How you move freight

[Michael K]

I waned to start a discussion to see the members input on how they currently move freight or get freight.

All members here have the link as it is necessary to move certain freight. Protocol at my company is to use it as the last resort after all calls have been made to established carriers and a lane search has been completed with no availability (also for any unforseen circumstances i.e ..breakdown etc..)

We also do not post outbound freight (unless the above circumstances occur). I just did a quick check at our enroute loads. We currently have 250 loads in transit (approximately) and of those loads only 25 or so were booked via the link.

What are your thoughts?

 

[Freight Broker]

You bring up a good point. I'm the odd man out..I don't use Link..don't even have an account. I use Internet Truckstop as 90% of my freight moves within the United States.

I'm old fashioned I guess...when I get freight to or from Ontario I simply make a few calls to get it moved. Ontario is a relatively small market..and if you've been in the transportation racket for a number of years it is possible to know who most of the players are. Thus, when I get a couple of skids from Mississauga/Woodstock, Kingston/etc that need to go to Smalltown USA, I pretty much know who to call without posting. Inter Canada is even easier. Truckloads are bit more of challenge...but again...10 or 20 minutes on the phone usually covers it.

I find that the load boards in general are less helpful than they used to be... I'm not sure why that is. It used to be that you could post 50 loads and surely you'd get at least 2 or 3 calls on something. Not so much anymore. I usually have 400 to 500 loads posted on IT...and I tell you..today I did not receive a single call on any. Yet I'm able to move loads by calling on carriers I've worked with in the past. I'm not sure what's changed...maybe carriers don't look at the boards anymore. All I can tell you is that the trucks seem to be there if you have contacts and call. But just posting and hoping someone will call is like putting your mug on a singles site and expecting all the good looking chicks to call YOU...it just doesn't happen. The world has changed.

 

[Michael K]

Freight broker we think alike and I couldn't agree with you more. The really great carriers don't use the link. I have a line up of trucks on our loads well into next week and if you were to search them on the link you might see 1 or 2 postings yet they have trucks evrywhere and start from an owner operator to companies of 400 or more trucks. This industry is moving forward.

 

[theman]

I think Link helps, but it's not the way to build partnerships with carriers, which ultimately is what you need to succeed.

Personally, I think it's a bigger benefit on LTL because when the carriers use it properly, you can match the LTL available to space they have without going through the phone rigamaroll. On truckload, it's only good if you have something one-off or special that you need to move in a pinch.