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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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 ?

 

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

http://www.neverstolen.com/

 

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