Ok for the guys that have used, thought of using or went with the other guys. Let's try to restrict this for the past 12 months. If something that is more than a year ago that you don't use CH Robinson, go ahead and post what happened.
CH Robinson The Good, The Bad, The Ugly?
- Thread starter dletheridge
- Start date
AMonger
Veteran Expediter
Wow, that sentence almost made sense.
There's a reason the CH stands for, alternately, Cold & Hungry or Cheap & Heavy.
Amonger, have you used CH Robinson?
C.H. Robinson pays their carriers in three days for a Quickpay fee of 1.5 percent. That is far better than factoring and it is for that reason alone they are my number one broker of choice to work with. You never have to worry about being paid and they have a web portal where you can log on and provide updates on the load. I have had nothing but good experiences with C.H. Robinson
AMonger
Veteran Expediter
Indirectly. I've pulled loads obtained from them, both when running for carriers that worked exclusively from load boards and from regular truckload that would sometimes pick one up to supplement regular work during a slow period. Whenever I had to call CH to get dispatched, I knew what was coming: a load no one else wanted because it was cheap and heavy, or with a pickup or delivery so far out in the sticks, I had to gas up a saw to get there.
But yes, they always settled quickly, which is akin to saying the food sucks, but the service is good.
AMonger, they really do pay well on their expedited freight. It just takes an act of congress to figure out which office is in charge of the expedited stuff! You'd be surprised at how I once got 1700 bucks for a 700 mile cargo van run one time. It was a holiday load that no one wanted, but it was one of the best rates I've ever gotten for a cargo van load. I agree that some of their truckload stuff is Cheap Heavy Robinsome, but their expedited freight is in a class of it's own!
On their quick pay program what requirements do they have in terms of documentation? Does that 1.5% include the payment fees to the bank(S)?
Not one really negative comment about CH. Interesting.
I ran a lot of tractor trailer expedited for a CHR agent and had gotten much better rates out of that agent than a large majority of the freight that's been offered up from Sylectus. I actually prefer to work with them. If you don't have any standards you will definitely haul cheap and heavy loads and once you're pegged as a cheap carrier by them they will exploit you at every turn. They are the kings of cheap freight and that is intimidating whether a person admits it or not. Psychologically they already have an upper hand on most potential carriers cause everyone thinks of them in terms of "cheap n heavy robbingsome". That already has one thinking "cheap" in terms of what they'll get before negotiating even begins. The only way to get a rate out of them is to turn down many, many, many load offers. If you have the same attitude I do about any given load, namely that the agent or shipper needs me more than I need them, you will never have a problem getting solid rates out of CHR or any agent.
They have a smartphone app that is really nifty as well. Never make nor receive any phone inquiries from them when utilizing this app for all status updates and "check calls".
Again gee whiz....Sylectus is a SOFTWARE not a load board...probably talking the ALLIANCE board...since most members use Sylectus software...
Yeah it probably is..... Sorry I didn't refer to it correctly.... as if it really matters... I don't have direct access to any of that freight as individual drivers having that sort of access is frowned upon from what I've been told. The companies that are part of the network are afraid that will effectively drive rates down over a long term, again from what I'm told.. The loads are offered up to me over the phone and I submit bids which are normally considered "outrageously expensive". I refer to these loads in a general sense as "sylectus" or "sylectus network".. ..it's all the same and again sorry I don't know everything about everything and it got your panties in a wad.
BigBadBill
Active Expediter
Guess you do never stop learning. I thought Sylectus had tried to sell me just about everything they had. All we have ever seen is the subscriptions/services they offer. But then I have no interest in software so guess my account manager did her job and understands my needs.
LOL ... No panties in a wad Sir..... This is a learning web site as for new people. Would you deliberately let your kids misspell a word? Terminology is very important Iam still struggling with some of this stuff... Like 3 pl 4 pl stuff... Sorry if I nagged you.
Ok, no hard feelings then 
it's just that sometimes people come across as being smart alleck over forums maybe when they don't really intend to. I'm kind of new here and catch heat from time to time for whatever reasons. I'm no expert on expediting but I've been driving a class A combination for 13 years and do know a thing or two about freight. And I know I enjoy expediting, mostly auto parts.. ..you see for a while there I thought the whole expediting world revolved around "auto freight" until I found EO several months ago and quickly learned otherwise.. This forum/website is great overall btw I really get a lot of great info from here..
it's just that sometimes people come across as being smart alleck over forums maybe when they don't really intend to. I'm kind of new here and catch heat from time to time for whatever reasons. I'm no expert on expediting but I've been driving a class A combination for 13 years and do know a thing or two about freight. And I know I enjoy expediting, mostly auto parts.. ..you see for a while there I thought the whole expediting world revolved around "auto freight" until I found EO several months ago and quickly learned otherwise.. This forum/website is great overall btw I really get a lot of great info from here..
CharlesD
Expert Expediter
We've been doing their loads for a while now, but like Blizzard said, it takes a while to track down the office that has the expedites. Once you get in with that office, the freight is really decent and doesn't pay that bad either. We got approved with them four years ago but didn't get in with the expedite office until a few months ago. The quick pay program is good. I usually see the money in two days via ACH to our checking account.
Tennesseahawk
Veteran Expediter
Way to split hairs. Sylectus is what used to be called gps411. That is what I used to call the loadboard. Alliance is the group of thugs and gents who put the freight on the board. But Sylectus is the company where my check went to to pay for access to the loadboard... so, IMO, it is THEIR board.
I don't usually differentiate between the loadboard, who owns it, and who puts loads on it. It's basically saying Honda, in place of car.
Last edited:
Yeah it's funny how Sylectus claims to only work with carriers who pay their bills and they allow several large companies with horrible Transcredit scores to do business on their network. Most of what you see posted on Sylectus is all double brokered freight. I know of at least one carrier on there who claims they have their own customers and all they do is get emails from one broker, bid on the load, and then turn around and throw it up on Sylectus. lol.
Since FedEx, Panther and Landstar are not part of the alliance
CharlesD
Expert Expediter
It's more than one carrier that does that by the way. I can't tell how many times I've been bidding a GM load and someone is calling me to offer us the same load because we have a truck posted in that area. I always quote them the same amount I'm bidding from the source, so they'll have to quote higher than me to get it.
Note to OVM. Yes, those companies are not technically part of the alliance, but Landstar does have a login so their agents can search for posted trucks and they have some kind of filter that only shows them carriers who are approved to haul their freight. Also, some of the agents have joined under other business names.