C.H. Robinson - Robbing Carriers (IL Office)

barvit said:

Got to love this one, John at Ext 1829, Chicage office

Progresso, TX to Mississauga, Link miles 1942, his rate is $1900 cnd
Houston, TX to Etobicoke, Link miles 1603, his rate $1700 cnd

Posted on the Link on Oct. 14th, 09 at 2:19PM and 2:58PM

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I have trucks in TX this week and have come across the freight shortage for backhauls this week. This is a perfect example of CH Robinson taking advantage of the situation. CH Robinson is traded on the NASDAQ, maybe they should look out for their "valued carriers" as much as their shareholders. They always ask for a rate but I am well aware that the rate is almost always established prior to posting the load. Lowest bidder gets the load and CHRobinson makes more $$$.

CH Robinson in Vaughan is just about the worst outfit out there, they pluck the gravy loads from US agents of CHROB and post them all over loadlink. I just ignore them. Does anyone actually deal with them?

Strange but true...
We ask for references with any new carriers we look to take on and update our contracts with existing carriers yearly. Surprisingly the vast majority have CH Robinson as a reference.

We occasionally deal with them, but always get the price we ask for.... even to the extent of detention & extra mileage

Frtbroker said:

Strange but true...
We ask for references with any new carriers we look to take on and update our contracts with existing carriers yearly. Surprisingly the vast majority have CH Robinson as a reference.

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they may be using CH as a reference because they are impossible to get a reference out of - same as traffic tech - maybe these companies are bad but know they won't get squealed on by these big companies.

I have a 20% CH surcharge.Meaning if I wanted 1000.00 to do a shipment the CH rate is 1200.00 I do get it often from them

We deal with CH as well and often get the rate we want. There are many times when the rate just won"t work for us so we decline. The choice is always ours...........

These guys kill me. We had a customer in the Collingwood area and CH sent a salesman in there who, as usual, promised the world. Well it turns out that the CH agent assigned to this customer is out in Montana and has no idea how far north trucks have to go in order to get these loads. All in all, the rates dropped by an average of 30-40% but guess what, they can't get any trucks to do the damn loads......Puts a huge burr under my saddle when they pull this crap, now the customer is calling us wanting us to give them the service we always did, but for CH's rates........... ummmmmm HELL NO!!!!! You wanted CH you got'em, now deal with it!!!!

If they're anything like other brokers that present themselves as "carriers", the shipping public has to be made aware in a big way that they are NOT a carrier. The website says they only have "solutions" and if you check the US DOT SAFER website, C.H. Robinson is not listed as a carrier of any kind. That being said, they have no safety record to try and keep up. I suggest that if you have a transportation intermediary that is as big as CHR and a website that leads the general public in such a way that you reasonably believe they operate equipment, then they should be held accountable in the same way as carriers. A person who does not know better would think, based on the website, that Robinson operates an amazing array of equipment and warehousing facilities. Even for air freight, they call themselves a "provider", which suggests they do more than just book cargo space with airlines, doesn't it. The perception of CH Robinson by customers who want cheap freight is a result of misleading marketing and the "wow" factor. I perceive CHR as call centres a la Traffic Tech.

I don't think they're trying to pass themselves off as a carrier. Moreover anyone who has been in the transportation business for more than a week knows CH is a broker...I can't imagine anyone thinking they're a carrier unless they brand new to transportation.

No, that's true. But if you look at the website through the eyes of a customer who is looking for the one-stop place to go, you'd think you found the company that can do anything at all and be naive enough to believe the pictures on the site are of their assets. Believe me, there are customers who will readily admit they are on a learning curve and don't have the education to know what it is they are administering (freight costing and purchasing) so a transport salesman either must do that educating or take advantage of the ignorance. Clearly, CHR's sales people must be very good, to our detriment. Shippers have to learn what someone called the sales triangle: pricing, damage-free, on-time delivery - pick only 2 of the 3. If you want damage-free and on-time delivery, you will sacrifice the pricing aspect. If you want good pricing and on-time delivery, you will give up damage-free service. CHR can deliver only pricing and the service is outside of their immediate control. Asset-based carriers can control both and more.

A broker can control service too....as much as a carrier can...by first and formost controlling who hauls the freight. I also control all pickup and delivery appointments and adjust so that everything happens on time. Speaking for my own accounts, having me between the shippers and the carriers means excellent service instead of poor service...which, I suppose, justifies my commission.

So a good carrier couldn't possibly make a pick up appointment or delivery appointment without you between them and the shipper? Wow that's quit a way to justify yourself. Not only that. I'm sure there are a few shippers who could "control " who hauls their freight by lets say controlling "who" they give their freight to.

Sure they could..but for some reason many don't. My point is that having your name on the ownership doesn't necessarily give you more control. Control involves the ability to plan and to manage...and that can be done by a broker as well as a carrier. I have no trouble getting and keeping large accounts based on my ability to manage and control the desired outcome better than my supplier carriers can...

Freight Broker I am a Carrier and UNFORTUNATELY I agree totally with your comments. It is people that make things happen not trucks. I suspect though it may be considerably easier to attract quality people to a Broker rather than a Carrier. Try dealing with truck drivers all week long. It is enough to ruin any good person.

hahahahaha caught again!!!! Start at the bottom and see how an agent in the exact same office tried to rip us for a lousy hundred bucks.

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Dang that Shirley J Fair enough, can you make the 11am appointment time??




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From:
Sent: Tuesday, October 20, 2009 12:29 PM
To: Dan Johnson
Subject: Re: Thamesville, ON-Litchfield, MI



No, Shirley Nelson already told me $600.00 USD?


-----Original Message-----
From: Dan Johnson <Daniel.Johnson@chrobinson.com>
To:
Sent: Tue, Oct 20, 2009 1:20 pm
Subject: RE: Thamesville, ON-Litchfield, MI

Up, I have gotten two of them covered at $500 US. I have one remaining with an 11am appt. Can you match that $500??




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From:
Sent: Tuesday, October 20, 2009 12:15 PM
To: Dan Johnson
Subject: Re: Thamesville, ON-Litchfield, MI



$650.00 USD and only one truck available on Thursday
And there's 3 loads per day isn't there?



Thank you,









-----Original Message-----
From: Dan Johnson <Daniel.Johnson@chrobinson.com>
Sent: Tue, Oct 20, 2009 1:03 pm
Subject: Thamesville, ON-Litchfield, MI

Thamesville, ON-Litchfield, MI

SD loads

45000 lbs

Machinery

Loads tomorrow am



Please send rate and availability.



Dan Johnson- North American Flatbed Operations

CH ROBINSON WORLDWIDE INC.

SARTELL, MN 800-311-2128 Ext 1368

Direct 320-257-8072

Fax 320-203-9300

Emergency After Hours 320-761-9142

it will look good on them

when this turns around there will be a bunch of load brokers on the 401 with large wheelbarrows because that will be the only way to move their freight

Well needless to say, I never did take the load.

TRUCKIT said:

Freight Broker I am a Carrier and UNFORTUNATELY I agree totally with your comments. It is people that make things happen not trucks. I suspect though it may be considerably easier to attract quality people to a Broker rather than a Carrier. Try dealing with truck drivers all week long. It is enough to ruin any good person.

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Truckit...no doubt about it...running a carrier is more challenging than running a brokerage. i have worked on both sides and will agree that trying to keep everyone happy..customers, drivers...DOT etc...is almost impossible to do. I can see why carriers get frustrated when brokers/shippers add to those woes by not paying on time.

CHEAP & HEAVY / They take 40% off the top