FLS Transportation - Montreal

Jim L

Jim L

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Mar 2, 2009
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I just wanted to give a heads up with a situation that we just encountered when dealing with FLS Transportation.

We received a load confirmation from FLS and advised that our driver was over two hours away and will not make the shipping appointment that was scheduled (just over an hour). FLS response was to 'get over there and we will take care of you'.
We arrive about an hour late and advised FLS that they have put us in the queue and will try and fit us in. We were told to make sure we get our in and out times written on the bill.
FLS tracer called later in the day which we advised that we are still in queue.
9 HOURS AFTER arrival they put us on a door, the driver gave the pickup number which was incorrect. I called FLS after hours (they answered!!!) and they had it sorted out about a half hour later.
10 HOURS AFTER arrival we are released with our load that travels only 224 miles - 4 hours.
We called this morning only to be told that $70 is all they can do because we missed our appointment, they can't go in the red for this load, we should've called more often, we should've negotiated before taking the load....etc..etc.... Every excuse possible.

My take on this is that FLS had a truck turn the load back to them - they gave the load to us. The dispatcher can't get money from the customer because its not the customers issue and she can't go to her boss about dipping into the company money to properly pay the carrier and their driver for doing everything that they requested us to do.

I'm just giving this as a heads up to let everyone know that FLS will not step up to the plate - even when they knew full well that there was going to be a problem. Had they told me that they could only pay maximum $70 we would not have taken the load knowing potential issues that we were already late for a food-dock appointment.
 
Chances are they co-brokered the load. Only Quebec companies can do that. We had the same issue and not getting paid in a timely fashion so the are on the DNU list.
 
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Yet another reason why FLS remains on our do not use list. They made it off the list for a brief span of about a year but they have been back on it for about 13 months due to similar issues on a different lane. Their Milton office is particularly out of touch with reality when it comes to relationships with carriers.
 
The only times I did business with them in the past was at my other company and they were moving their freight with our intermodal dept.
People at tracing ( usually have NO idea on what's going on ) kept calling me at the highway dept to get tracing.
Each and everytime, I had to argue with them it was moving intermodal and not by truck as I'm not, never did and never will double broker a shipment for no reason even if requested by higher management. I will get fired before I double broke anything.

So bottom line - they don't have a clue what they doing, my opinion based on my personal experience with them.
 
"... office is particularly out of touch with reality ... " That is a particularly spectacular description that could apply to many brokers, shipper, consignees, and even some trucking companies ... do you mind if use that?
 
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I can't believe ANYONE does business with them at all. Their broker-carrier contract that dumps EVERY liability and responsibility on the carrier is complete bull. But that is already another thread on this forum........
Can't say I'm surprised that they did this. Many big brokers are like this, unfortunately.
 
I made many corrections and 'cross outs' on their contract renewal. We are still working with them and payment has greatly improved - especially since they went on an EFT system.
 
We tried the cross outs and corrections too. They refused to accept any type of amended contract. Oh well, no loss.
At least the payments have improved!
 
We did the cross outs and they said no and I said that's fine because we do not need FLS, so they revised the contract and I still crossed out more and we seem to be doing business with them. I get mad at them every year or so and cut them off but like the weeds between my patio stones they seem to come back.
 
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we have noticed a trend with FLS in the past few months. We invoice them, including all appropriate PODs etc, and about two months later we get a very aggressive request for the POD s and our invoice. I send them each time, mentioning the date that it was originally sent. And, when it has occured, that my records show that it was erased without being read. I also request that they confirm that I am sending the invoices to the proper e-mail address. I never get and answer back on this and of course, this means that they are paying well past 90 days now. We have one dated April 17 of this year. No one answers my e-mails or my phone messages. I have also tried to communicate with the person making the aggressive requests for PODs, both by e-mail and by phone, and don't get an answer... We try not to use them but, like Michael said, sometimes they have a load that you need...
 
We did cross the lines we did not like, as Lowmiler88 said and we are still doing business with them. Actually, Our dispatch has really good relations with them. We are on quick pay 1.5 percent and get paid in 5-7 days after delivery. We add that percentage in original amount and person we deal with, does not mind us doing so. And we email invoices. It's been good dealing with so far. No complaints. And we do lot's of work together and rates are better than lots of brokers out there.
 
Yes with regards to having to sign a huge document for even servicing 1 load per month is not practical, actually even if you service 1 per day. Carrier cant take all the liability when you may not have access to either a pre loaded trailer or the authority to be on the dock during loading and damages or shortages are apparently noticed at receiving end...in which they blame carrier. With all due respect to brokers, shippers and carriers its about ethics not scams.
 
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