Brokering out loads

MR.SNAPPY · Jul 22, 2007

I took a 384 mile run on Friday not the best run as far as a Friday but it would put me in a good spot for maybe something over the weekend to run.I would be on the Chicago boards. when I took this load I asked dispatch if there is any loads in that area that needs to be booked. the dispatcher says not at the present time but she would keep her eye out for me. I knew that she would be getting off in a hour and she did not take the time to look for a load or keep her eye out for me but I took the load. so I get to the cons 2 hours early and know that if I want to talk to someone I had better call while I was still on this pro. its a new company policy that if your not on a pro they do not want to talk to you. I get a a hold of one of the good dispatchers its about 230am and tell her that I have 3 hours still available and looking for a load to run the weekend. here is where it gets good... she says yes I see a load p/u in Melrose Park ,IL going to Rock Hill ,SC 798 miles and they have enough time in the load to run it single transit but the load has been brokered out.she says she will talk to her supervisor and get back to me. in about a hour she calls back and says she talked to the supervisor and they have already brokered the load out and they do not want to make the broker mad.she apologizes to me and she would look into it. needless to say this does not sit well with me as I have lost about 1200 hundred dollars in revenue for the weekend not mention the fuel I will burn sitting.and then the fact that they are worried more about making a broker mad than a driver. it makes me think why are we sitting so much than we use to. could it be that they are brokering out way to many loads. I also checked my board position after this and I was 4th out. my question would be why not try to keep your trucks busy and drivers happy by making money. I guess a lot of companys broker out loads and maybe thats why you hear so many complaints about how slow things are. I would like to hear some thoughts on this... I hope everyones weekend is better than mine and they are running.............. MR.SNAPPY

davekc · Jul 22, 2007

Hard to say, but my quess is that when the load was booked, they looked at your scheduled time on the first load and saw a conflict. Or the time was close enough in that if you were delayed, you couldn't cover the SC load. If you got done early, and could run it, they likely would have a load cancelled fee involved with the other carrier. Alot of the other question is what did they have in the load?
Hard to say.

Davekc
owner
23 years
PantherII
EO moderator

LDB · Jul 22, 2007

I don't know how many loads are brokered out but to do so when there are company trucks available is inexcusable. That should be grounds for termination unless there is proof the load was turned down by all units that could have taken the load. That should include looking at all inbound units as well as those already on dwell time on the board the shipper is on. It's no wonder companies have such high turnover and poor opinions.

Leo Bricker, 73's K5LDB, OOIDA Life Member 677319
Owner, Panther trucks 5508, 5509, 5641
Highway Watch Participant, Truckerbuddy
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lanier1 · Jul 22, 2007

My question is if you were fouth in line that means there were other trucks that load could have been offered to so why were'nt they offered the load instead of brokering it out? It sounds like a good weekend load that most anyone would have been happy to take. I would have been sideways over that one too...

Moot · Jul 22, 2007

The problem with being 4th out is you don't know what size the first 3 units are. Could be all vans unable to handle the weight or size.

The confusion in dispatch has a familar ring to it.

Tennesseahawk · Jul 22, 2007

MrSnappy... not trying to nit-pick here, but if the freight wasn't yours, you didn't lose $1200. As you said, there were 3 other trucks ahead of you. It could've been their load.

A very good possibility is that they brokered out the load before any trucks were there. It would make no sense to send it somewhere else, because they make more money if their own truck takes it.

I'll let you in on a little secret. This industry is full of spilled milk. None of it's worth crying over, as it'll just get you more tense and frustrated. I learned that while looking for my own loads... watching loads that "shoulda been mine" disappearing before I could even call in. It's better for most that they don't know what's going on behind the scenes. Otherwise, they'd be tearing their hair out! LOL

-Vampire Super Slooth Trucker!!!

riverrat2000 · Jul 22, 2007

Get used to it folks a large majority of loads are directly hitting the broker boards tand lowest bid wins its a win for the customer,its a win for the company its cheap freight or no freight for you unless your company is the lowest bidder. the only loser id the person actually out here doing the work, us, as in this care no freight, trucking companys would rather make a few pennys on the mile than have to trouble themselves with actually having to work to keep O/os loaded after all they are only interested in the bottom line. think about this why does a company need the trouble to have trucks anyhow at the click of a mouse and five minutes work they can always find a truck to broker to without the time,trouble and expense of dealing with a truck in their own fleet.

nightcreacher · Jul 22, 2007

if you would have been 4th out,how would this have been your load,the other three guys have the real complaint,sounds like they were there,and load got sent to the broker.

nightcreacher · Jul 22, 2007

moot,when I call in,our system will show the trucks 1 size down and my size,it will also tell me my position my size and 1 size above,so if i were in a D unit,it would tell me my position,IE:will say by dwell time,4th up,thats for my size and 1 size above,wont bring in the c and b units,now thats if i were in a D,as Im in a tractor,i just know how many tractors are here before me.