Sylectus

[blizzard2014]

Also, don't forget these last two load boards:

Menlo Worldwide Logistics - this is the mother of all load boards, but it takes an act of god to get on with them!

Expeditors International`- they have all of the Chrysler freight and also TRW Automotive - it will also take an act of god to get on with this load board.

NLM will let you on after you've been in business for 6 months, but it will take a long time before they let you bid on Ford and GM loads.

Active on Demand will let anyone on there - but it takes a while before you will see the John Deere, Volkswagen, Toyota, and Honda loads. It is a very good load resource to have access to.

I just gave you everything you need to succeed. I hope you do well! Take notes everyone. I'm feeling generous this weekend!

 

[blizzard2014]

Also, Landstar has quite a few different agencies across the country. When they do truck searches on Sylectus, they only see Landstar approved trucks. They will have to use you a few times before they get to know you and use you on a regular basis. A lot of their loads go for around 1.05 per mile all in. It just takes time to get your foot in the door. Good luck!

 

[Murraycroexp]

I'm sorry to tell you that most of the FedEx loads are going for rock bottom prices. It's like pulling teeth to even get a dollar a mile on their cargo van loads. You're not going to make much more than a dollar a mile for cargo van loads on Sylectus, or even more than 1.80 per mile on straight trucks loads I work with a well established company with a few teams in straight tucks, and we even have trouble keeping them busy at times. There are Penske box trucks bidding on dock high straight truck loads because they have special ramps to get the pallets off the docks. Some of the carriers will say sprinters ok, and non-dock high ok on 3000 pound straight truck loads. That means it's going to go cheap. These box trucks will bid on team loads and run them overweight because they are not regulated and do not have to run log books. You can have all of the partner carriers you want, it isn't going to drive the prices any higher. Also, most of the loads you are bidding on off of the Sylectus board aren't legit. The company posting the load doesn't even have the load yet. They're bidding on the load from a customer that you can't see, or do not have access too, and they're using your bid as a quote for their customer. That is why you see three and four brokers posting the same load on Sylectus at the same time. Also, there are a lot of carriers on Sylectus that you just can't see. They don't just turn on the new carriers that sign up, and unless you've done business with them in the past, or know who they are, you will never see their loads. You are missing a lot of load opportunities right off the bat.

Do you see these companies:

S2-International
Bounce Logistics
Ace Logistics
Express Family of Companies
Load - One
C&M Transport
UPS
Landstar Express America
Par Logistics
Straight Shot Express
Averitt Express
There are many more that you're probably not seeing right now.

I wouldn't even think about getting a straight truck for at least another year or two. Good Luck!

Yes, we either run directly for all of those (9 of the listed) and indirectly for the other 2.

 

[blizzard2014]

I used to do a lot of loads for S-2, great broker and they always pay quick. I actually preferred doing the Ford and GM loads through partner carriers; as they are very slow to pay, and I had to back off of GM for a while. The biggest problem I have these days dispatching is having too many load boards to watch at the same time. Then you have to watch the emails as well. I like it when the broker emails you back an hour after you bid on one of their loads asking if that truck is still available. The broker calls are the best. You just call the driver, negotiate a rate, and the deal is closed. The Landstar agents are a god send. So are some of the mid-sized carriers. I have had some of the mid-sized carriers tell me that if they see any loads for one of my trucks in El Paso, they were going to bid on it and give it to me for a set rate. One of the best brokers I work with is Express Family. Not only do they pay a pretty good rate on the cargo van loads they broker out, they also pay their partner carriers within 2 weeks.

 

[Pigeon Post]

Blizzard, this information is really helpful. Very much appreciated. I'm committed to Sylectus for a year at $250 a month. If nothing else, at the end of it I will have a pretty full rolodex of carriers and brokers. I really can't complain that much about it. It's paid for itself with local work for the last 6 months. What company are you with now? Are you out of El Paso, or is that just a hub for you?

 

[OntarioVanMan]

Also, don't forget these last two load boards:

Menlo Worldwide Logistics - this is the mother of all load boards, but it takes an act of god to get on with them!

Expeditors International`- they have all of the Chrysler freight and also TRW Automotive - it will also take an act of god to get on with this load board.

NLM will let you on after you've been in business for 6 months, but it will take a long time before they let you bid on Ford and GM loads.

Active on Demand will let anyone on there - but it takes a while before you will see the John Deere, Volkswagen, Toyota, and Honda loads. It is a very good load resource to have access to.

I just gave you everything you need to succeed. I hope you do well! Take notes everyone. I'm feeling generous this weekend!

a friend of mine said he just got denied access because he didn't have workers comp plan? curious....

 

[OntarioVanMan]

I used to do a lot of loads for S-2, great broker and they always pay quick. I actually preferred doing the Ford and GM loads through partner carriers; as they are very slow to pay, and I had to back off of GM for a while. The biggest problem I have these days dispatching is having too many load boards to watch at the same time. Then you have to watch the emails as well. I like it when the broker emails you back an hour after you bid on one of their loads asking if that truck is still available. The broker calls are the best. You just call the driver, negotiate a rate, and the deal is closed. The Landstar agents are a god send. So are some of the mid-sized carriers. I have had some of the mid-sized carriers tell me that if they see any loads for one of my trucks in El Paso, they were going to bid on it and give it to me for a set rate. One of the best brokers I work with is Express Family. Not only do they pay a pretty good rate on the cargo van loads they broker out, they also pay their partner carriers within 2 weeks.

you are kidding right? LS is like a 120 days to pay on every load I've ever run....other guys with others carriers same thing....very slow to pay....maybe you just got the right brokers...

 

[Murraycroexp]

you are kidding right? LS is like a 120 days to pay on every load I've ever run....other guys with others carriers same thing....very slow to pay....maybe you just got the right brokers...

The LS offices seem to approve and pay at different rates. We have not experienced them as being fast payers. And we don't go for the "keep a little more of our money to pay us faster" method.
Not saying you are. Just that we are not.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

The LS offices seem to approve and pay at different rates. We have not experienced them as being fast payers. And we don't go for the "keep a little more of our money to pay us faster" method.
Not saying you are. Just that we are not.

absolutely NOT...they all beat us down on the rates already...be darned if they are getting one more red cent of mine just to do their job .....gee whiz....

 

[blizzard2014]

a friend of mine said he just got denied access because he didn't have workers comp plan? curious....

You have to have workman's comp to get on with NLM, Expeditors, and Menlo! When all you have is owner operators and no office staff, or under three office employees, you do not need workers comp. You just get a token policy to show your partner carriers, because such a policy would not cover any employees under three, or the owners of the company. You also have to have your drivers sign a waiver waiving their right to workers compensation in the event of an accident!

 

[Pigeon Post]

The LS offices seem to approve and pay at different rates. We have not experienced them as being fast payers. And we don't go for the "keep a little more of our money to pay us faster" method.
Not saying you are. Just that we are not.

I don't know how much Landstar charges for their quick pay program or whatever they call it, but I will never understand how factoring companies manage to convince people that a 4% flat rate is somehow a good deal to get money a month earlier. That's 48% annualized.

 

[Turtle]

I don't know how much Landstar charges for their quick pay program or whatever they call it, but I will never understand how factoring companies manage to convince people that a 4% flat rate is somehow a good deal to get money a month earlier. That's 48% annualized.

They do it the same way people convince shippers to ship a pallet for $2.00 a mile - it's not what it costs to get it there, it's what it costs if it's not there. For many people, having the cash flow is worth every penny of that 4 percent.

 

[blizzard2014]

I don't know how much Landstar charges for their quick pay program or whatever they call it, but I will never understand how factoring companies manage to convince people that a 4% flat rate is somehow a good deal to get money a month earlier. That's 48% annualized.

The only reason why I used factoring in the past was so that I could pay my drivers the same day they delivered the load. That is a huge recruiting tool to pay the drivers the same day they deliver the load. It also keeps the books clean and eliminates a lot of unnecessary phone calls where drives are calling to track down their money. I used to be like labor ready - work today, get paid today. The problems happen when carriers factor the loads and they hold back the drivers pay for two or three weeks. Then they use the drivers money to pay for their own personal bills. I never did that kind of stuff when I had my carrier. I even sent out checks to my partner carriers the day after the load was delivered. I never needed the money that fast personally. I did it as a courtesy to my drivers. I know that a lot of well-financed and well experienced cargo van drivers can go 3 weeks without pay, but straight trucks and tracor trailers are much more expensive to operate and those drivers need cash flow. I also like being able to get my drivers in the bigger trucks fuel advances whenever they need them!

 

[Pigeon Post]

The only reason why I used factoring in the past was so that I could pay my drivers the same day they delivered the load. That is a huge recruiting tool to pay the drivers the same day they deliver the load. It also keeps the books clean and eliminates a lot of unnecessary phone calls where drives are calling to track down their money. I used to be like labor ready - work today, get paid today. The problems happen when carriers factor the loads and they hold back the drivers pay for two or three weeks. Then they use the drivers money to pay for their own personal bills. I never did that kind of stuff when I had my carrier. I even sent out checks to my partner carriers the day after the load was delivered. I never needed the money that fast personally. I did it as a courtesy to my drivers. I know that a lot of well-financed and well experienced cargo van drivers can go 3 weeks without pay, but straight trucks and tracor trailers are much more expensive to operate and those drivers need cash flow. I also like being able to get my drivers in the bigger trucks fuel advances whenever they need them!

I don't know if the banks are loosening up now, or if I just got lucky, but I asked for a line of credit to cover my payables and they gave me more than I asked for. If I ever get to a point where I need to play the float just to stay in business, I guess it'll mean that business is either really bad or way too good. Fingers crossed on the latter, but after the last few weeks I have my doubts. I sent the Sprinter to El Paso yesterday, and he's on night #2 sleeping at the Petro. :/

 

[tknight]

I don't know how much Landstar charges for their quick pay program or whatever they call it, but I will never understand how factoring companies manage to convince people that a 4% flat rate is somehow a good deal to get money a month earlier. That's 48% annualized.

Loansharking
with a new twist , they do it because there is a demand for it and they have created a new business, one of my pimps waived the quick pay to me cause I make him money, more should do it that way.

 

[crich]

I go the quick pay option but I also know what the company charges for it and add it into the rate.never a quick pay charge to any driver.

 

[Pigeon Post]

Five things I've learned in the last 2 weeks relating to this thread. 1. El Paso is a bad idea right now. For the last 2 weeks there have been 30 cargo vans and Sprinters just sitting there waiting for work. 2. Bidding low is dumb. That's how a guy ends up in a bad marriage. I'm not partnering with anyone who doesn't appreciate the value of what we do and how well we execute. 3. The real value of Sylectus is networking. 4. Don't expect a backhaul out of Vegas. 5. XPO doesn't pay leased solo STs enough and they don't have enough miles for a driver to live above a subsistence level lifestyle.

 

[jjtdrv4u]

3. The real value of Sylectus is networking.

yep, this is especially true.