Contracts with Shippers vs. Loadboards?

I never use the load board, I get all my freight from direct shippers and receivers.

I have no problem getting my rate

 

Depends on what your job is. If your a truck driver i have found that most drivers are scared to death to knock on a door or make a phone call or in any other way comunicate there desires to shippers , manufacturers , recievers etc. On the other hand if your job is freight agent , carrier , broker etc the thought of going to a load board makes little sense. Your job is to find freight , not find people that find freight.

So what is your job ?

 

I have several direct customers, all but one pay below what I consider market rate. It really is up to you at the end of the day.

 

Normally I would say, Direct is better. But the last 4 months loadboard rates are way up. To the point I would never ask my direct customers for that price. Now Im trying not to raise rates on Direct customers because they will be there when times are bad and still pay. Its a balance act. I'm about 50/50 direct vs. loadboard. Now I have zero problem hitting the brokers hard. If it doent pay, I stay home.

 

Why do you guys assume that direct or contracted freight is always or mostly cheaper than loadboard/broker freight?

I don't get you guys, I have contracts which are paying a hell of a lot better than any load board/broker can pay, some are at market, some are higher because the consistency is paid for by the rate.

 

Im not saying that. I saying Im killing it of loadboard frieght. My contract frieght is good. Any day All day. But the Contract Im not going try and change based on spot market prices. I just finished a broker plant move that paid 6.59 per mile for 10 days. I had very low fuel cost. Know I had some hours involved but most was sitting and waiting for someone to make a decision. I bid the job Dailey so It did not matter if the truck moved. One day I showed up at 730am, and in 7.5hrs later drove back to the yard. No frieght hauled. Paid the same. That day was 27.00 per mile. Btw I know its not about rate per mile, but I cant put all the info on here. BTW I was slamming doors to.

 

I would only like to have direct shipper freight as long as I'm not committed to a certain amount of loads hauled. I would prefer using load boards so I can take off when I want for however long I want. If that can be set up with a direct shipper than that would be cool.

 

Makes friends with a shipper and the benefits come around.

Loadboards are leftovers that brokers couldn't find a truck

 

Pretty good leftovers out there.