Best O/O companies???
Please could you advise which companies are best in each of your opinions - for pay and fair treatment - for owner ops with and without own trailer?
Thanks, Eva |
It depends on the type of freight you want to haul and whether you prefer a dispatcher or company that is agent based and you dispatch yourself. Some carriers are stronger in some areas of the country than others.
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I'm based outta Las Vegas, NV and want to run dry van no haz - longer the distance the better. Got a freighliner century 05, no trailer, own insurance and authority. Ideally want to do my own thing but need to be sure I'm gonna get paid.... Any advice you can give would be much appreciated. |
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How long have you had your own authority and how many loads have you hauled under it? Also, how long have you been driving.
I hear Swift pays pretty well, and on time. US Express has a pretty impressive o/o program as well. Might be worth checking into. |
I have just barely got my authority.
And yes, did have "semblance" of a business plan - which to cut to the chase fell through because the small carrier I was going to run with now tells me they haven't the loads to spare...oh well...hence I am shopping. |
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muszka,
Get your own trailer and find some shippers, try to stay off the load boards. |
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So then why do you avoid load boards? Are they not reliable? How about working with a freight broker? |
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There was a time when I would have suggested car haul outfits and, way before that, bed bugging.
Most of the gravy there has dried up. That's not meant an insult to anyone in those industries, but, if you're going into those areas blind, you're going to find out there's a big learning curve! This is what I've gathered from my own experience and from friends and acquaintances in the industry. There was a time when I would have suggested Mercer or Landstar, too. While those might not be terrible, they aren't what they used to be. With the price of fuel so high, most truckers are better off being company drivers. Even if you bought a cheap truck with a low or no payment, you've still got ridiculous expenses. Taxes (gives me a headache just typing it!), fuel, repairs, tires, maintenance, bills, bills, bills... Keep good records- don't assume you're making money just because you have good cash flow. It's what you KEEP that counts- not what you got paid. I wish you the BOL. |
If you go to a Owner/Operator based company you will be running under their authority and will have to park yours.
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Nothing wrong with using brokers if you know how much to ask for. Some of the brokers I have used have payed higher than some shippers. It all depends on who the vendor or buyer is and how badly they need a truck. It is all the same scenario. Loadboards are mostly useful for posting your truck and showing it available for the region you will be in. |
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Mn to NC. 2 loads picking up from the same place and delivering to the same place. The shipper's rate was 2.50 a mile and the broker's rate became 2.80per mile after a little negotiation. Why the difference? There were 3 different vendors competing for a truck. Guess who got the truck and load moved. :wink: |
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If you want to run your own authority, you just need to check out new brokers or shippers to make sure that you get paid. I don't give a broker or shipper credit unless they have good credit and have been in business for at least a year. I have done business with a broker who was in business for less than a year but I required him to pay me COD with a Com-check. Less than a year in business doesn't give much of a track record. This business is no different than any other when it comes to checking a customer's references before granting them credit. I ALWAYS check references and use my own resources. As long as you check them out you should be all right. |
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Yes and No. Some shippers pay more and some pay less. Some brokers will up the rate with their own money if they need to move a load badly enough to keep the customer happy. They usually make up for it on the other end though. :lol: |
Sometimes a shipper will attempt to get a cheaper rate from a carrier by bypassing the broker. The broker may go back to the shipper to get a higher rate when he can't move it at the cheaper price. I have seen instances where one pays more than the other under different circumstances. Keep in mind that the longer a load sits the higher the rate goes.
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