Getting my own authority....sick of this crap.

[in2trux]

(01-18-2017 )ashdan2010 Wrote:  What do you plan to haul when you get your own authority.van.reefer.flatbed? They all pay different and if you don't have a good relationship with a broker already. You will be hauling cheap freight and you can't make it out here hauling cheap freight. I've been doing this a long time and I have good months and bad months. You will go broke using load boards. You need to research and find small brokers they will pay more and also help you find back hauls. There is alot to having your own authority it's not as easy as some people may lead you to believe.

Preacherboy has a nice Wilson dropdeck if I remember right.

I agree with most of your reply, except going broke using load boards.
You have to start somewhere. There is a learning curve.

You've been doing this for a long time so the following is for everyone else's benefit.

Year one, CHR or JB will take most anyone as long as you have good insurance/MVR.
Don't avoid level 1 inspections, be ready. You're going to be on the hot list with DOT.
The more level 1 inspections you pass, the higher your SMS score.
Don't sweat the no point minor dings. NOBODY is perfect, if you are, hear me JESUS!

Don't model your business around them, use them the same way they use you! Branch out and focus on what you want to do and where you want to run. If anyone thinks their dispatcher at the carrier they're leased on to isn't using load boards, reality check! THEY ALL USE THEM! There is no such thing as a "back haul". It's all revenue miles. It's called the spot market.
Supply and demand. Friday can be your friend or enemy. Empty, looking for a load with 200 other trucks and clueless dispatchers? Tuesday through Thursday are the money making days,
don't tie yourself up with junk loads. $100/ hour target is attainable if you're tuned in.
Think about it, If they had to buy a truck, put a driver on, pay workman's comp, SSI, Capitalize the equipment, repairs and maintenance, staffing and logistics. ROI, AND a profit margin?
What is that worth? Answer, what someone is willing to do it for. Unfortunately, too many going down the road without a clue.
JUST SAY NO TO CHEAP FREIGHT! Ask the questions, "sorry, that doesn't work for me, I'll pass. Thank You, Goodbye".

Subscribe to DAT, Members Edge. Study the data for your lane and push for midrange average to start. Timing is everything. Know your bottom line and profit margin. Your going to have to take some crap once in a while, how much is up to you.

What works for us is just that, it works for us in our lanes. NJ,NY,PA,DE,MD,VA

There are allot of loads that never see the board. When you run the same lanes you will see those loads pop up from time to time for different reasons. Even the guys with the inside track run into problems covering the load, breakdown, additional loads, family emergency, complacency.

The biggest factor I can think of is the lanes you run, available loads and trucks available.
Anybody setting off on their own needs to do a carrier set up with each broker.

Many brokers have their own boards. The minute you allow one broker to be too dominate in your revenue they will start beating you down on the rate. That is why we dumped dedicated,
they start thinking they are doing you a favor and have too much control on your revenue.

We are mercenary, totally freelance. We play the ace in the hole, by that I mean the broker knows they can count on us to get it done. They like that! No news is good news, don't harass me! Some of them get it, others don't have a clue, learn how to feel them out.

Don't be a dick, it's business and a contract, nothing personal. Words mean things and unless it's in writing it means nothing in court. You are a businessman first!

When you have them by the balls, don' give them a BJ! Make them pay!
I have no problem charging $10/mile for a hot dry van load! That's inside baseball.

When you call on a load, ask all the questions! The first price they throw at you is low ball.
If you cant book it for 15 -20% more you're selling yourself short. Learn how to negotiate,
once you accept the confirmation, that's it! READ IT! IT IS A LEGAL CONTRACT. Deliver or spend lots of unproductive time fighting and arguing over it. You will lose one way or another.

Load planning is everything! Shippers will always take more time than you planned, receivers will jerk you around at every opportunity, leave plenty of time between loads. Get detention time in writing, before you need it! FOOD is a four letter word.

The mega carriers have "load planners", most of them are clueless and have never done the job. Use what you know from your years of experience and beat them over and about the head. The only loads we will discount the rate are the ones that get us in and out in 1 hour, even then it has to be in our range. Pay attention to the beginning and end of the quarters. Jan1 - Mar31st -Jun 31, Sept.30. and the business day a load ships and delivers. Corporate America lives and dies by quarterly numbers to stay in budget. Corporate lackey's bonuses depend on doing things on time, use it to your advantage.

If the customer is pushing for the cheapest truck, that's what they're going to get. Know your costs, make your bid and move on. I can't tell you how many times we get a call back within the hour accepting our bid. You have to be firm, they can smell weakness.
You really have to dial into your lane and be able to read the tea leafs..

We are set up with 12+ brokers with good,consistent records of paying but tend to work with 2 or 3 and rotate through them. Follow the MONEY! Never let them think they own you!

60k miles last year, home almost ever night, maybe 1-2 nights layover because of HOS, $155k.
Not setting the world on fire but not running stupid miles, but plenty of downtime to do PM, paperwork and have a life. That's what it's all about isn't it?