I don't want to have anyone jumping all over me because they feel like I'm dissing their carrier of choice, that is not my intent.
I do believe GJ is mentioning a valid point here. It has to do with f l e x i b i l i t y. (If I were smarter I would make that word be all bendy like Gumby.)
There were MANY times when with our first carrier, we couldn't understand WHY they could/would not look for something/anything to at least help with some of the deadhead incurred to get out of a hole after making a delivery. We didn't give a big-rodent's butt if it was called LTL or expedite or courier or moving or delivery. It appeared to us they would rather instead, wait for that phone to ring, or wait for that golden load from a preferred customer to appear on a board somewhere.
That is why I believe those who are allowed the opportunity to book at least some of their own freight while still remaining with their carrier of choice, are getting the best of both worlds. At least they can have some sort of control over their own destiny.
Sure we could've waited a few days for the better paying load from a preferred customer, but at some point it has to be weighed whether perhaps getting that little LTL load on Day One would've been a more financially sound choice than waiting 3 or 4 or 5 or 6 or even 7 days for the goldie. That's if the goldie ever even comes! Each of those however-many-days spent waiting, is precluding the possibility of the next golden load coming out of wherever you landed when you chose to take that lowly LTL load.
Sure, in preferring to sit instead, the miles wouldn't be running away on the truck, so we could've assured ourselves, yes, we may be sitting, but at least we're not spending truck miles. The thing is, you've got to eventually get out anyway, one way or another. Some would prefer to take some leisurely days off, while others are the type to prefer moving more quickly onto the next possibility. It also has to be taken into account how much it costs to sit, even aside from lost days of intangible future possible load opportunities and whatever one deems their days on the road to be worth.
Another reality today is the pricing of shipments. It seems there is some cut-throating going on within the industry. Your carrier of choice may be having a more difficult time these days in obtaining their usual rates on a consistent basis right now. Try as they might, that preferred customer may wish to take advantage of trying out another company who has quoted a lower rate.
Should they stick their head in the sand with determination to wait out the economic downturn, and hope for the best for the future? Or should they say fine, we'll meet that lower rate, BUT at that rate we are not able to guarantee you exclusive use of our truck. You'd be surprised at how many shippers really don't care if another skid goes on the truck along with their freight, as long as their freight gets there safely and within their time frame, which by the way, isn't always 'immediately'. If we're being asked to take loads for less than we're thrilled with, I'd hope there is time to grab another skid going in the same direction to help offset that reduction in price.
With some of the larger carriers, their policies seem to be written in stone. They're too big to make changes, and especially to
quickly make changes. Many are so large, they have another business-model under the same umbrella, waiting to offer a different level of service to their customer. This may mean their expediters will simply not even get the opportunity to say, 'no thanks'. An example of that would be the difference between FECC and Ground.
With a small(er) company, they may have the flexibility to do what they have to, when they have to, to change with the times. They may not have to meet protocols about passing lower-paying loads onto another division. The small(er) company may have the opportunity to say, YES we can do that for you, BUT at the same time, don't expect our truck to carry your freight exclusively at that price. They can then offer that load to their drivers, along with the possibility and additional effort required on their own part, of trying to find something to go along with it. Freight doesn't exactly have cooties, it CAN ride together with other freight without becoming contaminated. Well, unless it's that orange cheese powder I guess.
The key right now is flexibility. Nowhere is it written in stone that anything going on right now will be signed in stone to be the way things will be done a year from now, or worse, forever. A large company might be able to get enough UNdiscounted freight to keep all their contractors content and in business, based on their name. Others will think outside the box to keep their contractors viable until things turn around. Others yet, may merge with others or just disappear altogether. There doesn't need to be infighting amongst us... wear the shoe that fits your own business goals.
