Leasing with several companies

[jimlookup]

When the carrier and the O/O agree the carrier can't supply enough loads to make it profitable for the O/O, it only makes sense for them to work together. Communication is the main ingredient. The dispatchers of all carriers contracted to, need to know where you are going and when you will be available. The carriers should make the O/O aware of where their core business is at.
Try to to have a variety of carriers; even if it's just geographical.
Eventually get your own authority because many times you will cut out a middle man and this equals more profit.
Watch out for dispatcher BS. When you hear, "if you take this load, I may have another waiting for you at the drop." or, "stay loose because I will probably have a load to Texas late today" and it never seems to happen, it may be time to drop that carrier.
If you are a sole proprieter, with no employees, your state may not require you to have workmans comp, or a cheaper alternative. I live in In. and they don't. If a carrier says they require it and won't give you a waiver feel free to move on. However you need to cover yourself for all medical emergencies. Not just work place accidents.

 

[Turtle]

When the carrier and the O/O agree the owner can't supply enough loads to make it profitable for the O/O, it only makes sense for them to work together for the betterment of both partys. Communication is the main ingredient to make this possible.

Not to be pedantic, but you talk of communications being a main ingredient, right after talking of "both partys" (sic) in the same sentence you talk about three parties: the carrier, the O/O, and the owner.

"It only makes sense for them to work together...." who is "them"? The carrier and the O/O and the owner, or just the carrier and the O/O? And who is this mysterious owner? The owner of what? The owner of the owner/operator? The owner of the carrier? The owner of neither? Unless the "owner" is some third party other than the carrier or the O/O, then you need to replace "owner" with either "carrier" or "O/O" for that sentence to make any sense whatsoever.

Everything else in the post was clear and informative.

 

[hettick304]

The flipside to this is the expectation that any one of those carriers is going to give you the attention that you would expect on an exclusive contract. If you have 3 companies that you're hauling for, then think of it as giving the carrier 33-1/3% of your effort. I would not expect any one of those dispatching to give you back any more than that. If a company has exclusive, as well as non-exclusive drivers, then expect to be at the back of the line for freight. If a carrier is just an option for you, then expect that you are merely one of theirs as well.

I'm very new at this and can already see how this would affect your "Availability" stats.

 

[jamesr]

yeah I my self never tell a driver bs I tell them that when they get to were their going were ever it may be that ill be looking , if they ask if their in a good spot for loads ill give them my opinion if they should move or not.
really if you cut out the bs in this business drivers will thank you for it rather then wasting time sitting around wasting time , we all know that freight can be hot one min and dead the next that's just the nature of the beast