FDCC, Panther, Tri State/Just Brokers!

ds1450 · Feb 12, 2009

I really enjoy this site. I read more than post, but another post about another carrier, blah, blah.

As I used to tell my drivers. They are just brokers. That's it. Nothing more or less. If you need a baby sitter, find something else to do. There are good brokers and better brokers. When I started in this business 6 years ago, I went through Panther orientation. It was very good and after a few weeks, I had the system down. Other than the occasional flare up with a dispatcher, I never felt the broker owed me anything than what I negotiated in the first place.

I have been with FDCC for a few years now and the same is true. Sure, they all get a little ****y when you turn down a load that really needs to covered that's paying squat, but hey, it's my decision and as long as I was polite enough, we moved on to the next load offer.

If you have been sitting for 3 weeks... MOVE. It's your business whether you drive for someone or not. It is always your responsibility to make the most of what ever situation you agreed to(or got yourself) into.

Remember.. they are just brokers. If you do not like the broker you are working with, move to another. Just my 2 cents...

TeamCaffee · Feb 12, 2009

Very good post!

Lawrence · Feb 12, 2009

Simple but ... true.

OntarioVanMan · Feb 12, 2009

And that is the way it is Thursday Feb 12 2009!!

Great post!

Mike99 · Feb 12, 2009

Good post.Except TriState.How can a broker put you in 8 hours refusal status?

chefdennis · Feb 12, 2009

mike99 wrote:

Good post.Except TriState.How can a broker put you in 8 hours refusal status?

He just decides not to call you with a freight offer for 8 hours, he calls someone else...well unless you are the only unit available and he needs your services, then he will call, the same way Tri state does.............

A very good and to the point post, and a fact that alot here keep trying to make when they say "you are not an EMPLOYEE".....of the carriers....

OntarioVanMan · Feb 12, 2009

Mike99 said:
Good post.Except TriState.How can a broker put you in 8 hours refusal status?

That refusal rule...could be challenged by the IRS...it crosses that very thin line of employee and employer...To discipline a truck for refusing ....makes them the boss...and you the employee...Tristate is on very thin ice should someone stand up to this behavior.

fastrod · Feb 12, 2009

ds1450 said:
If you have been sitting for 3 weeks... MOVE. It's your business whether you drive for someone or not. It is always your responsibility to make the most of what ever situation you agreed to(or got yourself) into.

Remember.. they are just brokers. If you do not like the broker you are working with, move to another. Just my 2 cents...

If they are just brokers then why would you move and waste money, just call another broker and see if they have anything. If they do not then call a third broker or maybe a forth till you find freight moving from where your at. It should not take more than half a day to contact a bunch of brokers should it? After all there are just brokers, right and you have your own operating authority dont you.

soxydun · Feb 12, 2009

Mike99 said:
Good post.Except TriState.How can a broker put you in 8 hours refusal status?

Most all of these companies advertise "No forced dispatch," but in fact, if you turn loads down, you are dinged with a refusal. An 8 hr. refusal status would be a serious breach of policy in my book.

Panther will ding you with a refusal for your percentages, unless you are on home time, below your rate or more than 8 hrs out from pick-up. It is a fine line, to be sure.

Roadpig · Feb 12, 2009

OntarioVanMan said:
That refusal rule...could be challenged by the IRS...it crosses that very thin line of employee and employer...To discipline a truck for refusing ....makes them the boss...and you the employee...Tristate is on very thin ice should someone stand up to this behavior.

You do not quite understand what you are talking about.

Do you know what the definition of forced dispatch is? Nobody seems to.

Forced dispatch means that you rcompany offers you a load. You take it or you're fired. Tri State offers me a load and I have the option to turn it down or accept it because I am an independent contractor.

They have also reduced the refusal status to four hours. In that four hours I am still in service available for freight, but it gives priority to drivers coming into the board for a FOUR HOUR period.

I don't like it, but I used to call and complain frequently about it when I first started driving. THen I did some research. They started the refusal status because too many drivers were "cherry picking" loads. This was mainly older drivers who were working the system knowing they'd be put right to the top of the board after a refusal. Tri State was in danger of losing customers because they couldn't cover freight.

They started this to help the people who were willing to haul freight and not wait for the "perfect" load.

Situation is different now, but more often than not I am not dropped for refusing a load because I can turn down anything that isn't my contracted rate, has more than 1/3 deadhead, and so on. So it's there to protect me as much as it's there to protect them.

I don't understand the TS bashing anymore than people bashing the other carriers.

And moving to another company when it is slow isn't always the right move because of the start up costs and idle time that you have when you move to another carrier.

It's dire out there, we should lift each other up and hope for the best instead of circling like sharks in the water.

REMEMBER THIS: Any carrier's first priority is to cover their customer's freight. Making us successful is second.

OntarioVanMan · Feb 12, 2009

Its not a bash..per say....just a fact...any penalty for refusing could be construed as employee/employer relationship by the IRS....maybe just maybe if they offered a decent rate they wouldn't have had to go to this method of a 4 hour penalty box.
I understand they do this out of survival....but requiring drivers to take sub par loads is not fair to all....

Roadpig · Feb 12, 2009

Again your negativity is enlightening. "Sub par loads".

No, you do not get put on refusal for "sub par loads"

You, quite frankly, do not know what you're talking about.

Okay vanman, we understand how you feel. Move on.

OntarioVanMan · Feb 12, 2009

Roadpig said:
Again your negativity is enlightening. "Sub par loads".

No, you do not get put on refusal for "sub par loads"

You, quite frankly, do not know what you're talking about.

Okay vanman, we understand how you feel. Move on.

Let me clarify....sub par...below the rate per mile needed for the operater to make his/her profit margin....everyone is is different.

movin on.....

Roadpig · Feb 12, 2009

Truce

...and all was well.

OntarioVanMan · Feb 12, 2009

Agreed....

RLENT · Feb 12, 2009

OntarioVanMan said:
just a fact...any penalty for refusing could be construed as employee/employer relationship by the IRS....

Dunno about that OVM ..... I can tell you that with Fedex Home Delivery any refusal to provide service is grounds for contract cancellation (independent contractors)

The situation is a little different in that, generally speaking, a FHD contractor is contracted to service a specific "core" area (certain zip codes) - but the reality of it is, that a lot of deliveries are "flexed" onto contractors that are outside of their defined core areas ..... little bit different, but similar in some ways as well .....

OntarioVanMan · Feb 12, 2009

RLENT said:
Dunno about that OVM ..... I can tell you that with Fedex Home Delivery any refusal to provide service is grounds for contract cancellation (independent contractors)

The situation is a little different in that, generally speaking, a FHD contractor is contracted to service a specific "core" area (certain zip codes) - but the reality of it is, that a lot of deliveries are "flexed" onto contractors that are outside of their defined core areas ..... little bit different, but similar in some ways as well .....

I guess the pending court cases against FHD will help clarify what makes an employee...