Signing on with more than one carrier

[AMonger]

It seems that a month or two ago, I was constantly running into drivers for smaller outfits that were signed on to 3 or 4 carriers. Now that I want to ask them about this, I only run into the drivers from major companies that disallow this. I'd like to know some of the companies that allow this, and which are good companies to lease on to. Any input?

 

[davekc]

They may have been running under their own authority. Panther and Landstar are probably the largest that let you book loads outside of their system.

 

[AMonger]

They may have been running under their own authority. Panther and Landstar are probably the largest that let you book loads outside of their system.

No, these weren't booking outside of their system. They were signed on to multiple carriers, no QC, just used the phone to connect with each dispatch office. Each carrier knew they were signed on elsewhere. When they land in a city, they call each office and tell them. If they accept a load from one, they call the others and tell them they're on a load to wherever, and when they get there, they call in to each dispatch office and let them know they're available, and start the process all over again. They all said they get more freight with three or four companies looking for them.

 

[Jefferson3000]

This policy always troubled me for a couple of reasons:

1.-A lease by its very nature, involves only one recipient. Imagine if you had leased a Lexus for your spouse, and one evening some guy showed up with a set of keys, attempting to take the car. His response is, "I have a lease for this car as well. Right now I am in need of it." I'm sure that wouldn't fly too well with you.

2.-These smaller carriers which permit multiple "leases" are generally operating on the overflow from other carriers. These companies are generally looking at the same loads. How does it benefit you to have three carriers bidding against one another to get you the same load? All it means is that the carrier who is awarded the load will make a bare minimum to secure it for you, insuring that your fuel surcharge will not increase anytime soon, no matter what the fuel prices do. If they can't make money on the load, neither will the truck!

3.- Lastly, I've met a few van driver who subscribe to this philosophy. I cannot say that any one of them are very successful with this paradigm. The fear is that they will sit, and that three carriers means three times the opportunities. More likely, it will mean that you are never able to build enough of a rapport with any carrier to cause them to favor you.

In my opinion for what it's worth, you would do better to find a carrier that you trust (which takes time), and that will work as hard to load your truck as you do for them. I'm amazed that there are some companies who watch for loads, while others will SEARCH for loads.

 

[AMonger]

This policy always troubled me for a couple of reasons:

2.-These smaller carriers which permit multiple "leases" are generally operating on the overflow from other carriers. These companies are generally looking at the same loads. How does it benefit you to have three carriers bidding against one another to get you the same load?

That's the thing I was thinking, but if each carrier gets most of their loads this way but has a few of their own customers, at least you get the benefit of each of those exclusive customers.

 

[Jefferson3000]

That's the thing I was thinking, but if each carrier gets most of their loads this way but has a few of their own customers, at least you get the benefit of each of those exclusive customers.

Possibly. But why would you spend your time trying to book a truck for one of your own customers, that very well may disappear at the time you think you have a load secured? "Oh by the way, so-and-so just offered me a longer load than the one you are offering." I know there are those who will argue vehemently for it on here, but it's certainly NOT a paradigm my company will be following.

In a local freight setting, it could possibly work. But most everyone in a local setting that I know like that, are really operating as a carrier, and not a multiple lessee anyways. They may be operating under their own personal name, but they are negotiating a rate every time, the way a carrier would.

 

[Dakota]

It is tough to have more than one master. I have been working for two carriers for almost a year now. Somedays it works great and to my benefit other days it just adds stress to my day.
Insurance is another issue. I enquired about getting my own authority and my insurance would jump about three times the cost of me being leased to a carrier.

 

[jelliott]

It is tough to have more than one master. I have been working for two carriers for almost a year now. Somedays it works great and to my benefit other days it just adds stress to my day.
Insurance is another issue. I enquired about getting my own authority and my insurance would jump about three times the cost of me being leased to a carrier.

Then you also have all of the filings, compliance, drug testing, file audits, and all of the other aspects that cost or cost a lot of time and aggravation as well.

 

[nightcreacher]

DOT wise, I don't think you can be leased to more than 1 company at a time.Some carriers will let you find your own load,but your still only leased to 1 company

 

[Dakota]

DOT wise, I don't think you can be leased to more than 1 company at a time.Some carriers will let you find your own load,but your still only leased to 1 company

I am leased to Ceva but do work for Towne Air under another guys authority, he is an agent for Towne and pays me after they pay him. Also, under my lease with Ceva they don't have exclusive use. I am not sure how the DOT thing works either

 

[Lawrence]

3.- Lastly, I've met a few van driver who subscribe to this philosophy. I cannot say that any one of them are very successful with this paradigm. The fear is that they will sit, and that three carriers means three times the opportunities. More likely, it will mean that you are never able to build enough of a rapport with any carrier to cause them to favor you.

In my opinion for what it's worth, you would do better to find a carrier that you trust (which takes time), and that will work as hard to load your truck as you do for them. I'm amazed that there are some companies who watch for loads, while others will SEARCH for loads.

For the record - I have spoken on the telephone, in person, via email and telephone with thousands of expediters over the years. I have never met a single one that had any measurable success with a multi-carrier lease OVER a single carrier lease. It seems to complicate the matter of dispatch, available trucks - and liability.

It seems like a good idea on paper - but....putting it into action is a whole other matter.

 

[nightcreacher]

There can only be 1 dot number on your truck at a time.,which use to be an ICC number.
Multi leases are very difficult,you actually need complete leasing paperwork for both companies,authority and insurance.be able to cover up the companies signs your not using.You would be much better to just be leased to a company that will let you find your own loads and use their authority.Even FDCC will do that now and then there the IFTA sticker,need 1 for each company too,it's in their name not yours

 

[Dakota]

that's one thing I don't have to worry about IFTA I am under 26K

 

[DannyD]

Here's my input.

I've tried it with 2 carriers & it didn't work so great. I've tried a few times w/ different carriers. Ironically one of the times I signed on w/ Jefferson as the 2nd carrier. No hard feelings but that lasted less than a week. It didn't work for him.

I've tried a few other combinations of multiple carriers. I didn't get more freight w/ 2 than I got w/ 1. If you're in BFE you're still gonna sit a few days more than likely or you're gonna DH back to a better area.

There's a reason companies will let ya work w/ more than 1 carrier. Generally they're not as good & not many drivers would stick w/ just the one company. One of the companies will call ya everyday at 6AM to ask ya where you're at. Even if ya check in w/ em at 11PM the night before, they'll call ya & ask if you're still there. It's one thing to get woken up for a run. It's a whole 'nother thing to be woken just to be asked if you're sitting somewhere. Ugggh.

Another company that'll let ya work for other carriers is slowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww paying. By slow I mean 3 months. I left them in Feb & by time I got my final check from them I'd already gotten 5 or 6 checks from Metro. They say 30 days from when ya send in your paperwork.

Yea, I waited a week to send it in. So it should have been 5 weeks from delivery to get paid. Somehow 2 of my BOL's got lost in the mail. I believed it the first time. I have no proof here, but something tells me that what actually happened is that neither got lost. They waited until they got paid to pay me & used the lost in the mail excuse as a way to buy some time.

To each their own, but I'd look into some of the other things on these companies besides if they'll let ya work for another company. Ya more than likely won't get more freight, but ya will probably get more aggravation.

Each person has different criteria they'd look for in a company. The #1 thing I'd look for now is a company that has Nextel satellite communications. Qual Com is a bit expensive IMO. Nextel though is $15/month. To my knowledge I've only gotten 1 job because of it, but that job alone paid for the Nextel (the satellite part of it) for quite awhile.

Overall 2 carriers is more hassle than 1. Ya have to call #2 when ya get a run w/ the first company. Ya might have to remind #2 that you're already on a run cuz they call ya & wake ya up. Ya might have just accepted a run & then the other one calls ya w/ a lot better run & you're like ****!!! Of course this can work the opposite in that maybe ya just took the good one & the other one calls ya & you're like Whew!! Ya have different paperwork. Ya have two different checks to keep track of. Just a bunch of little things. While individually none of these things are difficult, it adds up to a hassle.

My guess is ya aren't running into as many because a lot of people tried it & found out it's better to be leased to just one.

 

[Oilerman1957]

I have run for 2 smaller carriers, personally, I have found it works great, maybe they see alot of the same freight but sometimes they are busy doing other things and dont see a load. Another point to this is Brokers have certain carriers they like working with and will give them the load even if another carrier has a lower bid.. I have found they arent really bidding against each other because most bids are made 1 time and thats it, theres no going back and changing it, so they usually make there best bid and see what happens. They both have there bid standards. Other times a Broker wont even post a load, they look to see who is in the area and call the carrier direct, once again, depends on who they like working with.

 

[blizzard2014]

The assumption that three or more carriers are looking at the same loads is misleading. I know one company that will hire me to work for them but they only have one way trips. All of their loads are direct contract loads from General Electric. They do not have access to NLM and rarely book loads off the Alliance board. They also encourage you to work for two or more companies so you can get loads back to their primary service area.

I have another company that I can work for who only sees loads on the Alliance but not NLM, ActiveAero, nor does this particular carrier go into Canada or book hazmat loads. Then I have one other carrier who sees the Alliance boards, NLM board, ActiveAero board, but cannot see some other boards; yet this carrier does canada and hazmat; which in turn offers me more load opportunities.

There is also the scenario where you are parked in an area and you might be number 3 with two companies but the only truck another company has there. This means that you may get a load out faster than you would have if you were only leased on to one carrier. Also, when you work for three smaller companies, they do not hold it against you when you take time off. They are not trying to keep you a slave to the truck. That is just my take on the whole issue.

 

[fortwayne]

I had my own authority for a very short time and I ran for several companies. The problem comes when you were in city A and all your companies knew your were there and they all had loads for you.

Sure, you want to take the best one for you, but in return you frustrate the other companies which really needed your services. They will only put up with this a few times before they put you in that "use as a last resort" catagory.

Also, keep in mind, while some of these carriers don't care you are booking loads from other carriers (since its your authority) almost all of them will want exclusive use of your truck while you are under their loads - which this prevents you double or trible loading your truck.

My suggestion is - find one great carrier, sign on with that company and minimize your heartburn. At least this way I don't have to worry about being a bill collecter after I just drove all day long.

Also, and I am not sure about this, maybe someone with more experience will - but, if you sign on with several carriers and you DON'T have your own authority, wouldn't you have to get some sort of trip permit/authority for each load. I mean afterall, who's DOT number goes on the side for that particular load? I mean I wouldn't think you could have company A's DOT on the side while running company B's load.

 

[Oilerman1957]

I think most who do this are running cargo vans, seems staright trucks dont have such a big problem staying loaded.

 

[Jefferson3000]

I think most who do this are running cargo vans, seems straight trucks dont have such a big problem staying loaded.

A CMV running for two or more carriers is a compliance nightmare. It's really just the vans doing it OTR.

-Who gets your logs?
-Insurance must be filed under the carrier name.
-IFTA stickers?
-Who files the IFTA?
-IRP and UCR.

The craziness would be nonstop.

 

[Dakota]

So after reading all these post I am not sure what I am doing is exactly legal, I guess I am going to have to look into it further.
I thought my insurance covers me whenever I drive the truck. I do know the cargo insurance only covers me for loads with Ceva, that insurance is taken out of my settlement. So if I am understanding this correctly, when I drive for Towne I am technically not covered under my insurance because I am leased to Ceva. Does it matter at all that my truck is actually owned by Penske? I lease it from Penske.