Is it worth joining an LTL/Partials loadboard?

[BHXpress]

We are an expedite carrier. We have 10 vans and sometimes get stuck in the West for days at a time. I was thinking about signing up on regular truck loadboards and trying to find partials that can fit our Sprinter vans. Is it worth the cost, time, and hassle? Your thoughts please?!

 

[RoadTime]

Not an uncommon problem out west. There are some truck load sites that offer a free trial. Try them out. My experience with them is that sprinter type loads were very few and far between, even in major cities.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

I think that would be a question only you could answer.....your costs, your effort...and measure against any success...

One of my Canadian Carriers used to try and find us LTL so we could get back to the border....at least it saved our expedite money and paid the CPM to get home....VS sitting for weeks on end in the US away from home at an undetermined cost to sit...for Can. only loads...

 

[tknight]

My trials with load boards have been useless few if any loads even for a st8 truck and the rates offered were crap

 

[OntarioVanMan]

My trials with load boards have been useless few if any loads even for a st8 truck and the rates offered were crap

Crap if even expecting Expedite rates...we were getting like $120 - $135 a shipment back to Canada ...which for a CV covered the CPM....sometimes we'd get 2 shipments....Gravy!! LOL

Premium would an expedite load that delivers Monday with an LTL as bonus bucks...

some of them loads from the border and CA is exactly what a shipper/broker is shopping for...

 

[rollincoal]

LTL from load boards is so hit and miss. A lot of these brokers do a very poor job finding out correct dimensions. That'll be a big problem for you. Even more so with smaller trucks. I don't know of any LTL specific load boards. I would recommend trying out Internet Truck Stop load board searching "P" loads (partial). If you haven't already get in with the Flint CHR branch but those folks also are sporadic, all over the place, and have a list a mile long of expedited carriers you will always be bidding against. There may be another branch office of CHR that deals with largely LTL but I'be never found them. I think most of the branch offices just deal with LTL as a customer may have a need, which would be rarely. CHR load board is free BTW you just need to be set up with them and have the T# they assign your carrier handy when trying to book loads. And again LTL will be very hit and miss on there as with anywhere else.

 

[rollincoal]

One other thing to point out - more of TT issue with "LTL". If you don't have the leeway of a week or two on delivery time with an "LTL" then it is a truckload not LTL. In other words if they are telling you they have a 500 lb pallet 48×48×48" that picks up anytime today and must deliver tomorrow, no later, that is truckload NOT LTL. The point of LTL is you have time to put several together with a larger truck. Now obviously as a straight or a van you are going to run that straight thru ASAP but you get my point. Probably with a lot of these partials anyways it will pay close to going van rates $1 a mile anyways. Sometimes less, sometimes more. Just depends.

 

[BHXpress]

I appreciate everyone's response.

 

[crich]

Are you a real carrier or one of them sylectus subscribers with 3 vans and ten trucks posted? if you do have 10 trucks running and you carry a workmans comp policy and carry insurance on 10 trucks you should try freightquote if your not already.

 

[BHXpress]

Are you a real carrier or one of them sylectus subscribers with 3 vans and ten trucks posted? if you do have 10 trucks running and you carry a workmans comp policy and carry insurance on 10 trucks you should try freightquote if your not already.

I will look into it. Thank you. We have 10 Sprinters. No trucks.

 

[BHXpress]

LTL from load boards is so hit and miss. A lot of these brokers do a very poor job finding out correct dimensions. That'll be a big problem for you. Even more so with smaller trucks. I don't know of any LTL specific load boards. I would recommend trying out Internet Truck Stop load board searching "P" loads (partial). If you haven't already get in with the Flint CHR branch but those folks also are sporadic, all over the place, and have a list a mile long of expedited carriers you will always be bidding against. There may be another branch office of CHR that deals with largely LTL but I'be never found them. I think most of the branch offices just deal with LTL as a customer may have a need, which would be rarely. CHR load board is free BTW you just need to be set up with them and have the T# they assign your carrier handy when trying to book loads. And again LTL will be very hit and miss on there as with anywhere else.

Thank you for solid info. Greatly appreciate it.

 

[davekc]

We are an expedite carrier. We have 10 vans and sometimes get stuck in the West for days at a time. I was thinking about signing up on regular truck loadboards and trying to find partials that can fit our Sprinter vans. Is it worth the cost, time, and hassle? Your thoughts please?!

It is possible, but as mentioned, it will be restrictive doing just vans. If you go down that path, you would be better served over time to work with just certain brokers. There is always UShip but I think you will find that pretty challenging. Don't know of anyone where that was a successful path.