Well I made it out

[merrick4]

Thanks GMAN, I always appreciate your comments. Actually I don't like being dispatched like this cause just naturally I like being in control of my own affairs. It's kind of a long story but I have a lot of respect for this guy. You know if it doesn't work out that's ok and it's ok with him too. He's told me from day one that I don't have to listen to him.

You know I was talking to some guy at the dock where he was picking up watermelons to take to New York. He starts telling me the money he's making which was a lot more than I was making. Funny thing is he commented how nice my equipment was, I mean he was looking at it like "wow". His was all torn up which doesn't mean anything, but he was also running with tags that weren't even apportioned. I mean how are you making all of this money and you can't pay for your tags. He did say he usually just runs local but nonetheless, I mean I wouldn't dream of running around without the proper tags.

That's why I am posting my numbers here. I'm going to put what I make. If I make great money (and I hope I get to that point) then I will be posting that here too and not as in "look what I'm making" but more or less, "I'm making this and this is how I go about getting it". Right now I'm not making great money (and again it's only been a week) and people are commenting and helping and advising how I should be getting it, and really not just for me but for everyone else out there. In the end this thread is not about me really.

One final thought GMAN, I did sign up for the CH Robinson board and am just waiting for my password to get finalized. Are they known to be purveyors of cheap freight? I plan on reading their SEC financials to see what I can glean from that. I'd like to know their profit margins.

[merrick4]

ok. The comment that I'm about to make is for the purpose of others saying what they think of the comment. That's all. Not claiming anything else..

I'm not sure what you mean? Honestly, and please don't take this wrong, you are right that I am second guessing everything, but I don't want to get too hung up on this. What I mean is I hope I am not coming across as these posts are how is this dispatcher doing?, I mean I don't know enough to comment on what this guy is doing. In the end I will in fact be on my own. What I am looking for here is things that I wouldn't think to point out. Things like watermelons are special for such and such reason and you should be getting this. That's just an example. There is a lot of knowledge on this board and I am just trying to get some of it. Also there are many who want to become O/O and I'm just detailing my experiences thus far so people can see what's out here. Of course Steve and Tootie and others do that too and it's been very helpful to many including myself, so I'm more or less doing the same.

I do appreciate the fact that you feel that I could do this on my own, but it's kind of a long story why I am now with this guy. There is more to it but like I said it won't be forever. He's selling the business soon anyway.

Anyway, please keep the comments coming, not to sound like a broken record but I do appreciate all comments.

I would like to add, you know I see in this business that there is the possibility that it may look like one is making a lot of money. I mean I billed in 8 days about $6,000 but expenses are high. There are a lot here who know that that $6000 is or isn't good money and the reasons why.

Also, I am running reefer, I would like to get a discussion going of the freight lanes for produce. For example I had no idea watermelons came out of Delaware. I can look on a load board and see such and such load going to some state for this amount of money. But of course that's not the whole picture. What happens when I get there? Produce is a seasonal thing obviously but if you asked me before today where do watermelons come from I would have said Publix, or Shaws or Food Lion or whatever the supermarket is called in everyone's area. As a consumer who cares where the stuff comes from but as a business person, well that's another story.

[geomon]

Merrick...how low in temp will your reefer go? Can you do frozen or deep frozen? Wondering if you plan to stick to produce or if you might "chill out more"

[merrick4]

Merrick...how low in temp will your reefer go? Can you do frozen or deep frozen? Wondering if you plan to stick to produce or if you might "chill out more"

It's a brand new Carrier unit so I'm sure it can do everything it needs too. I have the manual but between the APU manual, the truck manual I haven't gotten to the reefer one yet.

As to whether I stick to produce, well I am new so I am not set in any one thing. I have heard that produce is good paying. Besides people are never going to stop eating. I mean maybe I'm just ignorant as I'm talking off the top of my head, but we are a service based economy now. So what does that mean to the transportation industry? People are always going to eat and they predict a sharp rise in the population of this country in the next 30 years. I have also read that with the sharp rise they will need to do a lot of infrasture work to accomodate this need so flatbedding, especially hauling heavy equipment might do well. I've read hauling office furniture for this service economy will be a good niche. Again just talking off the top of my head.(Actually read about the office furniture over on the O/O forum at OOIDA)

What are some type of loads that require deep frozen? Always open to new sources of revenue.

[Sonny Pruitt]

Some advice

buy a lojack for your new unit

or paint your name on top in big letters on top of your truck

[merrick4]

Some advice

buy a lojack for your new unit

or paint your name on top in big letters on top of your truck

Already have the pamphlet, and the big letters do you mean trailer? Truck has markings as per regulations.

[GMAN]

One final thought GMAN, I did sign up for the CH Robinson board and am just waiting for my password to get finalized. Are they known to be purveyors of cheap freight? I plan on reading their SEC financials to see what I can glean from that. I'd like to know their profit margins.

Merrick, CH Robinson does have a reputation for only having cheap freight. However, I have hauled freight for $3/mile for them. I have also been offered freight as low as about $1.50/mile. They can pay well, depending on how badly they need to move the load and where it is located. I have met those who only haul CH Robinson freight and seem to be happy. They have a section for "hot loads" you can access when you get your password. You can post or check loads in a particular area. I don't rely totally on any broker. I don't haul a lot of loads for them. They seem to have more van and reefer loads than flat bed or step deck freight. You need to understand how CR Robinson and some other large brokers work. They commit to a certain number of loads per day or week for a specified amount of money. The less they can pay a carrier to move a load, the more money they make. If they don't move it for the lower rate, they will raise it until it moves. That is why you need good negotiating skills. I have turned loads down only to have the broker call later to pay what I asked. They are not going to pay me $3/mile to take a load someone else will take for $1.30/mile. Some brokers operate on a flat percentage off the top for all of their loads.

I am not suggesting you only rely on a single broker. Some have been able to make that work, but most find it next to impossible. I think you can make something like that work more for a van or reefer than a flat or step deck.

You need to consider subscribing to one or more load boards. Getloaded.com and internettruckstop.com are two that I subscribe and have done well with them. I pay $25/month for one and $35/month for the other. There are some private boards, such as Landstar, Jones, Schneider, etc., which don't cost anything if you are set up with them. Schneider has a lot of van freight that they broker.

It doesn't take much time to post your truck on several load boards. Once you get a load booked and know when you will be in a certain area, you simply post your truck where you will be with the date you expect to be unloaded. I would caution you about booking too far out in advance. Things happen which can delay you and there is always a possibility someone will want to use your truck more than you want to haul their load. In other words, you don't want to book a load only to find out later that you could have gotten a much better paying load had you not committed on the cheaper load.

I am not sure how much you can really learn from reading CHR's financials. They could have shippers whom they work on a flat percentage. Besides, there are a number of ways in which to hide the numbers. Some brokers who commit to move a certain number of loads for a shipper also have a penalty clause in their contracts should they fail to move a minimum number of loads within a certain time frame. That is another reason a broker may be willing to pay more to move a load. It is cheaper to pay the truck more than the penalty with the shipper.

When all is said and done, it doesn't really matter what the broker makes as long as you get what you want or need. You should know your cost of doing business. You should have a target and minimum haul rate. Sometimes it is better to deadhead out of an area rather than hauling a cheap load. It can sometimes be better to sit for a day or two for a good paying load. I will usually not sit for more than a day unless I have some assurances that I will get a good paying load the next day or if I am putting a load together.

[Graymist]

One final thought GMAN, I did sign up for the CH Robinson board and am just waiting for my password to get finalized. Are they known to be purveyors of cheap freight? I plan on reading their SEC financials to see what I can glean from that. I'd like to know their profit margins.

Merrick, CH Robinson does have a reputation for only having cheap freight. However, I have hauled freight for $3/mile for them. I have also been offered freight as low as about $1.50/mile. They can pay well, depending on how badly they need to move the load and where it is located. I have met those who only haul CH Robinson freight and seem to be happy. They have a section for "hot loads" you can access when you get your password. You can post or check loads in a particular area. I don't rely totally on any broker. I don't haul a lot of loads for them. They seem to have more van and reefer loads than flat bed or step deck freight. You need to understand how CR Robinson and some other large brokers work. They commit to a certain number of loads per day or week for a specified amount of money. The less they can pay a carrier to move a load, the more money they make. If they don't move it for the lower rate, they will raise it until it moves. That is why you need good negotiating skills. I have turned loads down only to have the broker call later to pay what I asked. They are not going to pay me $3/mile to take a load someone else will take for $1.30/mile. Some brokers operate on a flat percentage off the top for all of their loads.

I am not suggesting you only rely on a single broker. Some have been able to make that work, but most find it next to impossible. I think you can make something like that work more for a van or reefer than a flat or step deck.

You need to consider subscribing to one or more load boards. Getloaded.com and internettruckstop.com are two that I subscribe and have done well with them. I pay $25/month for one and $35/month for the other. There are some private boards, such as Landstar, Jones, Schneider, etc., which don't cost anything if you are set up with them. Schneider has a lot of van freight that they broker.

It doesn't take much time to post your truck on several load boards. Once you get a load booked and know when you will be in a certain area, you simply post your truck where you will be with the date you expect to be unloaded. I would caution you about booking too far out in advance. Things happen which can delay you and there is always a possibility someone will want to use your truck more than you want to haul their load. In other words, you don't want to book a load only to find out later that you could have gotten a much better paying load had you not committed on the cheaper load.

I am not sure how much you can really learn from reading CHR's financials. They could have shippers whom they work on a flat percentage. Besides, there are a number of ways in which to hide the numbers. Some brokers who commit to move a certain number of loads for a shipper also have a penalty clause in their contracts should they fail to move a minimum number of loads within a certain time frame. That is another reason a broker may be willing to pay more to move a load. It is cheaper to pay the truck more than the penalty with the shipper.

When all is said and done, it doesn't really matter what the broker makes as long as you get what you want or need. You should know your cost of doing business. You should have a target and minimum haul rate. Sometimes it is better to deadhead out of an area rather than hauling a cheap load. It can sometimes be better to sit for a day or two for a good paying load. I will usually not sit for more than a day unless I have some assurances that I will get a good paying load the next day or if I am putting a load together.

Do these loadboards list tanker loads as well ? How does an o/o with his own authority get to haul bulk loads ?

[solo379]

buy a lojack for your new unit

That's what I've got on mine;-

http://www.neverstolen.com/

[Sonny Pruitt]

On top of your trailer put some kind of big ID with paint

Or a lojac for the reefer unit

thieves love reefers

and reefer trailers

only 4 bolts hold the unit to the trailer

[merrick4]

One final thought GMAN, I did sign up for the CH Robinson board and am just waiting for my password to get finalized. Are they known to be purveyors of cheap freight? I plan on reading their SEC financials to see what I can glean from that. I'd like to know their profit margins.

Merrick, CH Robinson does have a reputation for only having cheap freight. However, I have hauled freight for $3/mile for them. I have also been offered freight as low as about $1.50/mile. They can pay well, depending on how badly they need to move the load and where it is located. I have met those who only haul CH Robinson freight and seem to be happy. They have a section for "hot loads" you can access when you get your password. You can post or check loads in a particular area. I don't rely totally on any broker. I don't haul a lot of loads for them. They seem to have more van and reefer loads than flat bed or step deck freight. You need to understand how CR Robinson and some other large brokers work. They commit to a certain number of loads per day or week for a specified amount of money. The less they can pay a carrier to move a load, the more money they make. If they don't move it for the lower rate, they will raise it until it moves. That is why you need good negotiating skills. I have turned loads down only to have the broker call later to pay what I asked. They are not going to pay me $3/mile to take a load someone else will take for $1.30/mile. Some brokers operate on a flat percentage off the top for all of their loads.

I am not suggesting you only rely on a single broker. Some have been able to make that work, but most find it next to impossible. I think you can make something like that work more for a van or reefer than a flat or step deck.

You need to consider subscribing to one or more load boards. Getloaded.com and internettruckstop.com are two that I subscribe and have done well with them. I pay $25/month for one and $35/month for the other. There are some private boards, such as Landstar, Jones, Schneider, etc., which don't cost anything if you are set up with them. Schneider has a lot of van freight that they broker.

It doesn't take much time to post your truck on several load boards. Once you get a load booked and know when you will be in a certain area, you simply post your truck where you will be with the date you expect to be unloaded. I would caution you about booking too far out in advance. Things happen which can delay you and there is always a possibility someone will want to use your truck more than you want to haul their load. In other words, you don't want to book a load only to find out later that you could have gotten a much better paying load had you not committed on the cheaper load.

I am not sure how much you can really learn from reading CHR's financials. They could have shippers whom they work on a flat percentage. Besides, there are a number of ways in which to hide the numbers. Some brokers who commit to move a certain number of loads for a shipper also have a penalty clause in their contracts should they fail to move a minimum number of loads within a certain time frame. That is another reason a broker may be willing to pay more to move a load. It is cheaper to pay the truck more than the penalty with the shipper.

When all is said and done, it doesn't really matter what the broker makes as long as you get what you want or need. You should know your cost of doing business. You should have a target and minimum haul rate. Sometimes it is better to deadhead out of an area rather than hauling a cheap load. It can sometimes be better to sit for a day or two for a good paying load. I will usually not sit for more than a day unless I have some assurances that I will get a good paying load the next day or if I am putting a load together.

This one post is what it's all about. This is exactly what I'm looking for. I would have never thought about that it might be cheaper to pay the truck then pay the penalty. I want to learn the system. Anyone can buy a truck and set up one's authority. I want to learn the system. Great advice GMAN, I really appreciate it.

Well I went to get the watermelons this morning and the load was cancelled. I got to talking with them in there (I'm always talking with people, my wife says I should have been a radio dj, as a matter of fact right after this I went to McDonalds to get my daily iced coffee and got to talking with the woman cleaning the counters and in the end I ended up translating the other girl who worked there her request to the manager to go home cause she felt sick [as mentioned before I speak spanish, though I'm not spanish]) and he tells me I should be getting truck ordered not used pay.

I did sign up for getloaded already to start watching things. Internet truck stop must be the one that someone mentioned above but they put ITS. I was googling ITS and couldn't find it so that's why I guess.

I called my friend this morning to let him know about the load. I feel like there is some slack between the kingpin and the 5th wheel and I wasn't sure how to handle that. He said the 5th wheel might need to be adjusted or replaced, but that I should call the salesman I bought the truck from.

GMAN, what do you do when you post your truck? I mean how much of a concern for you is it not being paid? I know I read from Steve that I can check their MC# and of course go over to OOIDA and check the Check's in the mail thing they have. Are you very select in the brokers you accept work from?

I really don't want to haul cheap freight either. It's like you said, a broker isn't going to pay $2.00 if someone will do it for $1.30. And to be honest I know that there is always going to be someone to haul if for cheap, but I do have my principals and I never lived by "well someone else is going to do it, why not me".

It's like working for a company, I was making good money driving local. A lot of hours but I had it real good. Well they started hiring temps so they could cut back on our overtime. I refused to train the temp, they want to take money out of my pocket I wasn't about to help. Well they came back with "Everyone else is doing it" and it was true everyone else was doing it. But I wasn't going to and I don't care what everyone else did. Everyman has to do what they feel comfortable with so I didin't judge my co-workers I just wasn't going to do it myself.

The point of all this is I put myself in a position that my bills will always be paid, I won't be hauling cheap frieght so I don't lose my truck. Sometimes I think this is a reason I will never be a goodbusiness man. I think most business men, successful ones at least need to be a bit unscrupulous; cutthroat even.

Sorry the iced coffee is kicking in again. Besides that I like to type.

[merrick4]

On top of your trailer put some kind of big ID with paint

Or a lojac for the reefer unit

thieves love reefers

and reefer trailers

only 4 bolts hold the unit to the trailer

The guy who did my lettering offered to do my trailer too for $400 more. I didn't want the added expense but I do think it will be more of a necesity than a luxury. The guy that was admiring my trailer yesterday did ask where I was going to be staying last night and right there alarms went off in my head.

Actually cause I've been running non stop for the last couple of days and ending up not near a truck stop, I couldn't live with myself anymore. I mean babywipes only cut it so far so I got a room last night. In 6 months with the company I only did that once as I always had ample time to stop. So I parked the truck and put a gladhand lock on too. I have a kingpin lock but obviously the truck is connected to the trailer.

You know when I was asking the salesman about the lojack, (Freightliner salesman) he made some comment like a lot of people don't want them cause they want their stuff stolen. You have to remember that this is Miami and a lot of people are driving beat up stuff. Remember South Florida is really North South America in a lot of aspects.

[pepe4158]

Even if there's not a big blue mailbox, the truckstop still has outgoing mail. They usually have a basket behind the fuel desk. Just ask and they'll drop your mail into it.

Yeah but you need a good supply of mannila envelopes tho lol...n I like to do priorty mail sometimes lol

[Sonny Pruitt]

I prefer frozen
btw Walmart is over the top picky on their refridgeratred recieving

I try to avoid them
They won't take you early and they take too long to check in
and they check and they check.........

If you want to survive you must find some frozen brokers ASAP
so they can know and rely on you
so you can work all winter
then in the winter
plan your summer work
you can definately book your own reefer loads using getloaded and ITS

Go home and sign up with
TQL
Allen Lund
Sargent
Trinity
CHR
RMX
RFX
HM Bay
it will probably take you all day to do this
These are some of the basic frozen brokers
If you want to run your ltl butt off and make $$$$$$$$$$$$$
kiss H/M bays butt

your friend did good getting you in and out of Laurel
but the load board are full of Laurel loads right now
so there must be a good rate down there

note to self
Laurel del,
Melon loads end of July

[GMAN]

GMAN, what do you do when you post your truck? I mean how much of a concern for you is it not being paid? I know I read from Steve that I can check their MC# and of course go over to OOIDA and check the Check's in the mail thing they have. Are you very select in the brokers you accept work from?

Merrick, I never do business with a new broker unless I check them out first. There are times when I will ask for their MC# and address so that I can check them out before I even start to negotiate with them. I want to know that I will get my money. If everything checks out and we agree on terms and rates, then I take the load. It is worth taking the extra time to check them out. If a broker has marginal or poor credit, then I usually won't do business with them. There have been a couple of times when I have taken a marginal load, but got my money before I allowed the truck to be unloaded. I usually won't hassle with it if they have bad credit. Brokers want to check a carrier out, but it is only good business to make sure the broker is legitimate and pays their bills.

And I don't think successful business people need to be cutthroat or unscrupulous to be successful. Those people may appear to be doing well for a while, but sooner or later their behavior catches up with them. Remember Enron? Truly successful people deal with others honestly and above board. We pick on brokers a lot, but there are a lot of dishonest truckers around. Some will commit to a load and cancel at the last minute or not show up at all. They will commit to the load, find something which pays more and cancel the previous load. That is not an honest way in which to deal with people. On the other hand, there are brokers who will give a load to a owner operator or carrier, then turn around and give it to one of their regular runners or someone who will do the load for less money.

[Bigmon]

I do want to ask a queston, how do you send your bills out? I don't see any mailboxes at these truck stops?[/quote]----yeah pain in the butt, I find a post office in the dinky towns, that I can park close to, always ask anywhere i can park that monster close enough to walk over :-p
p[/quote]

The Post Office has a program where you can schedule the mailman or woman to come to you. I don't have all the details, but USPS.com has the info.

Hotels and office buildings normally have mail drops too.

[merrick4]

I prefer frozen
btw Walmart is over the top picky on their refridgeratred recieving

I try to avoid them
They won't take you early and they take too long to check in
and they check and they check.........

If you want to survive you must find some frozen brokers ASAP
so they can know and rely on you
so you can work all winter
then in the winter
plan your summer work
you can definately book your own reefer loads using getloaded and ITS

Go home and sign up with
TQL
Allen Lund
Sargent
Trinity
CHR
RMX
RFX
HM Bay
it will probably take you all day to do this
These are some of the basic frozen brokers
If you want to run your ltl butt off and make $$$$$$$$$$$$$
kiss H/M bays butt

your friend did good getting you in and out of Laurel
but the load board are full of Laurel loads right now
so there must be a good rate down there

note to self
Laurel del,
Melon loads end of July

Thank you very much Sonny. One quick question though, when I sign up with these people, do they each have their own load boards like CH Robinson or do they post them on getloaded etc?

Thanks again I really appreciate it.

[merrick4]

[quote="GMAN"]

Merrick, I never do business with a new broker unless I check them out first. quote]

Gman when you say check them out, what do you mean. I mean besides the obvious of looking up their MC#. I do you check their credit worthiness?

C.H. Robinson has there own load board but they still post all there loads on the general load boards.

You can mail out your invoice at most truck stops. They usually have a mail box outside or close by. If not, they usually have a bin behind the counter for outgoing mail.

As far as credit checks go, you can pretty much see on the load boards what there rating is and days to pay. When you get there carrier package and rate agreement you should make sure the phone and fax number match up to the real company on the FMCSA site.

As far as pulling a credit report or Dun and Bradstreet report, that's not needed and I doubt that anyone on here does that at $29.95 a pop. From what I've read and seen first hand a broker goes out with a bang. One second they have an A+ rating then for 2 months they don't pay and go out the door with $50,000+ in no pays.

[Sonny Pruitt]

No they do not have their own load boards

But they have a lot of freight on GL/ITS etc

you will see them over and over on the boards

and you will save time by signing with them now.

btw you don't have to check the ones I gave you

write them down because I will be deleting them in a few days