Broker against Brokers

sounds like an antitrust lawsuit about to happen

This is inaccurate.

It is perfectly legal for one broker to take a load from another broker, as long as both parties are clearly operating as brokers.

It is not legal for a carrier (or a broker representing themselves as a carrier) to take a load from a broker and then pass that load on to another carrier or another broker.

Exactly, CARRIERS are the only ones with the ability to fix the rate problem. Don't blame the brokers, and dispatchers for the s***** rates. They are too busy fighting each other for customers to worry about your profitability, and if you don't know you're getting a load from a dispatcher, who got a load from a broker, that's on YOU. The ONLY solution to the problem is STOP taking loads you can't make a profit on, hold the shippers, recievers, brokers, and dispatchers accountable for accessorial costs like wash outs, and fule surcharges, don't allow one load to subsidize a low rate on another, and finally refuse to work for free. If someone refuses to pay detention, refuse to haul it. No one works for free, why should we be any different.

I know this will never happen, we're too divided and that's exactly the plan. It's way easier to conquer a divided population than a united one. Hell, you could put 20 people in a room with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on the table and half of the crowd would swear it's ham, and if you disagree you're a racist ham a phobe.🤦‍♂️

Ok, Carl let's go get some juice😎

The reason we would not shut down is because we have direct customers that we care about to much to leave them hanging. This summer, we have driven past more low paying loads than we have hauled good paying and have told brokers that we would do so. Believe me, when this turns around, and it always does, those who tried to cut a fat calf on the back of the carriers will be paying higher rates than the ones who offered a fair price year round! I have been in this business since 1987. 24 years as a driver and 13 years behind the desk and I can tell you with certainty that things will turn around!

I personally would like to go back to the days when there were not as many brokers out there! I would love to see the good ones celebrated and the poor ones shamed. I would also like to go back to a day when you did not have to have a broker license to post a load. We did not do it often, but if I had to many customer loads, I would put one out on the board. Not to make money on it but to make sure the needs of our customer's were met! If the load paid 2/cwt, we would take .05-.10/cwt to cover the cost of doing the paperwork. I realize there are some out there that did not pay their bills! We have been stung by them once or twice too, but not to often.

Hold your heads high, make sure your customers are taken care of and you will be just fine! Good luck and stay profitable!

Keith

The money is not in working for brokers. You need to establish yourself and your name with service and respect and actively seek the new opportunities you speak of. I know that I have a network of go to brokers for when I get into a certain areas. We also have direct customers that we make sure to take of. That is how you make it in this business, in my opinion? We have been around a long time and plan on being here for as long as we can.

So my advice is, do your research, ask questions and look around for direct shippers that will work with you to make your life easier!

No sweat Keith. Anyone that knows me has heard me say that if I were to write a book about Walk-Way Transport, I'd be on my 7th or 8th chapter. A good long chapter ended back in December. I got my authority in January 1996 and been mostly been a one man band. Historically my business with brokers is less than 10%. Almost 0 on the bulk side. I have rarely stepped away from a customer. Usually things just play out and you ride it to the end with an eye on the next move. For the short term, my equipment is paid for and I'm enjoying extra time at home and in the shop getting ready...

I like many brokers am bonded. My problem with being bonded is not the cost because it is a cost of doing business. My problem with being bonded is that the bond isn't worth the paper it is printed on. Bonding companies that issue broker bonds do not always cover Ag Commodities. Before you set up your bond, ask your agent what it covers. 99% of them will say it covers van reefer flatbed oversize and most other loads. When you get to the part about Ag Commodities, most will get really quiet and then say " Uhhhhh, what do ag commodities have to do with brokering truck freight.? " A broker bond doesn't cover that. "File on their bond" seems to be the rallying cry as a simple way to be sure you get paid from a less than honorable or less than legitimate broker. If only it were as simple as that. It is one way to attempt to get paid and it puts a black mark on the broker's reuputation but for the most part it is time wasted. Talk to your bondsman and see if your broker bond covers Ag Commodities. I don't know if the insurance side of Bulkloads offers bonding services but it would be interesting if that group of people could offer any advice or comment on bonding.

yea but it happens all the time and nothing is ever done about it.... so theres that