Bravo To The Mom and Pop Companies

[solo11]

A thumbs up to all the Mom and Pop companies who struggled and made it this far during the current economic downturn! In the face of strict competition from PE, FXCC and other large carriers who undercut and slashed rates at every opportunity they could, offering rates that you couldn't possibly compete with, you held strong and you pulled through!

Congratulations and God speed for a profitable 2010, keep taking that business away from the big players!:>)

 

[davekc]

A thumbs up to all the Mom and Pop companies who struggled and made it this far during the current economic downturn! In the face of strict competition from PE, FXCC and other large carriers who undercut and slashed rates at every opportunity they could, offering rates that you couldn't possibly compete with, you held strong and you pulled through!

Congratulations and God speed for a profitable 2010, keep taking that business away from the big players!:>)

Be careful what you wish for. It is the "big players" that supply the greatest amount of freight to many of the "mom and pop carriers".

 

[bluejaybee]

Be careful what you wish for. It is the "big players" that supply the greatest amount of freight to many of the "mom and pop carriers".

Ugh, sorta what I was thinking.

I am an independent soloist who love the big ones. They pay more than most and contribute to a good chunk of my numbers each month. I wish them well. While they never get me a return load, I accept that. Just get me somewhere, and I will make the rest happen (or I should say, my broker will find me something).


BTW: I wish no one hard times. Big, little, or in between. We all are where we are for our own reasons. There are so many ways to do expediting. Most of us are doing it the way we think we can survive. I do it my way, because I read of other ways and think, that's not for me. So, no matter what your game is, we are all where we are because it works for us.

 

[CharlesD]

As a mom and pop, I want the large carriers to be very successful. I want them to have so much freight they don't know what to do with it all, which is where I come in.

 

[guido4475]

I am quickly realizing that sometimes, in many ways, the mom and pop co's are not the best place to be.Many of these mom and pop co's are known as "bottom feeders", mainly living off of the scraps from the other co's. But what happens when things are slow, and the big co's have no scraps to hand out? The mom and pops starve.Also, most mom and pops do not have their own customer base, such as that of the big co's.The only advantage to being with a mom and pop co. is that deductions are not as high, not as much politics/policies in the co, and they seem to be more apt to help the o/o out in times of need.They are more sensative to the drivers needs, I feel.So, in light of all of this, I will be leaving my bottom feeder co soon that I honestly love so much and go to one of those bigger co's and hope for the best of things to come.

 

[bluejaybee]

I am quickly realizing that sometimes, in many ways, the mom and pop co's are not the best place to be.Many of these mom and pop co's are known as "bottom feeders", mainly living off of the scraps from the other co's. So, in light of all of this, I will be leaving my bottom feeder co soon that I honestly love so much and go to one of those bigger co's and hope for the best of things to come.

I will differ from you on this. But, like I said, we are all where we are for all kinds of reasons and beliefs. If you feel that way, then make your move and see what it is like on that side.

 

[TJ959]

I always got the feeling that the big companies prefered the fleets over the individual owner operator. The single unit owner is just another driver and easily replaced. This theory seemed to apply double for the van and Sprinter guys. My preference was for the smaller carriers. It won't take long to know whether or not you fit in and it's easy to get to know a core group of people, (drivers & staff), to get to know the market. It would be great to have the options available on some companies Qualcom systems but operating with a cell phone is a lot cheaper. Small companies have far fewer fees and charges and you never get that beep at 6am announcing the company picnic or the safety bullitin about slip and fall injuries. To each his own but my preference is for a little more personal involvement in the business process. This busines can be hard enough on the morale without being unit numer 2222239. I'd rather be the old chubby guy in Grand Rapids that answers his cell phone "Smokeys Pool Hall". Real professional eh?

 

[fastman_1]

I've always done better with the small mom&pops, I like when I call in they know my name I feel like I'm one of the family,But in the last week all I got from mom and dad was 1 170 mile load.so sometimes working for mom and dad is the pits.

 

[guido4475]

I will differ from you on this. But, like I said, we are all where we are for all kinds of reasons and beliefs. If you feel that way, then make your move and see what it is like on that side.

I have already been on both sides of the fence, doing this since 1989. And, yes, I prefer smaller co's as well.But when I talk to several drivers for the big co's, and they are running wide open,and I am sitting for four days at a time, then it begins to make one wonder about who they are leased to. I had one larger co. owner even offer to show me their books as to what their vans and s/t's are doing on a weekly basis.He as well as many others are pretty much saying the same thing, in which I am starting to believe, that there is no excuse for me to be sitting as much as I have been.I can't remember the last time I was out of service.I take any and every load offered to me.I should not of given the co who I am leased to this much of a chance,and been as patient as I have been.

 

[fastman_1]

I have already been on both sides of the fence, doing this since 1989. And, yes, I prefer smaller co's as well.But when I talk to several drivers for the big co's, and they are running wide open,and I am sitting for four days at a time, then it begins to make one wonder about who they are leased to. I had one larger co. owner even offer to show me their books as to what their vans and s/t's are doing on a weekly basis.He as well as many others are pretty much saying the same thing, in which I am starting to believe, that there is no excuse for me to be sitting as much as I have been.I can't remember the last time I was out of service.I take any and every load offered to me.I should not of given the co who I am leased to this much of a chance,and been as patient as I have been.

I'm feeling your pain, I'm starting to look at medium size companys.

 

[CharlesD]

I know what you mean. I wish my company was larger as well.

 

[jelliott]

From the company perspective, I like being a "middle size" company. You are large enough to have a sales force and house accounts, and the couple big boys like to use you vs. the mom and pops. They know you have sytems, policies and procedures and 24 hour coverage. Being middle size lets me still interact with the fleet and all of the different aspects of the company. You can be big enough to offer alot of the perks of the big boys, but still small enough to work with your fleets and owner operators. I guess it is all a matter of finding what works best for everyone.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

A company slogan comes to mind...from Canada

Big Enough to Matter
Small Enough to Care

 

[jelliott]

"The Future Belongs to Those Who Deliver!"

It always rang true for us!

 

[OntarioVanMan]

"The Future Belongs to Those Who Deliver!"

It always rang true for us!

From Fluke Tranportion...

If it is on time...
It's a Fluke!

 

[bluejaybee]

I have already been on both sides of the fence, doing this since 1989. And, yes, I prefer smaller co's as well.But when I talk to several drivers for the big co's, and they are running wide open,and I am sitting for four days at a time, then it begins to make one wonder about who they are leased to. I had one larger co. owner even offer to show me their books as to what their vans and s/t's are doing on a weekly basis.He as well as many others are pretty much saying the same thing, in which I am starting to believe, that there is no excuse for me to be sitting as much as I have been.I can't remember the last time I was out of service.I take any and every load offered to me.I should not of given the co who I am leased to this much of a chance,and been as patient as I have been.

All I am saying is that there is so many different ways to do this. We are all doing it our way, because we are all different. Do I think I am at the right place? You betcha. If I didn't think that, I would be like you (looking for something different). This is what makes expediting so great. There is something here for all of us who want to make it work. Sure there are lean times. But we are still here.