Canada Southwest Ontario High Roof O/O Best Companies??

Airtime

New Recruit
Owner/Operator
Good day drivers- recruiters- Brokers-I have a new high top 3 skid cargo van in the Woodstock Ontario area and I need to get on the road again in the next couple of weeks. I,ve been doing a local dedicated run the last couple years so out of the world expedite for a bit. I have been in contact with a few companies and I,am hoping for advice and knowledge from experienced operators in the area to find a honest,busy and successful company to operate with. Freight crossing Detroit,Port Huron Or Buffalo ports.Your advice will be greatly appreciated both positive and negative. Thanks
 

Airtime

New Recruit
Owner/Operator
Thanks Scottm, I had a referral to call Mark B. at Thompsons, I will get in touch tomorrow ,Monday. Can you share any info about the company? Long runs or short. Rates. I have the Pival package info but still unsure about their operation and looking for the best fit. Some others I have in mind and need to call are Rapidgo Cambridge, FF Express Ancaster ,any others I should consider?
 

scottm4211

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
Not sure their rates but I’d say they are on the higher end of Canadian carriers. I was there years ago. They tend to stick where the freight is: Ontario/Michigan/Ohio/Kentucky.
 
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Airtime

New Recruit
Owner/Operator
I called Load 1 and asked about Ontario drivers. Recruiter lady may have been newer to the game. Very vague answers for me which is fine as I,am on the other side of the river. I asked if there are Ontario companies that they may typically deal with for back hauls home but no help with that. In the past I had a couple loads I picked up at their Michigan location to deliver back home . I may have found a good fit for me with FF in Ancaster Ont.
 

specky

New Recruit
Owner/Operator
I was on with Thompson for about a year and a half. Dispatch was great. A lot of unpaid first 50 miles free and a lot if waiting around for a return load whether you were in ky or Toronto. Some areas of management quite arrogant but ok if u don’t see them often. I quit after 6 months and went back for a year and quit again. In general I guess no worse than any other place. Wear out your van and sleep at Walmart
 
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BigStickJr

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
I called Load 1 and asked about Ontario drivers. Recruiter lady may have been newer to the game. Very vague answers for me which is fine as I,am on the other side of the river. I asked if there are Ontario companies that they may typically deal with for back hauls home but no help with that. In the past I had a couple loads I picked up at their Michigan location to deliver back home . I may have found a good fit for me with FF in Ancaster Ont.

I’d be troubled by very vague answers from a recruiter. Any recruiter.
Since you live up there, I would think you’d have relatively particular questions on volume of loads coming into and out of your area.
I’d think those concerns could be answered accurately without giving away trade secrets.
I wouldn’t want to know your volume out of Ford, or your rate.
A general volume out of what you consider a reasonable radius of home, and an average rate, is needed to make an informed decision.
A recruiter is there to help you make an informed decision.
Any competition attempting to secure a company’s customer should have that information without having to ask a recruiter to give it to them.
 

Airtime

New Recruit
Owner/Operator
Thanks specky, some helpful info there. Had to chuckle a bit as you pretty much summed up the whole deal there just like with my first company ,wait for loads, drive unpaid miles, take what they feed you. Back to a Walmart. Do it again and again, look at the odometer and try to suck it up. Some good some bad. I guess we really have to enjoy the lifestyle to carry on with it. And thanks Bigstickjr. 2018 is sounding fairly promising for loads headed down from my area just hoping the returns are plentiful enough as well. I would hope experienced operators are the most informed and honest about the subject. I struggle with some recruiters replies as I have been fed enough BS for one lifetime right across from the same desk.
 

Airtime

New Recruit
Owner/Operator
Lots of straight truck work here in Ontairable expedite if operators are qualified and willing to make a fair sized investment ( insurance,maintainence,truck purchase). I think the ELD,s and higher start up-operating costs are going to keep the demand high for quite a while.
 

Turtle

Administrator
Staff member
Retired Expediter
I'm not sure how positing the notion that non-commercial vehicles are going to become more in-demand really reaches the level of advertising.
 

Acquisitions

Active Expediter
Recruiter
It's all about educating the Shippers, most of them will ship 4 or 5 skids on a dock level truck because that's the way they have always done it even though 3 skids would work for the receiver ......3 skid van can get there in 14 hours,a straight truck in 23. Once they figure it out....... Straight trucks will go the way of the Dodo bird
 
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DollarSign

Fleet Owner
Owner/Operator
It's all about educating the Shippers, most of them will ship 4 or 5 skids on a dock level truck because that's the way they have always done it even though 3 skids would work for the receiver ......3 skid van can get there in 14 hours,a straight truck in 23. Once they figure it out....... Straight trucks will go the way of the Dodo bird
I HIGHLY doubt that, LOL.
 
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