The best expediting company

[AMonger]

I am one of the people who have it "backwards" and have posted my thoughts about this more than a few times. If you want to act and be treated like an employee that's fine. I do find it funny that you claim I have it backwards though!

I had a contract with my previous carrier. I paid them 41% of the linehaul charges to procure customers, handle authority, permits, collections and various other duties that I didn't want to handle. I kept 59% of the linehaul charges for picking up and delivering freight.

That begs the obvious question: when signing on to them, did you negotiate that rate? Did you offer them that deal, our did you sign on to the deal they were offering? And if they weren't producing the customers you were paying them to procure, was there some sort of penalty for them? And were there rules for you to follow, rules that they set?

 

[LDB]

It's the tremendous growth that eventually turns the best company into a monstrous meat grinder.

Yes, another "rule" that is true universally with the exception of "the exception". I could be wrong, but it's not likely at all in this specific instance. The company I reference is far far more likely to be the exception and not follow "the rule".

 

[jelliott]

It's the tremendous growth that eventually turns the best company into a monstrous meat grinder.

I do not agree. I think a company is what it is. Growth is more like a magnifying glass. It will only make the good qualities stand out more or it will show the ugly qualities more clearly. Companies are truly top down driven, if the top never forgets that responsibility and stays true to it's core values; growth is not an issue. As a company you have to pause every so often and make sure you have not lost the very values that got you to where you are. IMHO.

 

[greg334]

Moot, I understand you feel that way but think about this;

Does that company you "contract" with allow you to pick and choose your loads while not using any stats to create performance metrics to judge you by?

If the company worked for you, then most of the constraints would be gone, like the idea that you have a specific level of performance to meet to be a contractor.

The other thing that comes to mind is the idea of access to the information to allow you to make business decisions, like past load performance; rates and weights with customer info added in. That all matters if you are having them work for you.

Or am I wrong in thinking that way?

 

[OntarioVanMan]

I do not agree. I think a company is what it is. Growth is more like a magnifying glass. It will only make the good qualities stand out more or it will show the ugly qualities more clearly. Companies are truly top down driven, if the top never forgets that responsibility and stays true to it's core values; growth is not an issue. As a company you have to pause every so often and make sure you have not lost the very values that got you to where you are. IMHO.

I would tend to agree...as long as management believe and stay in tune with the company mission no matter how big they get...every level of the management TEAM has to be tuned in...

 

[Fr8 Shaker]

The company I'm contracted with calls me a "PARTNER" but treats me like a "PUPPET".

And gives me no tools to make a smart business decision so I could have a chance at being more profitable. Zero information i need and when trying to get answers to some questions all I usually get is I don't know and can never talk with someone who can actually make a decision.

Yeah I'm a partner alright.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

Moot, I understand you feel that way but think about this;

Does that company you "contract" with allow you to pick and choose your loads while not using any stats to create performance metrics to judge you by?

If the company worked for you, then most of the constraints would be gone, like the idea that you have a specific level of performance to meet to be a contractor.

The other thing that comes to mind is the idea of access to the information to allow you to make business decisions, like past load performance; rates and weights with customer info added in. That all matters if you are having them work for you.

Or am I wrong in thinking that way?

Greg..you and I both know the more info we have, the better decisions we can make..then on the flipside...why complicate the simple?...we pick up freight and deliver it...

It would be nice if we could see some kind of shipping trends by region and truck size about every 30-60 days.

 

[greg334]

... why complicate the simple?...we pick up freight and deliver it...

Maybe you but not me.

I am in this as a business and my next step is to do more on my own to leverage my resources to fit my needs.

I want that info, I want to know where everyone is and more importantly where the work from my carrier comes from so I can make decisions to fit into my business needs.

I don't want to be told I'm a partner than told I have to run a load in an unsafe manner or have to deal with a stupid 'dispatcher' telling me some lies to get me to take the work or more importantly deal with a quick draw dispatch system where I have to respond in a few minutes because someone else may be faster than I am on the qualcomm. All of that complicates the simple by leaps and bounds.

My world is just the same as yours - different from anyone else's - I don't know what Leo is getting at but the only way to determine what the best expediting carrier is can only be done by the person who contracts with them and is satisfied with their relationship.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

Maybe you but not me.

I am in this as a business and my next step is to do more on my own to leverage my resources to fit my needs.

I want that info, I want to know where everyone is and more importantly where the work from my carrier comes from so I can make decisions to fit into my business needs.

I don't want to be told I'm a partner than told I have to run a load in an unsafe manner or have to deal with a stupid 'dispatcher' telling me some lies to get me to take the work or more importantly deal with a quick draw dispatch system where I have to respond in a few minutes because someone else may be faster than I am on the qualcomm. All of that complicates the simple by leaps and bounds.

My world is just the same as yours - different from anyone else's - I don't know what Leo is getting at but the only way to determine what the best expediting carrier is can only be done by the person who contracts with them and is satisfied with their relationship.

Gee whiz....read the whole post...it wasn't meant to be dissected like that...

Here I edited my post...

Greg..you and I both know the more info we have, the better decisions we can make.

It would be nice if we could see some kind of shipping trends by region and truck size about every 30-60 days.

 

[greg334]

Gee whiz....read the whole post...it wasn't meant to be dissected like that...

Well guess what? It was!

I think you mistake me for a drive by poster.

This is what happens to a person who has no pickles but 150 lbs of navy beans.

 

[turritrans]

Just my .02...

1. A good expedite company will make sure the o/o's are profitable and staying busy as the market allows no matter what the size of the fleet

2. Hold o/o's accountible for service and safety by providing proper training

3. Hold dispatch accountible insuring trucks are being moved on a consistent basis, supporting o/o in performing their jobs and treating them with respect and conducting themselves in a professional matter. Dispatchers are well trained and monitored for performance.

4. Making sure settlements are being processed correctly and timely, resolving issues promptly

5. Recruiting is being upfront, honest and truthful throughout the hiring process. Only sign on quality o/o's.

6. Good flow of comminucation within the organization

 

[Moot]

I do not agree. I think a company is what it is.

John, I admire what you have done and have never heard a negative word about you or your company. And while a company is what it is, change is inevitable. Ask any former Roberts, Con-Way or early Panther contractor about change.

As your company grows, you as owner will need to hire more people to take care of day to day business. You cannot do everything and as a result, you will become more insulated from the contractor. Growth requires capital and that often means going public. Then you have shareholders that need satisfying. Shareholders that want to share the company's profits but may not want to share your philosophy.

As a company you have to pause every so often and make sure you have not lost the very values that got you to where you are. IMHO.

I agree wholeheartedly but my experience has been that as companies grow, most tend forget the ideals that the founders built the company on.

 

[Moot]

Moot, I understand you feel that way but think about this;

Does that company you "contract" with allow you to pick and choose your loads while not using any stats to create performance metrics to judge you by?

You missed two key words in my original post; had and former.

 

[greg334]

Yes Moot, i did miss that but I also did not mention that I was not saying you were the backwards thinking person I was directing it to - which I never thought of you thinking backwards for any reason.

 

[Moot]

To quote a friend of mine; which will get me a warning and possibly a vacation: "hockem if they can't deal with reality."

That was quick! Got the warning at 19:43 and was even referred to as a "jerk." I was just quoting a friend. Now I have quoted myself, which most likely will lead to blindness. Oh well!

 

[OntarioVanMan]

That was quick! Got the warning at 19:43 and was even referred to as a "jerk." I was just quoting a friend. Now I have quoted myself, which most likely will lead to blindness. Oh well!

Will ya stop getting around the built in filter...gee whiz..

 

[Moot]

Hey, I do it occasionally for dramatic effect. This time I did it as part of a quote. It really wasn't me that used that offensive word, but rather Charles S. Gill, whom I quoted.

 

[Dakota]

Quoting yourself is the first sign of craziness

 

[paullud]

Quoting yourself is the first sign of craziness

Or arrogance.

Posted with my Droid EO Forum App

 

[OntarioVanMan]

Hey, I do it occasionally for dramatic effect. This time I did it as part of a quote. It really wasn't me that used that offensive word, but rather Charles S. Gill, whom I quoted.

The effect as you are aware has been noted...