To Post or Not To Post - That Be The Question Y'all

[Steady Eddie]

I was back home home after 6 weeks away, had my week off, honey do list was done and thought I would go back on the boards (I run for 6 carriers, actually 5 now) Tigers were undefeated and the Wings were starting another run for Lord Stanleys Cup. I didn't care if I got a load or not.

I call my newest carrier and tell the dispatcher that in the past I have not left home for less than 90cpm and on loads 250 miles or less were $1 per mile. I told the dispatcher if that was a problem I would wait and go in service after I left home. He said he could bid that rate. I said thanks and that was the end of the call.

I check my email a few hours later and here is the copy of the email that I received:

I was just informed by ****** in dispatch that you dont leave your house for less than 90 cpm. Our rates were explained to you when you signed on.
we regret to inform you that your services are no longer needed, and we will retire you from our system immediately. Good luck in your endeavors

Regards,

(copied and pasted, the only thing I changed was the dispatchers name)

So that is what happened. No phone call, operations supervisor will not return my phone calls. To me it affected my pride more than anything. I will say they have a really good and aggressive dispatch team that really helped fill in the gaps when I needed a load and they pay twice a week and never had a problem.

It just threw me for a loop, I really try to be an asset to every carrier I work with. Oh well, it is probably for the best anyway, my goals are higher than 85 cents a mile.

Every company has the right to set what ever standards they want, and contract or not contract with any driver they want. They just left me with the impression that they think drivers are disposable and some other dumb ape can replace them.

So, you signed on with them "After" they told you the rates. Now, you change their rates by your own words..... hummm, yep that would be right, as I read it.

Why did you get upset over that? Small Stuff.....

You knew going in what the rates were, not sure after knowing that, why you would sign on if the rates didn't meet your needs... just saying you know..

 

[PreacherRich]

@ Steady Eddie

They were a company that aggressively bids freight and when I was trying to get home or to a better freight lane, they came through for me on several occasions. They do have a very good dispatch team. After my last thread, I am not sure how much longer I was going to keep them anyway.

http://www.expeditersonline.com/forum/general-expediter-forum/53093-gas-cost-vs-rates.html

 

[Steady Eddie]

@ Steady Eddie

They were a company that aggressively bids freight and when I was trying to get home or to a better freight lane, they came through for me on several occasions. They do have a very good dispatch team. After my last thread, I am not sure how much longer I was going to keep them anyway.

http://www.expeditersonline.com/forum/general-expediter-forum/53093-gas-cost-vs-rates.html

So, is the contract rate all in including FSC?

 

[paullud]

So basically you were telling them you were heading back out but you wouldn't likely be using them. That seems reasonable so that they know you are running again but not to get you a load unless they planned to make an exception for some reason.

Sent from my ADR6400L using EO Forums

 

[Opel2010]

One of my drivers was let go because he refused to run 300 mile and under loads for .85 cents a mile.

I'd turn down that one too... It's not just the money, it's a wasted working day. Usually you won't get another load that day, beside that God knows how many empty miles you have to drive for that mini...

 

[Rocketman]

Wow....every time I read one of these multiple carrier/own authority threads it just sounds so tempting......NOT!!

Why do you guys want to do more work, with more hassle, lessen your chances of being paid in a reasonable timeframe (if ever) for LESS money than you can get with an exclusive lease to a good carrier?

Im sorry, it just makes no sense to me at all.

 

[ATeam]

... So that is what happened. No phone call, operations supervisor will not return my phone calls. To me it affected my pride more than anything. I will say they have a really good and aggressive dispatch team that really helped fill in the gaps when I needed a load and they pay twice a week and never had a problem.

It just threw me for a loop, I really try to be an asset to every carrier I work with. Oh well, it is probably for the best anyway, my goals are higher than 85 cents a mile.

The fact is that many carriers view contractors not as human beings who are running a business but as commodities to be managed for profit. Take some time to read the FedEx Custom Critical forum. You will see numerous posts there written by people who served that company well for a decade or more only to be shocked and saddened when the company expressed no concern or regret over the departure of a seasoned pro.

The turnover rate is high in expediting. Some contractors remain loyal for many years but beyond those, most carriers turn over their entire fleets once or twice every two or three years. For the people in a carrier's office, one contractor coming or going is not unusual. Indeed, it common for several and even dozens to walk in and out the door every month. If you happen to be one of them, you're just one more body in that week's migration.

You expected to have your contribution to a carrier somehow acknowledged. Commodities don't get acknowledged. They get used at the lowest possible price when available and replaced when not.

Every company has the right to set what ever standards they want, and contract or not contract with any driver they want. They just left me with the impression that they think drivers are disposable and some other dumb ape can replace them.

Your impression is accurate. You are disposable. You were never more than a dumb ape to that carrier and it is quite possible that the next carrier you sign on with will view you the same way.

It can be freeing to learn what you have learned. The more you understand how a carrier sees you, the better you can play the expediting game.

 

[PreacherRich]

Wow....every time I read one of these multiple carrier/own authority threads it just sounds so tempting......NOT!!

Why do you guys want to do more work, with more hassle, lessen your chances of being paid in a reasonable timeframe (if ever) for LESS money than you can get with an exclusive lease to a good carrier?

Im sorry, it just makes no sense to me at all.

Probably because a lot of us want more control and drive around dreaming of putting together the best transportation company on the planet. Don't want to pay the monthly fees associated with a lot of carriers (though we think it's fun to pay more for our insurance) The companies we would consider driving for are not signing on cargo vans, don't want to sticker our vehicles and have a big faded feline on our vans when we desticker them. We like a challenge and would be bored to death not having any issues to overcome. Actually though if we could find a carrier that could get us 10,000 miles a month at a good rate, would probably give them a shot. But we would have to get our calculators out and weigh the potential income against having your income based just on one company, one dispatch team, having all our income in one persons bank account scares us to death. We like being diversified, we like knowing that when we make a delivery we might be third or forth out with a carrier or two but with a few of our companies we are going to be first out. We rejoice beating the big boys out of the truck stop parking lot. Rebels, renegades, entreprenuers, professionals, dreamers.

Actually the work is not much more, never been stiffed on a load and if you have a good carrier mix you can do really well

 

[ATeam]

Actually the work is not much more, never been stiffed on a load and if you have a good carrier mix you can do really well

"Really well" is a relative term. For those of us not in the van game, what does "really well" mean?

You shocked me with your 10,000 miles a month figure. Diane and I are a team in a straight truck and that is not far from what we average in a year. A solo driver running 10,000 miles a month at $0.90 a mile? That's $9,000 a month gross or $108,000 a year. Is that what you mean by "really well?"

 

[PreacherRich]

"Really well" is a relative term. For those of us not in the van game, what does "really well" mean?

You shocked me with your 10,000 miles a month figure. Diane and I are a team in a straight truck and that is not far from what we average in a year. A solo driver running 10,000 miles a month at $0.90 a mile? That's $9,000 a month gross or $108,000 a year. Is that what you mean by "really well?"

Phil,
That is about what I did in March. But I ran like a crazy person and didn't see my beautiful wife for a month. Net was ok but wasn't that impressive after fuel, new tires, insurance etc. So, no, that is not what I mean. Doing "really well" means that you can hit the goals you set for yourself and family and that is different for each person. Doing "really well" means that when the phone rings with a load offer you still get excited. But, I used the 10,000 mile figure as an illustration that it would take a lot for some of us multi-carrier guys and gals to sign on with just one company.

 

[zorry]

Doing well is such a relative term. A driver once told me he was doing pretty good. His tractor pmt was current and he was only a few months behind on his $500 per month conversion van. This was better than he was used to, so to him, he was pretty well off at the moment. Different strokes for different folks.

 

[Rocketman]

Rich, I'll send you a pm. I dont like to discuss numbers in public.

I apologize if my post sounds disrespectful to you personally. I actually have a good amount of respect for you. I dont like the results you guys are getting. If the numbers were there....I would be too.

I realize that you have a cv. I guess my point is that its really not that much more of an investment to get something larger and enjoy some better rates.

Btw.... the money I earn this week will be direct deposited to my account this coming Friday, with fuel expenses deducted (we have a fuel card with a good discount and unbelievable shower credits)

I am more than happy to watch the cheap freight trucks leave ahead of me. I know that I can drive somewhere around 40% less miles and make the same gross money. That means that I have 40% less fuel to buy, 40% less wear on my vehicle.

 

[jelliott]

Rich,

Aggressive biding like you mention is often "cheap" rates versus anything else These companies are not staffed up and bidding 24/7 for their trucks. Wait, they have no dedicated fleet or expenses. They push that expense over to the owner operator?

 

[Turtle]

Running for multiple carriers is like an M.C. Escher drawing. Looks good, but....

 

[x06col]

Phil,
That is about what I did in March. But I ran like a crazy person and didn't see my beautiful wife for a month. Net was ok but wasn't that impressive after fuel, new tires, insurance etc. So, no, that is not what I mean. Doing "really well" means that you can hit the goals you set for yourself and family and that is different for each person. Doing "really well" means that when the phone rings with a load offer you still get excited. But, I used the 10,000 mile figure as an illustration that it would take a lot for some of us multi-carrier guys and gals to sign on with just one company.

So, I guess i'm confused. Which is it you want....."to run like crazy", or, "hang with your beautiful wife"?? And,.....how can this be a "bad" Carrier issue when you, it seems were the one screwing the pooch by fully knowing what their rates were/are, sighning on with them, and then wanting to bash when the rate on THAT particular load didn't hit the mark.Roasted goose hunter, maybe?

 

[Monty]

Every company has the right to set what ever standards they want, and contract or not contract with any driver they want.

Please correct your way of thinking, aned doing business ... may I re-write that statement for you?

Every contractor has the right to set what ever standards they need, and contract or not contract with any carrier they want.

Carriers are NOT the end all to end all.

BTW, have I mentioned lately I really like Landstar!

 

[PreacherRich]

So, I guess i'm confused. Which is it you want....."to run like crazy", or, "hang with your beautiful wife"?? And,.....how can this be a "bad" Carrier issue when you, it seems were the one screwing the pooch by fully knowing what their rates were/are, sighning on with them, and then wanting to bash when the rate on THAT particular load didn't hit the mark.Roasted goose hunter, maybe?

What is it that I want? I want to run like a crazy person for part of the month at a good rate then hang out with my beautiful wife for the rest of it.

You may want to reread the post. I simply told them what it would take to get me off my porch and told them if that wasn't acceptable I would go on the board after I got a load out, gave them the option. There was no load offer refused was just letting them know I was available.

Smile dude!

 

[PreacherRich]

Please correct your way of thinking, aned doing business ... may I re-write that statement for you?



Carriers are NOT the end all to end all.



BTW, have I mentioned lately I really like Landstar!

I agree with you 100%, I actually run a "company" and have to manage my bottom line and make decisions based on my budget and goals. I have several carriers that I contract with, this company dropping me only affected my pride and not my bank account.

If I were looking a single carrier Landstar, Load 1 and Barrett Direct would be the 3 I would look at. When I checked last fall none of the above were signing cargo vans though.

 

[x06col]

What is it that I want? I want to run like a crazy person for part of the month at a good rate then hang out with my beautiful wife for the rest of it.

You may want to reread the post. I simply told them what it would take to get me off my porch and told them if that wasn't acceptable I would go on the board after I got a load out, gave them the option. There was no load offer refused was just letting them know I was available.

Smile dude!

I always smile.......dude, at many of the things posted here. So....you posted...what is next?? Was "what it would take" to get you off the porch a Carrier problem??? Or what??? Still confused!

 

[x06col]

What is it that I want? I want to run like a crazy person for part of the month at a good rate then hang out with my beautiful wife for the rest of it.

You may want to reread the post. I simply told them what it would take to get me off my porch and told them if that wasn't acceptable I would go on the board after I got a load out, gave them the option. There was no load offer refused was just letting them know I was available.

Smile dude!

I always smile.......dude, at many of the things posted here. So....you posted...what is next?? Was "what it would take" to get you off the porch a Carrier problem??? Or what??? Still confused!

BTW, your short list is a good one. However I question the "last fall" part. Do you not understand how dynamic this Industry is?