Top reasons why you should become a freight agent or broker.....

[Freight Coach 2]

TOP 10 REASONS
TO BECOME A FREIGHT BROKER OR AGENT
Here they are .....
1) If you are a trucking company, go directly to the shipper for loads and cut out the middle man and earn more on your loads.
2) If you are tired of trucking, get ready to say good-bye to the road and time away from home.
3) If you are an employee, fire your boss and work for yourself!
4) Unlimited income potential- based on your sales efforts!
5) Get started for less than $2000 (this includes training)
6) Work from home - enjoy your family, no commute, and setting your own hours!
7) Work with low overhead expenses!
8) Work with customers and motor carriers from across the US!!
9) Create a family business! This is great to build and involve the family in too!
10) Build an asset threw building a book of business that can be sold or passed on!
There are a great number of other good reasons for YOU to start your own freight broker business! Often the best way to start is to become an agent! Email today to [email protected] for additional information or to attend one of our upcoming FREE webinars!

 

[smokestack]

you forgot placing tiny ads in newspapers

 

[Freight Coach 2]

I am not one for print advertising such as newspapers. I have worked in marketing and have learned that often print advertising for many businesses is truly a waste of marketing funds. I do believe that for the freight broker industry - as well as for the trucking industry in general... this would hold true! Marketing funds for the broker or trucking industry would be better spent on print materials such as brochures, fliers, postcards, etc for direct mails, email campaign marketing ideas and technology, online ads that would be most visible to shippers, and other avenues that would ultimately generate "more bang for the buck". Many businesses fail due to not utilizing funds in the best manner that will generate them the best value for their money.

Good luck and HAPPY TRUCKING!!

 

[kickin chicken]

Trucking industry group says increase to $100,000 would add bonding regulations



Freight Brokers Would Accept Higher Bond | Journal of Commerce

 

[Sinister]

you forgot placing tiny ads in newspapers

Best informercials ever. I always wondered what the ads said.

 

[smokestack]

send me 49.95 and i'll tell you

 

[boone315]

He forgot to mention the best reason, making a fortune off of low balling of unsuspecting drivers who do all the work and take all the risk while the broker can sit at home watching day time time and counting their money.

 

[Freight Coach 2]

There are good and bad in every group! I am not denying that there are bad brokers out there- I would be one of the first to agree. BUT there are bad trucking companies out there too! I have dealt with my share of liars from dispatchers to drivers about things. I have great carriers that deal with us regularly for shipments. That is the key....follow the golden rule- treat others as you would want them to treat you! I am fair and honest with all parties involved.

 

[softwareguy]

A few questions:

• Is there a ratio on how many O/O a broker has in their "Rolodex" compared to loads they move a week? Something like 20 o/o over 5 loads? (totally made up numbers)
• How do O/O communicate with brokers on their current (or future) location? If a broker receives a load leaving Chicago for pickup tomorrow afternoon, how does the broker know which one of her O/O are going to be empty in Chicago tomorrow? As an outsider I am guessing lots and lots of time on the phone, no? Is there any software that is being used that tracks where they are?
• How is the communication handled between the consignee and the o/o? Is the broker kept in the loop if a truck is running late / early / loaded / unloaded, etc... How are these status changes communicated?
• Does it happen very often that loads need to moved RIGHT NOW and a broker is hustling to find a truck or is that less the case?
• Does a broker deal with the actual truck driver more often or the dispatcher / planner at a trucking company?

I am sure I have 1 gajillion more questions coming I thank you ahead of time for any information you can provide.

 

[Freight Coach 2]

Hi Softwareguy
We have a database of carriers that we use- some are O/O others are companies like Snider etc. I send out daily morning emails with available loads - some of the available loads are same day others are upcoming. I ALWAYS do an email on loads to give our database carriers first option at a load before posting.
Many of our O/O communicate via phone and email with us as to where they will be. I have several that have informed us of lanes they have regular shipments outbound in and have asked us to assist with finding them freight for back haul in that lane etc. Others that do not have regular freight will call or email indicating that they took a load heading to x location delivering on Monday- is there anything I have to help them head out of there?
Generally a carrier that has a load for us calls or their dispatch emails - and indicates the ETA of the truck for delivery or with any changes. If they don't call or email by a certain time- then I make status check calls on the load. Generally most that we work with are great about keeping us informed. If there is an issue they know I can go to the shipper with a new ETA and sometimes assist in changing appointments or getting staff to stay late for unloading etc. It is all about TEAMWORK!
It depends on the hustling as if you have good shippers that you are working with they generally provide advance notice- but yes there are shippers (or in some instances just customers who need product and wait until the last minute) and then yes you are hustling to find the carriers to get the load on the road. Again - TEAMWORK works wonders. Part of this is all having an operations system in place that works efficiently to find and secure both freight and carriers.
It varies from company to company as to who is actually dealt with- I would say however though that the vast majority of the time I am dealing with the drivers directly once the freight is loaded and in route- prior to that I am often dealing with dispatchers for the drivers. Some do not like to give out the drivers numbers so then you deal with the dispatchers but often once they have moved one or two loads for us they start having us communicate directly with the driver.
Good Luck!!!! The key is TEAMWORK and developing a system that works!