I have been working with a fleet owner for over a year . i know the business and how to operate but still learn something new every day. well im ready to take the next step and become a owner op with my own mc number or sign on with a carrier. Been calling insurance companies to get ideas on rates. can anyone recommend any good insurance company. also any carrier companies that hiring teams that are good that give decent miles. thanks
It's not about the miles, but about the pay. So you want to pay high primary insurance rates, ($2,500 and higher a year?) relying on scraps from load boards for loads, (so when it is slow the big carriers have no scraps to put on the load boards, so you starve), be on the phone constantly with however many carriers you are leased to, seeing if they have found anything or not, all the while the time you are on the phone with them is taking them away from looking for loads for you. Another thing to think about is this: you are pleased to 4 carriers, let's say. You empty out, go to a Pilot, and wait for a load.Say, fir example, I am a manufacturer, forwarder, whatever. I need a skid moved that is picking up in the area that you are in. I see 4 companies with a van available in that area. Sweet! (In all reality, it's only you, Mr. Multicarrier leased to 4 companies. But I dont know that). I send out emails for a freight quote to all 4 companies. Naturally, I'm going to go with the cheapest bidder. Guess what? By you being a multicarrier guy leased to 4 carriers, you just sold yourself out to the cheapest bidder! Congratulations! And this may happen everywhere you go. I have a good freind who is a multicarrier. I dont even feel sorry for him anymore. So sad. You mentioned that you are a team? Being a team in an un-regulated vehicle (van) is no big advantage. Sure, there may be a few customers who may request a team van, but how often? Very little, I'm assuming. You would be a much more valuable commodity as a team in a straight, in my opinion. There are quite a few great fleet owners out there, who run their equipment properly. DaveKC, Dynamite, SWTexas, and the guy who has all those new trucks leased to Load One would be a few I would consider.