Brokers

tyoung

Expert Expediter
I'm thinking about going on my own. Can anybody give me info on brokers and where to find them? Who are the better ones? I'm in a cargo van and live in upstate NY. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you!
 

Lawrence

Founder
Staff member
I'm thinking about going on my own. Can anybody give me info on brokers and where to find them? Who are the better ones? I'm in a cargo van and live in upstate NY. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you!

I know you don't want to hear this but...if you are a single unit, cargo van fleet owner - this is a very risky way to run in this business.

I think I'm going to start keeping a list of people who have tried this and ended up losing thousands of dollars to help people understand the risk they are taking. :(
 

tyoung

Expert Expediter
I know it's risky. But I'm not getting much with the company I'm signed on with. One or two loads a week isn't cutting it. I've talked to a few independent people that say they are doing good. Or do I believe them??...
 

xiggi

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
Everyone's version of good is different. The question is are they really doing good or at risk by being under insured and cutting other costs? Imagine what happens if one of these people get there van stolen under load. They think their cargo insurance is enough to cover the cost but is it really? What if they get in a major accident? I think most really have no clue what their liabilities truly are.
http://cdn.ccjdigital.com/carrier-h...9-04-2014&utm_campaign=CCJ&ust_id=0e09c5fe43&
 
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Lawrence

Founder
Staff member
Another thought to consider is that "brokering" expedite loads can contribute to rate erosion.
 

rollincoal

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
Maybe to the brokered carrier the rate erodes. Brokers aren't cutting customers any slack at all. With expedite they want to get things moving for ordinary truckload rates. Carriers insisting on more are considered greedy vultures.

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CharlesD

Expert Expediter
I just posted a cargo van load out of El Paso. I have so far 21 bids and all of them are under $1 a mile. Who's to fault for rate erosion?
 

rollincoal

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
I just posted a cargo van load out of El Paso. I have so far 21 bids and all of them are under $1 a mile. Who's to fault for rate erosion?

It must be a bad market. That's good for you. What gets me is demand is fairly good for trucks on truckloads yet you still have people living in a time warp from 15 years ago that $2 a mile is all a truck should ever get. They'll charge a customer $2,000 to move an expedite and act as if $1,000 is the best they could do. Several months ago I kept insisting on $1,600 from Springfield, TN to Fort Wayne, IN (not fort Wayne proper - just off 69 and 469 at south end) GM one night. Guy from TQL offered $1,000 and begged me to accept $1,200. At the shipper the clerk inadvertently showed me the email with TQL's rate $2,000. I was happy with what I got. A fair not exorbitant amount. Who was the greedy one? Brokers do that stuff on last minute non expedite truckload all the time too.

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str8trk

Expert Expediter
Owner/Operator
This "broker" question seems to pop up every few weeks .... Seems to me there is a misconception concerning the reality of nearly all brokerage operations. Having relationships with brokers is all well and good, but, don't think for a minute that they are actively looking for loads to put on a specific truck. Brokers solicit customers with loads to move and then find carriers to haul them. Now if you have an established a track record/relationship with a particular broker and they happen to have a load that fits your capabilities ... You "might" get a call before they post it on a load board.
 

rollincoal

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
Actually have a better relationship with the likes of TQL and CHR than anyone in sylectus network. Which is sad because really at TQL I am not on a first name basis with anyone but they have a history in their computer and they don't beat around the bush if they call me with something critical. Last fall I booked a load from TN that delivered to Tulsa, OK to a school bus manufacturer. It was a very hot expedite load - the line going down was on the line. Had to hustle and pick by 5pm then run straight thru. TQL again hemmed and hawwed over my rate but relented to $5.35 a mile. They gave me a number to call and said check calls every 2 hours were required. Fine. Call the number. Turns out the carrier/broker who owned the load, not TQL, was a member of sylectus network. They could have called on any of a number of our trucks that were in the area. Mine would still have cost $5.35 a mile but at least TQL wouldn't have added another 25 or 30% above that. It's funny how such critical loads get passed off to CHR and TQL at times. Such a stab in the dark the level of service One might get when one of those megas books an unknown carrier on a great rate of $2.25 a mile on 500 miles - what a joke. It's ignorance and an inability on some of the carriers part out here to not leverage themselves. When everything is on the line and a scramble to find any truck the broker, regardless if there is one or more involved in booking the truck, always wins.

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deadhead

Veteran Expediter
The company I'm with ....well i think I'm on my own,I seat and watch them load the same trucks day and day out.With the way business right now I don't think you get what you looking for here,If these guys know they keep to them selfs.Times are hard,and I believe its going to harder.There driver out here in trucks that should been in the crusher long ago,50 cents a mile is good pay day to Joe lunch bucket.Read the paper people out or work 3 yrs ago are still out of work they like our business paid under the table,don't forget the one who can't speak English there like ants.Hang in there hope and pray it gets better. Good Luck.
 
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