TQL doesnt pay a good rate unless they really have to. They are VERY negotiable when it comes to last-minute loads. :lol: I love hearing the desperation on the other end of the line. :lol:

 

I think along these lines as well. I have brokers (or do the brokers have me?) that give me a good rate and they call me when they have freight in my lane. Why would I back solicit them? For a couple extra bucks? Naww. A'int worth it. They treat me fair.

 

When you back solicit an account, you will likely cut your own throat next time you need a load from that broker. He is not going to load your truck when he already knows that you will likely try to take his customer. Whether you like brokers or not, they do provide a service. Consider them your sales force. In reality, they are working in their own interest, but they also free you up to drive and run your business without having to concern yourself with finding, servicing or losing a good shipper. I have a few brokers with whom I have dealt for some time and have a good relationship. If I were to back solicit their accounts, then I would shoot myself in the foot and not get any other business from them.

I received a call this week from a broker with whom I have done business for a while. Their rates have always been good and they pay their bills in a timely manner. The loads that they called me about this week paid over $3/mile. Had I solicited their accounts I would probably not have gotten the call. These people have gotten me loads when there was little going on with freight.

I suppose you can always justify your behavior. I think when you conduct your business in an ethical manner, most people will do the same with you. If you want to back solicit an account, then don't sign an agreement with a broker who has that language in his contract. Invest your time in finding your own shippers without first going through the broker. You don't have to go through a broker to haul freight. You only need to commit to the time and effort to find your own accounts.

 

A friend had a similar problem last spring . He had been working as a outside carrier for the trucking company that had the contract. He was happy with the arrangement but one day the shipper at the customer itself told him that they were looking for rates for the work he was doing plus some other work. He didn't want to go behind the trucking company's back but if the customer was asking him they were probably soliciting rates from other people also. So it was possible he would lose the work even if he didn't take it. He gave her rates for the other work but not the actual work he was doing. The original ended up keeping the work so it seemed like the shipper was just out fishing to see if she could get it done cheaper. He kept his work but some trucking outfits would have considered that a breach of contract even though they approached him about the work.

 

Amen to this, its not easy to survive in a world of "moral integrity"

 

There is no shortage of freight.
Your methods remind me of a carrier that covered my loads only to cancel due to "broken down trucks or trailers" before the load even picked up, then the customer called me up cancelling the load. Sure, these things happen in transportation. But to have a load tendered over to you and to have it cancel on you is one thing, but be careful. We're not stupid guys, I know that load got picked up because the shipper told me it did. 1+1=2 right?
Just how truckers talk among each other, brokers do the same.
I had an unknowledgeable shipper who put the rate agreement on the BOL so the carrier see's (which we found out later when you turn the BOL, to get paid). Needless to say the carrier tried to back solicit US the difference in pay, and back solicited our CUSTOMER for service.
We get it guys, this might be how some carriers or independent drivers do business. Go ahead, keep doing this and you might find yourself against the wall, with no GOOD shippers. We deal with the good shippers, take all the ****ty ones off our hands, please!
The carrier and customer I spoke about can longer do business with ours. Which we handle 28% of domestic freight today...so feel free, piss us off, just don't bother asking us for freight. Everybody gets along.
Back Soliciting = Laziness.

 

If I ever find out someone I work with back solicits me, they go on our no haul list and get reported to Landstar. It's as simple as that. I won't do business with someone who lacks integrity. We've got drivers who have a direct customer who will utilize us to handle their overflow. We refuse to back solicit them. It's bad business, and word will get around and you'll wind up putting yourself out of business.