Most certainly, xiggi, but I suspect many more are drawn to the more-forced, non-forced dispatch carriers than are drawn to the less-forced, non-forced dispatch carriers, if you catch my drift.
Why does panther put you on a pro before you even accept?!
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Most certainly, xiggi, but I suspect many more are drawn to the more-forced, non-forced dispatch carriers than are drawn to the less-forced, non-forced dispatch carriers, if you catch my drift.
I would guess the number if forced dispatch drivers dwarfs that of the non forced in general. If so is the veteran numbers just a continuation of those statistics? I have no way of really knowing but my guess would say they are
Sent from my Fisher Price - ABC 123
Sent from my Fisher Price - ABC 123
Please, xiggi, try to refrain from stating an opinion unless it is clearly "undeniable". Furthermore, attempt to disguise guesses with facts - any sort of facts - so your opinion can not be refuted.
Unless, of course, someone else has more guesses disguised as facts which makes their argument even MORE undeniable!
I think I'm beginning to confuse myself. My guess is I should go watch television until a more controversial, and possibly more combative, subject comes along. Of that I am fairly certain and I hope all that is very clear.
Forced/ non-forced dispatch is a very fine line that carriers have to work with. The better carriers who have better rates are generally the carriers who have direct shippers. In order to keep those direct shippers, they have to cover all of their loads resulting in some unfavorable loads. There are options to get those loads covered that do not involve forcing them on a driver, but as long as a "persuasive" dispatcher can get it covered, there is no need to look at the options.
Forced dispatch, in my opinion, is the easy way out... or sometimes, the profitable way out... for the carrier. Even the best carriers in the business have some loads that they are going to try to persuade you to run, knowing full well that you don't want to. If I knowingly agree to do a less than favorable load, it's usually because that particular dispatcher has given me some better loads in the past or somehow made me feel inclined to help them get a load moved. A dispatcher who has refused to work with me, will get the same in return... with a big cheeky, ear to ear grin
Forced dispatch, in my opinion, is the easy way out... or sometimes, the profitable way out... for the carrier. Even the best carriers in the business have some loads that they are going to try to persuade you to run, knowing full well that you don't want to. If I knowingly agree to do a less than favorable load, it's usually because that particular dispatcher has given me some better loads in the past or somehow made me feel inclined to help them get a load moved. A dispatcher who has refused to work with me, will get the same in return... with a big cheeky, ear to ear grin
Oh, it's not just to Ziggi.
Using slavery is a perfectly valid analogy, when it's valid to do so. Comparing a slave to an independent contractor is, as Ziggi so diplomatically, kindly and politely put it, nonsensical. Slaves were personal property and could only do what they were allowed to do. A slave cannot just up and quit.
Since we have a military theme going on there, you want a valid comparison?
Forced dispatch is like being in the Army.
Non-forced dispatch is like being a mercenary.
You mean like the clearly undeniable opinion that the transportation industry (trucking, in particular) so covets former "Military Career" people?
Yes, absolutely. I'm glad you agree with my premise.
I've never seen any evidence that the transportation, trucking in particular, particularly covets career military people over anyone else who was in the military for less-than a career, or even over people who have never been in the military. I'm sure there are isolated cases where certain recruiters or carriers might do that, but as for the industry at large, I don't see it.
I think a lot of businesses like to hire those with a military background. They like the self discipline and work ethic that the military instills. They like the fact that people with a military background, for the most part, respect their superiors. Maybe that could be twisted into something negative. Obviously some think so. Personally, I would guess that if you were interviewing a number of people for a job, the same people would top the list during the interview process whether you knew of the military background or not. Self discipline and work ethics are not as common in the general populace as they once were...even 20 years ago.
As someone who used to do a lot of hiring, I would agree. Having a military background, even a two year enlistment, is generally a plus. But like you said, at the end of the day the people at the top of the list didn't depend on whether or not they were in the military. Having a military background will get to perhaps additional consideration, but it hardly rises to the covet level. Most any disciplined work background or work record would get you the same consideration.
I agree with what your saying here but it's not exactly what I meant. My thinking is that if you interviewed 100 people and military was never mentioned at any time, chances are that a good % of those with a military background would make the cut just based on their ability to present themselves well. There are just so many things that our society is failing to instill in young people. The military, at the least, makes an attempt to instill some positive qualities. I think those qualities would show through in an interview process whether the background was actually mentioned or not.
And that's one of the reasons Landstar's dispatch system is as sane and straightforward as it is. When an agent calls to dispatch our truck, it is often the case that the very same agent is the one who set up the load and is working directly with the shipper. When it is a brokered load, the agent is working directly with the broker and few games will be played because the agent is wise to them.
It seems that when an agent puts a brokered load on our truck, the agent is well acquainted with and has a good business history with the broker in question.
If an issue develops during the load, we dont' call "dispatch." We call the agent who set up the load and is in direct contact with the shipper or broker.
There were many mis-cues and flare-ups with the centralized dispatch system we had at our former carrier. It was amazing to see them go away -- as if turned off with a switch -- when we came to Landstar.
The longer we are away from our former carrier, the more bizzare that dispatch system seems.
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When you are outside Landstar looking in, or inside Landstar and brand new, marketing yourself to agents seems like a big thing, and in one sense it is. It is something that is not necessary at carriers that have centralized dispatch. It is something new and different. It can be scary if you have never done something like that before. And there is no question that the better you are at it, the more your cause will be helped.
But what gets lost in that conversation is that most of your marketing work is done simply by doing your job; which at Landstar means that you are first and in all things safe. Then it means picking up, transporting and delivering your freight safely and on time. And it means communicating well and being professional with customers and agents (dispatch) through the load.
That's not all that different from what expediters do with all carriers. At Landstar, it's not like no one will call you with load offers if you do not market yourself. When a truck is needed and agents have none, they look on their computer screens to find one. If you have been reliable with that agent before, he or she will not hesitate to call you again. If you have never served that agent before, he or she will probably call you anyway because a truck is needed.
How do you market yourselves to agents at Landstar? You do your job and do it well. And that takes no additional time at all. Any additional marketing you do is icing on the cake and it can make a positive difference. But because it is new and different to new people, that part plays bigger in the minds of people looking at Landstar.
If you have anything going for you at all in the personality and professionalism department, marketing yourself to agents will come quite naturally as you work with and get to know them.
The easiest way to learn this skill is to simply ask the agents how they like to work with BCO's. Agents are individuals and agencies differ. Some like updates frequently, others don't want to hear from you unless something goes wrong. It's not unlike gaining a new set of in-laws. People are cautious and polite at first but after being together for a short time, people relax and make it work ... because they want to make it work. It is in their mutual interests to do so.
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For Landstar, there are no refusal guidelines and no penalties for refusing loads. There are, at Landstar Express America (the expedite division) a few small fleet owners that have a few trucks each, but I know of no special benefits that they receive.
If you called Landstar Express America headquarters and asked them what your refusal percentage was, they would not understand the question. They do not know how many load offers you receive and turn down.
Agents dispatch the freight, not dispatchers working out of a centralized office. Agents are spread out in independent offices nationwide. A load that one agent has will not be known about by others unless the agents posts it on a load board, and that seldom happens at Landstar Express America. Because loads are dispatched by telephone in a decentralized way, there is no way for a fleet owner to game the system or extract special benefits for one's self.
Things may be different in "big Landstar." By "big Landstar" I mean the other divisions that have larger agencies and many thousands of big trucks. I do not know enough about that to say one way or another how fleet owners work there. But at LEAM, there is no monkey business going on where large fleet owners are actively recruited and treated special.
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