Multiple Carrier Operation - Straight Trucks

Brisco · Feb 18, 2013

There's several discussions going on about Cargo Van Drivers out there running for more than 1 Carrier.........

Got to wondering last night if there are any "Straight Truck" Operators out there, either Solo's or Teams, that are running their D Units for Multiple Carriers.

If so........Is it worth it compared to just running under Contract with 1 Carrier only?

Also, are there any Straight Truck Owners out there (on this board) who are running under their Own Authority - Ins - Etc, who are not only running their Own Customers Freight, but are also running overflow Expedite Freight from the major Companies to supplement their bottom line?

Again....Just Wondering.....NOT seeking advice to jump back on the Road tomorrow..........just weighing options for what I might want to do sooner or later. I'm NOT going to give up Furniture Sales just yet.......

BigBadBill · Feb 18, 2013

Yes there are companies doing this but in terms of if it is legal like with a cargo van I can't see how. Maybe trip lease but that is another level of hassle in todays world of compliance.

I would only consider it if they had their own authority and a very clean record. But then you are only looking at loads you can broker. If you want more independence then think in terms of getting your own authority and building relationships to get broker freight.

BigBadBill · Feb 18, 2013

Double post .......

Turtle · Feb 18, 2013

It's far more complicated to run for multiple carriers with a straight truck. With a CMV you must have a DOT number and operating authority. Can you imagine, for example, having to change your DOT number for every carrier you run for?

A far better way to do that is to become a motor carrier yourself with your own authority, DOT number and insurance, and obtain loads from your own customers, or brokered loads from brokers and other carriers. There are many in straight trucks and tractor-trailers who do that very thing. I believe CharlesD is a good example of that.

jimlookup · Feb 18, 2013

I believe the only way you can run a straight for muliple carriers is to have your own authority. I did this for a couple years and it's not an easy life for a one person operation. You'll be looking for loads when you should be sleeping and your logs will take on a kind of fictious quality. You may want to do short runs during the week and bid for miles for the weekend. Unless you belong to some kind of alliance it's difficult to have your own customers because you may be a 1000 miles away when they need you.
Getting your authority isn' difficult. Just go to the FMCSA website and follow the prompts. You will need proof of insurance and a couple other documents. Or, you can pay someone $150 to guide you through it.
Your insurance will cost you a little over $400 a month. You'll save about $400 if you pay it all in one chunk. Choose your broker carefully. Communication is important. You'll need a laptop and scanner to bid on loads and e-mail your invoices and PODs. This also means you'll also need nationwide mobile broadband and cell phone for another $150 a month.
If you have a decent driving record getting contracts is easy. Just call a carrier and ask for the outside carrier or partner carrier dept. They'll fax you a contract to fill out. The bigger the carrier the more hoops you have to jump thru. FedEx ia a real pain in the hinny.
Personally, I think there is more profit with your own authority but I never leased on to a carrier. Some will disagree. You will have a lot more independence with your own authority, but along with that comes more work.

Brisco · Feb 20, 2013

Turtle said:
It's far more complicated to run for multiple carriers with a straight truck. With a CMV you must have a DOT number and operating authority. Can you imagine, for example, having to change your DOT number for every carrier you run for?

A far better way to do that is to become a motor carrier yourself with your own authority, DOT number and insurance, and obtain loads from your own customers, or brokered loads from brokers and other carriers. There are many in straight trucks and tractor-trailers who do that very thing. I believe CharlesD is a good example of that.

Yeah......this was about the same conclusion that crossed my mind too.

I already figured out that to sign a Straight Truck on with Multiple Carriers that one WOULD have to be a True Independent Owner Operator (Not a "Contract Driver") with their own Authority - Ins - Etc.

Now another question............If one were to get Straight Truck set-up....Like buying Phils Truck when he puts it up for sale.......Got their own Authority........ABC Transport for instance.....Would the ALL the big named....even the little smaller ones....Expedited Carriers....Allow them to run Freight for them on an as-needed basis?

In other words......Do the Big Name Expediting Companies keep a "Registry" of sort that contains "Approved" IOO's that they will basically "Broker" freight out too if needed?

Again.....Not that is something I'm considering anytime soon......just thinking about possible venues for when and if I get back on the road. I really think it might be profitable if one could get a set-up like Phil & Dianes truck where 1 could live "Full-Time" on the road with their own "Trucking Company", sor to speak, and not only have their own Customer Base to service.....but also be registered with (not contracted with) ALL the Expediting Companies out there to service them also. Knowing how Load Boards work.....and how to work with "Brokers"....it'd be a nice advantage for any "True" IOO to work with Expediting companies too to supplement their bottom line.

Brisco · Feb 20, 2013

jimlookup said:
I believe the only way you can run a straight for muliple carriers is to have your own authority. I did this for a couple years and it's not an easy life for a one person operation. You'll be looking for loads when you should be sleeping and your logs will take on a kind of fictious quality. You may want to do short runs during the week and bid for miles for the weekend. Unless you belong to some kind of alliance it's difficult to have your own customers because you may be a 1000 miles away when they need you.
Getting your authority isn' difficult. Just go to the FMCSA website and follow the prompts. You will need proof of insurance and a couple other documents. Or, you can pay someone $150 to guide you through it.
Your insurance will cost you a little over $400 a month. You'll save about $400 if you pay it all in one chunk. Choose your broker carefully. Communication is important. You'll need a laptop and scanner to bid on loads and e-mail your invoices and PODs. This also means you'll also need nationwide mobile broadband and cell phone for another $150 a month.
If you have a decent driving record getting contracts is easy. Just call a carrier and ask for the outside carrier or partner carrier dept. They'll fax you a contract to fill out. The bigger the carrier the more hoops you have to jump thru. FedEx ia a real pain in the hinny.
Personally, I think there is more profit with your own authority but I never leased on to a carrier. Some will disagree. You will have a lot more independence with your own authority, but along with that comes more work.

Didn't say anything at all above that I haven't either experienced on my own before......or have discussed with many many other "Business Owners" in the trucking industry for years and years now.

It did help others that may have never been down these roads before though!!

davekc · Feb 20, 2013

The other option would be to get on with a carrier that allows you to broker your own freight using their authority. They do take a percentage but going it alone will likely have higher intitial costs.
This concept is probably better suited if running straights or tractors but you could it in a van if you had enough resources for loads.

Turtle · Feb 20, 2013

.Would the ALL the big named....even the little smaller ones....Expedited Carriers....Allow them to run Freight for them on an as-needed basis?

ALL of them? No. There are carriers that use outside transport on a very limited basis, and they're very picky about who they choose. Generally, you'll need to become a partner carrier for most of those carriers. You call them, create and set up a relationship, often papers will need to be signed, etc. Otherwise you're running strictly off public load boards or your own customers.

As Dave noted, another option is to lease on with a single carrier who allows you to find your own freight, and then run that freight under their authority. That's an option that allows you to get your feet wet without jumping into a sink-or-swim situation.

Rocketman · Feb 20, 2013

Brisco said:
Yeah......this was about the same conclusion that crossed my mind too.

I already figured out that to sign a Straight Truck on with Multiple Carriers that one WOULD have to be a True Independent Owner Operator (Not a "Contract Driver") with their own Authority - Ins - Etc.

Now another question............If one were to get Straight Truck set-up....Like buying Phils Truck when he puts it up for sale.......Got their own Authority........ABC Transport for instance.....Would the ALL the big named....even the little smaller ones....Expedited Carriers....Allow them to run Freight for them on an as-needed basis?

In other words......Do the Big Name Expediting Companies keep a "Registry" of sort that contains "Approved" IOO's that they will basically "Broker" freight out too if needed?

Again.....Not that is something I'm considering anytime soon......just thinking about possible venues for when and if I get back on the road. I really think it might be profitable if one could get a set-up like Phil & Dianes truck where 1 could live "Full-Time" on the road with their own "Trucking Company", sor to speak, and not only have their own Customer Base to service.....but also be registered with (not contracted with) ALL the Expediting Companies out there to service them also. Knowing how Load Boards work.....and how to work with "Brokers"....it'd be a nice advantage for any "True" IOO to work with Expediting companies too to supplement their bottom line.

Hey, THIS is your opportunity! You have been telling us for a while now how "REAL" o/o's do it. Now you can put your money where your mouth is. Buy Ateam's truck! Show us how it's done! I dare you to buy Ateam's truck and show us how it's done. I double dog dare you.

Brisco · Feb 20, 2013

Rocketman said:
Hey, THIS is your opportunity! You have been telling us for a while now how "REAL" o/o's do it. Now you can put your money where your mouth is. Buy Ateam's truck! Show us how it's done! I dare you to buy Ateam's truck and show us how it's done. I double dog dare you.

I might just do it do embarrass a few of you "Contract Drivers" out there that believe you're "Real Truckers".

Let me think about this even harder..................

Rocketman · Feb 20, 2013

.................:scared:

jaminjim · Feb 20, 2013

I don't think Phil would sell to you.

str8trk · Feb 20, 2013

In my experience, partner carrier scenarios are widely prevalent at the day-to-day transactional level. Some carriers will tell customers on the front end that they don't have company branded capacity available for a particular load and "ask" the customer if they would like to them to check with partner carriers for availability. Others will simply take the load and broker it without full disclosure to the customer.

BobWolf · Feb 20, 2013

Jimlookup did a good job at summing it up.
I run under my own authority so I can setup and run my own work wth brokers and shippers. The delema I sometimes run into is having a couple good and fast paying brokers and a couple high priority regular customers that call me. I somtimes have to turn down work from the brokers because I need to be available for the regulars. Its doable if I run regional and keep my regulars in the loop, and if I have other work offered my local regulars have first dibs on the truck, my best broker understands, and are cool with it this so they will usualy simply ask if im looking for work if i say yes good if I say no im bussy they say next time.

My best broker is fairly local in Buffalo so the trade off is if I have tractor work or ltl jobs going way beyond my area I refer it to them. This requires caution and trustworthyness on both you and the broker. Also in the past I was contracted to logistics company moving speccom and household. we had whats called a gentelmans agreement, if it was slow I could set up my own work as long as it was not like cargo and they were always first on the list for the truck.

cubansammich · Feb 21, 2013

Turtle said:
It's far more complicated to run for multiple carriers with a straight truck. With a CMV you must have a DOT number and operating authority. Can you imagine, for example, having to change your DOT number for every carrier you run for?

A far better way to do that is to become a motor carrier yourself with your own authority, DOT number and insurance, and obtain loads from your own customers, or brokered loads from brokers and other carriers. There are many in straight trucks and tractor-trailers who do that very thing. I believe CharlesD is a good example of that.

Very true. It wouldn't be impossible to run for more than one carrier but it would be quite difficult and the bottom line would not likely be much better anyway, not to mention any HOS issues.

jimlookup · Feb 21, 2013

I don't know of any brokers or carriers who will give you freight without a contract so even the "real owner operators" are contract drivers.

There are some large carriers who may, after the establishment of a very good relationship, give you an e-mail adress or phone number not available to other outside carriers. This information could result in more and better quality loads. If someone would ship me a free recliner I would devulge who these carriers are. I like the electric ones with the memory foam.

I don't know how to the "smiley face".

BobWolf · Feb 21, 2013

Yes you have to have a contract to spell out the rules when it comes to brokers but you are free to work for others.
Click on go advanced and the smiley face is in the box. I did see an animated avitar for beating a dead horse on another site. I waswondering how do I bring it here it may come in handy on some threads.

Bob Wolf

BobWolf · Feb 21, 2013

Actualy I found it how do we get it in the right margin?

timallen · Feb 23, 2013

No Bill there are not straight trucks running for multiple companies unless they have their own authority. No carrier would sign a straight truck on without their signage. Who would take the blame on violations?? Driver gets to choose??? Not likely. If any carrier would let 2 or 3 signs on the truck they are insane. Also whose IFTA would they be running under??? Cargo vans are under 10000lbs and have no regulations and need no authority to run under. Think about it.