will use me and let me make fair money for the load I'm on but it doesn't sound like I can expect them to treat me as part of their team just one of their servants

You serve their need at that time....after that you'll sit till they need you again...they only really care that you get that load done...after that you are an Owner Operator again....

 

[JCH]

That doesn't loyal to the people that got them there

 

[JCH]

Did nothing different, good work ethic rules. However, I am and do feel appreciated at CRE. And being part of an appreciative team IS (to me) more important than money.

Sent from my hand-held Etch-A- Sketch

I would have to agree work ethic is a very valuable thing and it makes it easy to look at the guy in the mirror in the morning