Truck Driving Jobs

charged · #1 08-02-2008, 11:26 PM

After a few weeks of running loads by a load planner and paying 5% for it my dad is starting this week doing it himself off the load boards.

Here is a question for you guys that do that.

He found a couple decent paying loads to MO. He called both. He left a message with one and the other, landstar, tenatively set up to take their load. The first called back a minute after he was off the phone from landstar. It payed better so he committed to it. He called the landstar agent back and he told her he found something else. She said she was going to put a black mark on his record. She told him three marks and he wouldn't be able to haul landstar stuff.

There was no faxed rate confirmation or anything.

Is this true about the black marks?

What do you guys do in this situation? Take the verbally committed to load? Take the better load?

Walking Eagle · #2 08-03-2008, 01:10 AM

Agent was p'sed cuz she lost a load that was probably double brokerd anyway. Landstar doesn't have a 3 strikes and your out policy, if they did I would not have hauled a load for them for several years

Just tell the agent "I am still looking till I get a load confirmation and I sign and send it back"

GMAN · #3 08-03-2008, 05:17 AM

When I commit to a load I do it. I don't need to sign a contract to be committed to the load. When I give my word I keep it. If you want others to keep their word to you then you must decide that you are going to keep your word. It sometimes takes a little while to get all the paperwork back. I have taken loads before and shortly after been offered something that paid more. I took the original load that I committed to do because I gave my word. If the load didn't pay enough then he should not have committed to doing it in the first place. There are a few brokers with whom I have done business that will book a load with me without having the paperwork signed and faxed. There are also a few brokers that I will pick up a load without first having a written confirmation from them. I know these brokers will keep their word and they know that when I commit to a load that they can count on me to do the load as agreed. I WON'T do this for most brokers or someone with whom I don't know. You need to allow the broker a fair amount of time to get the paperwork to you. Most will fax or email the confirmation to you within a few minutes.

I have had a couple of brokers tell me that they will not load certain carriers due to them dropping off or cancelling the load after committing to do it. I would feel the same way. Each load is a negotiation.

NotSteve · #4 08-03-2008, 05:50 AM

I agree also. My word is as good as a signed contract. I've hauled many loads for Landstar and TQL with the same broker and there's no phone calls back and forth and no worrying on either end if this is really a go. Same thing with the check calls, there aren't any.

coastie · #5 08-03-2008, 06:28 AM

A man is only as good as his word..

BigDiesel · #6 08-03-2008, 09:24 AM

Geezus......

It is obvious that " Charged's " daddy needs his hand held....

no_worries · #7 08-03-2008, 07:32 PM

Gotta agree with the consensus...if you say you'll do a load, do it.

Hey BigD, didn't realize you were such a big Price is Right fan :lol:

charged · #8 08-03-2008, 07:35 PM

Thanks. He said next time he commits to a load he said he would do it. I think his mistake was committing to a load. Next time he'll just say, "I'll think about it."

I took a week off work and am driving with him today until Friday. He signed up for an account as eagleone so as soon as that is activated he can ask questions for himself. :lol:

Walking Eagle · #9 08-03-2008, 09:12 PM

How many times have you told an agent you will do a load and get "Ok, let me call the shipper and I'll call you right back" Wait an hour or so then you call back and they say "Oh, was just going to call you. The shipper just got back to me and isn't ready to ship it today" Ahhhhh Hmmmmmm does that mean double brokered ? The broker you called had to call the other broker and found they had already given away the load. 90% of the brokers out there don't have their own freight they just suck off the ones who do so you are getting hit double or triple or even four times..

GMAN · #10 08-04-2008, 03:14 AM

It doesn't matter what some brokers may do. I can only control what I do. If a broker lies to me then that will be the last time I do business with them. What someone else does has nothing to do with whether or not I keep my word. If you give your word it should mean something. If you don't plan on keeping your word, then don't give it.