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Injured and considering Freight Agent/Broker.

Discussion in 'Freight Broker Forum' started by GrumpyJoe, Sep 24, 2023.

  1. Sep 24, 2023 #1
    GrumpyJoe

    GrumpyJoe Light Load Member

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    Oct 8, 2019
    0
    Drove off and on over 40 years. Son drives too. Medical cut me off of driving and soon my son too. We were looking into remote work as load agent or brokers, but all I am seeing is 1099 employees where I take all the risk, responsibilities and work while others make money off me. 1099 is not a great way to build credentials.

    What options or firms can we sit with to make livable wages while building a reputation? I cannot tell you how upsetting it is to hear the one sided stories of poor contracts, slow to pay and lost loads. I have lost many days from sitting on a dock from what was supposed to be Drop-N-Hook. I would love to be that guy that can give a good load to a deserving driver. Sorting thru the crap is not easy, and from what I have seen so far, only the oldtimers get the sweet loads to assign or manage. Same as the senior drivers get the docks that are faster and pay more.

    Any advice is great. We are both in SW Missouri.
     
    GrumpyJoe, Sep 24, 2023
    GrumpyJoe, Sep 24, 2023
    #1
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  3. Sep 25, 2023 #2
    PPNLE

    PPNLE Road Train Member

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    St. Paul, MN
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    It's a pretty terrible time to be starting out as a baby broker without an established book of business, especially if you're looking to have a livable income at the jump. That said: I'd start by looking for the mom and pop shop style brokerages in your area. Basically, if they're a smaller entity that's been in business for 10+ years, that's who you want to be calling. Avoid the 1099 or agent postings for now. You don't have a book to support that kind of jump.

    The other thing to ask yourself is this- being a good driver is not equivilent to being a good salesman. Can you sit down and hammer your way through dozens of phone calls a day with roughly 95% of those being either a failure to connect or outright rejection, just to get to that 5% that *may* give you a shot? And can you make that conversion? Because that's what your day is gonna look like before you can ever be that "hero" broker who doesn't eff over a driver.
     
    PPNLE, Sep 25, 2023
    PPNLE, Sep 25, 2023
    #2
    JimmyTwoTimes, Crude Truckin', Siinman and 4 others Thank this.
  4. Sep 28, 2023 #3
    GrumpyJoe

    GrumpyJoe Light Load Member

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    222
    Oct 8, 2019
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    As we are looking into this we are seeing many disadvantages and few advantages. What you said is very good info. At my point in life this will be a nogo. For my son he is on the fence, but I am not sure he would like the daily telemarketing side of it.

    Thank you for the honest opinion.
     
    GrumpyJoe, Sep 28, 2023
    GrumpyJoe, Sep 28, 2023
    #3
    Old_n_gray, Crude Truckin', Siinman and 3 others Thank this.
  5. Sep 28, 2023 #4
    REO6205

    REO6205 Road Train Member

    13,172
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    Feb 15, 2014
    California.
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    You got some really great advice and you made a good choice.
     
    REO6205, Sep 28, 2023
    REO6205, Sep 28, 2023
    #4
    Magoo1968, Old_n_gray, Crude Truckin' and 2 others Thank this.
  7. Sep 28, 2023 #5
    Judge

    Judge Road Train Member

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    Mar 19, 2014
    Arkansas
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    Agents - PT Corporation

    Being out of that area, something like them may help, they do all kinds of freight, Lots of grain marketing options
     
    Judge, Sep 28, 2023
    Judge, Sep 28, 2023
    #5
    Siinman Thanks this.
  8. Sep 28, 2023 #6
    PPNLE

    PPNLE Road Train Member

    1,924
    6,125
    Jun 15, 2017
    St. Paul, MN
    0
    Happy to help; this is not a job for everyone and there's no shame in recognizing that it's not for you. It's no secret that there's pretty massive turnover in brokerage, especially in the first few years. If I were jumping into things now, versus when I did, I'd probably be one of those statistics. It takes a while to build your book and for the decent money in this to follow. With two kids and a mortgage, I'm not sure that I could reasonably take the lengthy runway it took me to get it built up.

    At any rate, best of luck to you. I hope you guys are able to find something that works for you.
     
    PPNLE, Sep 28, 2023
    PPNLE, Sep 28, 2023
    #6
    Magoo1968 Thanks this.
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