Tuesday, March 28, 2017

Posting trucks hack

Leaving destination blank is keeping brokers from seeing your posted truck.

Agents often ask me why do drivers post to anywhere? The answer is because owner-operators can price any load no matter where it goes.

Brokers are never looking for trucks that will go anywhere they want to call on a truck that is posted going to the same destination as the load is going.

Example: I posted my truck Lexington with a destination blank, and then I posted Lexington to every zone on the map to cover all 48 states. Basically, the same thing but the way this appears to brokers is not the same.


Example: If a broker is looking to cover a load gong from Lexington to Nashville this is the only trucks the agent will see. 

Note: My truck posting with the destination blank did not show up when the agent was searching for trucks going to Nashville.    


This information was created from DAT load boards  

Saturday, March 18, 2017

Easiest direct shippers

This is the easiest way to get your own customers without using a broker. This is how I got my first direct shipper that I am still using today. You can do this with any DAT load board including the cheapest truckersedge $35 subscription.

My experience with the shippers that I have found using this has been smaller shippers with rates not much better then what you will get from a broker. Two of the shippers that call me sometimes have smaller trucks and use me when they have bigger shipments, so not consistent. For the most part, it was very easy to get setup, no contract.

STEP 1:
Open your load board then click on the DAT Directory


Step 2:
Click on research new business partners.









Step 3:
Company type select shipper and the state then hit search.

Step 4:
Choose the business that you would like to work with and give them a call.











77% of DAT's brokers post first or exclusively on DAT load boards.

Wednesday, March 15, 2017

Setting up a dumbbell part 1

Working a dumbbell is the first advice I give to any new carrier. This one simple strategy that works with van, reefer, and flatbed, no matter where you live it works. You will increase your rates, become more efficient, and grow your company when you focus on setting up the dumbbell.

The meaning of a dumbbell that I am talking about is getting a load going from point A to point B and from point B another load back to point A.

Establishing this dumbbell can be challenging. You will have to work it until it comes together. You will be tempted to forget it when other higher paying spot market loads pop up. 

Let me show you some easy, simple ways to start your dumbbell. I live in Lexington, KY and I like being home every night or as much as I can. So I am going to find brokers that have loads back to Lexington.
Circle 8 is burning up this lane, and I like the broker too. They have posted 559 loads out Elkhart, IN market to my hometown Lexington just in the past 30 days. Ok now, can I find something that goes back to Elkhart?

Look what I found, another good broker R2 and Hub group with a combined 38 loads going to the Elkhart Market in the past 30 days. I am already setup with both of these brokers, now all I have to do is find the agent that is working these lanes and try to get in on the loop. Before I do that, let's see what these lanes are paying.
 
If I can average $2 per mile, then I am good. I will do a part 2 of this blog later, this should be easy to understand how to use DAT tools to get better loads and how to build dumbells.

If you like this blog and you are currently not a DAT TruckersEdge load board subscriber use promo721 or the link below to join for 30 days free. All of the information above has been generated by the service of this DAT load board.
    

Thursday, March 9, 2017

From the broker

The broker says "DROPS at receiver take an estimated 4-6 hrs. And no detention is paid until after 24 hrs."

How does anyone come up with a rate on a load like this? I will give the first 2 hours for free because sometimes it just takes that long and I can suck that up no big deal, but I have to place a rate based on that maybe 24-hour deal. Unless you just don't value your time.

This is a very common language with Amazon loads so to credit to this broker at least this agent is forward about what you could be facing with this load. It used to be surprise surprise when you showed up at an Amazon and asked how long will this take to get offloaded with a smart ass answer of one to two days.   

Advice to other brokers: When giving out loads to carriers that you are unfamiliar with you need to know in detail the status of that truck and driver you will be getting. I can promise you that many drivers will state that estimate of 4 to 6 hours to get offloaded as gospel truth of when they will be empty.

Note: If you take an Amazon load from a broker you must know that you are now 100% on your own no matter what happens the only thing a broker can do is send an email and tell you to wait. They can not pick up the phone and talk to anyone about any problem you could ever have.     




Wednesday, March 8, 2017

Deck trailers

Going into March - The flatbed load-to-truck ratio increased for the fifth week in a row to 34.6 loads per truck nationally. Demand for flatbed has not been this high in over two years or maybe even longer.


The Hot Market Map below depicts the geographic trends in the load-to-truck ratio. My graffiti on today's market map shows what my off limit areas would be.

Here is what the rates are looking like for all deck trailers 



Using DAT Rate View is perfect for negotiating. The fastest way to prove you know what the going rate is for any lane. I am using the cheap version of Rate View that is showing the average for the past 90 days, You should know by now today's flatbed rate is going to be a lot better than what it was back in December!! Come on now, let's get smart about this.

So what should your flatbed rate goal be? If you can maintain an average rate per on all miles at or above $2.14 per mile, then you are doing just as good or better than the national average contract rate with all the freedom of the spot market.


If you like this blog and you are currently not a DAT TruckersEdge load board subscriber use promo721 or the link below to join now for 30 days for free. All of the information above has been generated by the service of this load board from DAT