CharlesD
Expert Expediter
The other day I was thinking about things I would change if I was in charge for a day, kind of like when Mike McConnell talks about what he'll do when he's Earth Czar. I got to thinking about just what I would do with the trucking industry and I came up with a pretty good list.
1. I wouldn't get rid of brokers, but I would limit the percentage of a load's revenue that can go to brokers. If one broker takes the whole percentage, then the next company to get the load either has to run it with their own truck or pass on all the revenue to the next carrier. No more loads being brokered two or three times with each company grabbing part of the revenue.
2. The only way to do the above would be if there was full disclosure of the rates at each level. The broker should disclose to the carrier how much the shipper is paying for the load and the carrier should disclose to the driver how much they're getting from the broker. Likewise, the shipper should know where all of the money he is paying is going. If his rate is going up because of higher fuel costs, he should know where all of that rate increase is going. Likewise, if the rate goes up because of higher fuel, all of that increase should be passed on to the carrier and then to the driver.
3. No more lane restrictions and split speed limits. I don't even drive a truck, but I can see how inherently unsafe that is.
4. If a load will fit on a certain vehicle, and the shipper has the facilities to load that vehicle, then the shipper is required to load that vehicle. The only way you don't have to load a van is if you don't have a ramp and can't physically get the forklift outside.
5. If a certain kind of fuel costs less to refine, then it can't cost more to purchase.
6. Split sleeper berth time for those who have to log. Also, if you're being held up at a shipper waiting to get loaded, or at a receiver waiting to get unloaded, that shouldn't count toward your 14 hour clock. You should be able to take a nap during that time and log it as sleeper time. I don't log, but that makes sense to me. When I'm held up, I nap. Why can't someone who logs do the same thing and log it that way?
7. Free satellite radio for drivers. Hey, we can dream can't we?
8. On bid boards, any bid lower than a reasonable rate is automatically thrown out. Basically, minimum rates depending on the kind of freight. Expedite has to pay a certain amount. If all you want is fuel money to get home, run an LTL, but don't bid that low for an expedite load.
9. No more toll roads.
10. More truck stops in the northeast.
1. I wouldn't get rid of brokers, but I would limit the percentage of a load's revenue that can go to brokers. If one broker takes the whole percentage, then the next company to get the load either has to run it with their own truck or pass on all the revenue to the next carrier. No more loads being brokered two or three times with each company grabbing part of the revenue.
2. The only way to do the above would be if there was full disclosure of the rates at each level. The broker should disclose to the carrier how much the shipper is paying for the load and the carrier should disclose to the driver how much they're getting from the broker. Likewise, the shipper should know where all of the money he is paying is going. If his rate is going up because of higher fuel costs, he should know where all of that rate increase is going. Likewise, if the rate goes up because of higher fuel, all of that increase should be passed on to the carrier and then to the driver.
3. No more lane restrictions and split speed limits. I don't even drive a truck, but I can see how inherently unsafe that is.
4. If a load will fit on a certain vehicle, and the shipper has the facilities to load that vehicle, then the shipper is required to load that vehicle. The only way you don't have to load a van is if you don't have a ramp and can't physically get the forklift outside.
5. If a certain kind of fuel costs less to refine, then it can't cost more to purchase.
6. Split sleeper berth time for those who have to log. Also, if you're being held up at a shipper waiting to get loaded, or at a receiver waiting to get unloaded, that shouldn't count toward your 14 hour clock. You should be able to take a nap during that time and log it as sleeper time. I don't log, but that makes sense to me. When I'm held up, I nap. Why can't someone who logs do the same thing and log it that way?
7. Free satellite radio for drivers. Hey, we can dream can't we?
8. On bid boards, any bid lower than a reasonable rate is automatically thrown out. Basically, minimum rates depending on the kind of freight. Expedite has to pay a certain amount. If all you want is fuel money to get home, run an LTL, but don't bid that low for an expedite load.
9. No more toll roads.
10. More truck stops in the northeast.
