Say I pulled a broker off the boards, and I thought and I would try to get set-up ahead of time....good God, he said he had to fax me a big long 8 page application, and return it.
K ....got it printed and weighing thru it....ummm is this common?

 

yes you have a packet that you will get from every broker you want to run/pick up there load. They need insurance mc/usdot #'s mostly just a bunch of bs. Sorry man that just the way it is.

 

The increase of Paper work in being an o/o.. Not done it my slef but seen them before, and will have to later on.

 

Don't worry, you get use to it.

Then there is the part where you just get unloaded and a broker calls with your next load. You have to be there in 3 hours by the latest. It takes you 2 hours and 45 minutes to drive there but they won't tell you where to go unless you fill out there packet and get the insurance company to fax your certificates. More than once I've told them to go jump in a lake. I tell them to give me the address and I'll start driving and fill the paper work out when I get there. They won't do it. Then they say, oh wait, you can load until 5pm. Well, you get there at 4:30 and they hell at you because you weren't there at 3pm and you find out the broker lied when he told you that you could load up to 5 instead of 3.

The brokers also count the day your loading as a full day of driving which is wrong!!! You need to do the calculation before signing I've found out. If it's a 1500 mile trip and it's Monday and they want the load on Wed it just doesn't work. The broker just figures, oh, 3 days at 500 miles, no problem. Oh yea, and by the way, make sure you are there at 7am.

Another one is picking up a load in Thrusday for a 600 mile run but delivery is not until Monday or Tuesday but you didn't read the contract good enough so you sit doing nothing.

I'm still learning but it takes a while to realize all the questions and facts you need to know before taking the load.

 

Yeah this other guy said its their company policy not to fax over the packet untill I accept a load, crap one more headache (suprised me cuz they sounded like a fairly big brokerage.)

Seems the first guy had it right to get me set-up ahead of time?

Was wondering, this is a little different question, but as mant brokerage houses I am finding out there it must be pretty easy to get into that field once your licensed? Just wondering cuz was following a few threads once, from a few guys just wanting to get into that buiz.

 

Don't fill out any ahead of time. I did in the beginning and I have yet to deal with any of them. I got approved with 27 and never hauled anything for them yet. There are 10 bazillion brokers out there.

To be a broker you have to put up a bond. It is easy to become a broker. You just have to have the means to get a bond.

 

Yeah Steve probably wont, but I am bored till Monday cuz I cant get anything more don, n I am on a no-frills Spartan budget so I can funnel all my available $ to making a go of this, and this at least gives me something that feels constructive to do.
Say tho, thought I had my #'s all ready to give them, hmmm they want a Federal ID #......um thats the # from a completed 2290 mailed back huh?....am quessing, still waiting on that then.
The agency that filed it said sometimes the broker will take a copy of the filed aplication...this true?
If not maybe should just pick up a one way trailer and head south, where I can possibly get a better deal on a trailer?....hmmmm
One way trailers only wanted my certificate of insurance.

 

Your Federal ID number can be either your Social Security number or another number issued to you as a company. If you are incorporated you will need to apply for a number with the IRS. If you want a number for a sole proprietorship you will still need to get one from the IRS. They may have issued you one when you paid your 2290. Brokers and/or shippers don't need your 2290. They will usually need a W9 filled out with either your Social Security number or FEIN (Federal Employer Identification Number). If you are a proprietorship they will usually send you a 1099 at the end of the year. Most will not send a 1099 to corporations.

 

I think you can get your federal EIN number online and right away. You can also use your SSN number instead.

 

If you are a sole-propietor you can use your SSN, if you are incorporated you should get an EIN, and you can do it instantly online.

My policy as far as faxing is that my agreement has to be signed before I give the address out. Usually while I am waiting for the O/O to fax everything back I can check out the MC#'s, insurance, etc. That takes the time down.