Late fees

You get what you pay for. Pay better rates, get better carriers. Your complaints make it obvious you don't pay well.

Great rates get trailers pulled to delivery locations if the power unit is down. Great rates get temp drivers to operate the equipment to get it to the delivery site if the usual driver cannot. Great rates get top notch customer service. Great rates get fluent English speakers that can communicate with ease. Great rates get great results.

Poor rates get poor results. Poor rates get late deliveries. Poor rates get angry customers. Poor rates get junk equipment. Poor rates get poor attitudes. Poor rates get injured carriers and safety hazards. Poor rates gets flip flops, shorts and tee shirts. Poor rates get lack of communication. This is not rocket science.

Great rate > poor rate

Great carrier > poor driver

Carrier > driver

Different mentaliy, culture and history.

Here we go again, badmouthing and making assumptions. If you're late, no matter what the pay is, you're late. Period. Drivers have to be responsible. If you can't pick up the phone or send an email with an update, you're not being responsible. It sounds childish to say the driver will be late because the pay is low. Why be late when you will probably get even less on that low rate?? That just doesn't make sense to me. And I'll say it again, if you don't like the rate, don't book it.

It isn’t so much the eld as it is the frieght company putting restrictions on loading at a certain time say 8:30. It is the other end that shuts down at 3:30. And if you want to get unloaded get the cash out.

Wish the eld hrs could carry over to the next day. If the receiver breaks down you sit. You ask for compensation they say sure but you are not welcome back here

way too many companies haul too cheap

Again, when these things happen, the broker and/or customer need to be informed immediately. This goes back to my first post in this thread about late fees. Everyone (customers, brokers, carriers) know about the ELD restrictions. It's the responsibility of the driver to use their best judgement when traveling in poor weather conditions and to keep the broker or customer informed of all delays. That rarely happens in my experience. I'm not being combative, I promise you. But the drivers are our eyes out there on the road. If they don't communicate with us, that's a problem.

It doesn't make sense to you because you're completely ignorant to the business and it's associated conundrums. It's painfully obvious! When you go to McDonalds do you expect them to bring it to your table to you? Do you expect them to refill your drinks or continually check to see if you need anything during your dining experience? No, you don't. Why not?! Because it's a cheap meal and you know it. I'm certain you expect all those things at a nice steak house though; don't you? Why? Because it cost more for the SERVICE! Nobody is going break any laws, nor be bothered with giving you stupid updates on your garbage rate freight. Period.

Truly good rate freight pays for the service and reliabilty that walks beside it in tandem. Brokers that have freight like that are not posting on load boards unless it's some sort of emergency. They have actual contracts in place with their genuine customer who does not go anywhere else for their transporation needs unlike your pathetic "Agreement" that has very little legal stiction. When the load is in dager of being late on a time sensitive delivery the rate demands a premium to cover expenses to ensure it makes it on time. Truck breaks down? The carrier can afford to repower it! Driver is sick, injured or out of hours? The carrier can afford to get a temp driver in the saddle! You have zero business in this business. You're just another reseller. Another set of hands in the carrier's pocket. Another monkey on his back.

Yes, you can call it an assumption all you want but I KNOW you're not paying. In fact; how about you prove me wrong? Prove that I'm assuming. Provide YOUR proof that you're not peddling cheap trash to the industry. Tell us what you have going on? Pick/drop zips, commodity and rate. Tell us. Share with the class! Otherwise, I already know it's crap.

This part in particular really drew my attention, David Krouse: "Nobody is going break any laws, nor be bothered with giving you stupid updates on your garbage rate freight. Period." Who would be breaking any laws? When did I ever encourage anyone to break a law?? And to not give the broker updates? This post says a lot about you.

Do you have a set price for late fee? Also what kind of window is given before late fee applies?

With the above questions in mind, how is the detention policy worded in the rate con? The typical wishy washy driver must call for approval or do you actually lay out the specifics? Rate, allowed "free time" and any hoops to jump through?

Are the basics of the 2 policies built in the same way? You can't have a $500 late fee after 1 hr late and expect a driver to wait for 2 hrs free @ $25/hr with a $200 cap. Should be a 2 way street. $500 for 1 hr late should pay $500 for holding a driver more than an hr.

As far as late fees for paperwork. That needs to be a 2 way street also. Example, you want paperwork within 5 days and charge $100 after that. Shouldn't you pay carrier within 5 days and if not add that same $100 you charge?

Theses shady one way street policies are why brokers like you get ragged on. How are we expected to work together when the deck is stacked against us from the start.

Josh,

Yes sir, late delivery fees usually apply after the 2nd day late at $50/day. I say usually because some customers will charge from day 1. I've actually had to eat a couple of the late fees myself because the customer will count the pick up date as day 1 and go 7-10 days from there, depending on their allowance for using the trailer. I honor what I told the carrier from the start by taking that late fee away from my commission because the carrier only did what they were told. As far as late paperwork fees, I put the amount on all my rate cons, which is $50/day after 7 days from scheduled delivery. My home office puts 36 hours but I don't honor that because I understand sometimes the drivers don't or aren't able to get their dispatcher the paperwork in a day or two. I don't hide anything as far as these fees but I'm seeing more and more carriers chewing me out because they didn't read their rate con.

Detention pay isn't worded in the rate con unfortunately, I've asked my home office to have it added in (it's something that shows up automatic and I don't have authority to do it myself) but they haven't done that. Typically with my customers, after waiting for 2 hours, they will pay between $150-250 for the driver's time. However, we have to know as soon as the waiting begins or the customer won't honor anything until he/she knows about it. I've had carriers wait 5-6 hours to tell me they were waiting and I fixed the issue within the hour. Of course the driver does need to call for approval so we know what's going on. If we don't know and it can't be proven, it's very hard to get the customer to pay for the extra time.

I do put the time frame the driver has with the trailer on the rate con. If anything changes, I encourage every driver to tell me. When the customer can't get an answer in a timely fashion, they usually aren't willing to NOT cut the rate.

I'm not sure what the late fees typically are for freight as I'm only doing power only trailers right now but I've never charged a carrier for being an hour late or even a day late UNLESS the customer charges from day 1. I've definitely never charged a carrier $500 a day or two late. I try to be lenient when possible.

When the carriers set up with us, it's in the contract they sign stating our standard pay is net 30. They've agreed to those terms when they set up with us. We do have other payment options that are quicker and I've seen a lot of carriers using factoring companies so they usually get paid pretty quickly. But from my broker's point of view, we can't start those 30 days or release payment until we've received the POD. We have to be able to prove the trailer was delivered, when and in what condition before any payments are made. The customers don't pay us without POD (most of them don't anyway).

You are the most combative person I've spoken to on here. It proves my point that the truckers I deal with on a regular basis treat people like garbage.

I was referring to a load we did as a CARRIER, not from the broker end with what you quoted me on. Please stop making assumptions and attacking me. That's not what this forum is about!

And my husband is not my "old man". I find that disrespectful.

i would have fired you a year ago.

Well said, Nancy. So many factors adding extra hazards that were not an issue before. A driver can stay up all night geeking on meth or coke but as long as he's logged off duty he's good to go after his 10! Safety lies in the individual and their choices. No law can make a person better inside.

What's your MC number?

Another thing that gets old is when all these fees are put in the rate con and not in the original carrier broker agreement. I believe that's a bad way to go about it. I believe it all needs to be laid out in the agreement from the get go. If that means updating the agreement a couple times a year then so be it. Can you legally charge fees if not outlined in the original contract? I wonder if that has ever been tried in court? If you know of any cases regarding this please point me in the direction. I would be interested in reading it.

That's a good question, Josh. Unfortunately I don't have access to our carrier packet, which is done electronically through my home office, to confirm if there is anything about late fees in the carrier agreement. From what I've been told, once the rate con is signed, it becomes a legal document and has weight in court. I repeat, from what I've been told. Now I think part of the problem is carriers not reading through their rate cons before they sign it. There have been a lot of times drivers will deliver late or turn in paperwork late and yell at me about late fees that were clearly written on their paperwork :(

I think it goes both ways. Carriers don't understand how brokerages are run and make assumptions. I wasn't trying to offend you but I see you took it that way. I was genuinely asking you if you were implying that I didn't know how to do my job, no motive for a fight behind it.

The total rate is usually set by my customers, yes. To operate a brokerage you have to take a certain percentage off to satisfy the brokerage and for it to be profitful, just like any other business. Trucking companies do it too, they pay their drivers $.50/mile or less when the load might pay them $2/mile total. They make their profit minus expenses like all of us.

I can honestly say I've never brokered a load for $7/mile. I only do power only, no freight. If carriers understand how brokerages work and broker out their own loads, then they are getting a piece of the pie too. How are they any different from the "big bad broker"? Brokers get slammed way too much and not every broker is a shady scam artist, just like not every carrier is bad. I know a couple of brokers that ripped us off as a carrier and they do and say things I would never and have never done. But I am lumped in with the bad brokers anyway. It wouldn't be right if I thought all carriers were bad.

OK, I'll take your word for it. However most of my customers don't pay more than $2/mile and the trailers still move. Like I said, if the cheaper freight/trailer moves, the rates won't go up.

So you're saying basically all drop and hook power only? Or maybe putting a load on a new trailer to deliver on the way to deliver trailer? No wonder it's all cheap stuff and the owner/op or drivers you're using are lazy or unwilling to cooperate with you. That freight isn't quite bulk commodity's that have a shorter shelf life.

Sorry no, I don't post my loads on here. Please call me at (845) 728-5216 to discuss available trailers and rates

Yes sir, I move empty trailers. No freight as of right now

Here's a prime example of the horrible rates that continue. But the trailers keep moving in spite of this. This was in my email this morning:

Pick up

Woodhaven, Mi

Delivery

Chicago, IL

275 Miles / Paying $500.00

STRAPS WILL BE NEEDED …..

NO TRUCK ORDERED / NOT USED !!!!!!

And this is a DAMAGED TRAILER to boot! It's very hard to get him to go up after I find a carrier that's willing to haul it but is reasonably asking for more money. Almost always get shot down. What am I supposed to do with that? I can't in good conscience take any money off to broker this. I can't post this trailer.

Perhaps. The post started out on late fees and spiraled from there.

Because she already knows her brokerage is of the bottom feeding variety with a poor reputation. One that's well known for short paying AND slow paying carrier invoices. With 42 DTP and tons of other carriers leaving reviews complaining of being ripped off this is par for the course IMO.

She should move over to a decent brokerage then because Freight Tec is absolute scum. If she's truly guilty by associatiin then she should rethink her associations and part ways. Am I suppose to pardon someone who's trying to feed their family while taking from mine? No, sir. We're not living in a third world country (not yet at least) that requires stealing from each other to survive. She and anyone like her are quite capable of doing the right thing. Also, I know I'm frank and curt but I don't see where I called her any names.

I noticed you only put the negative reviews on here. Freight Tec has 4.3 out of 5 stars on Google and none of the negative comments I've seen are about my office. We all work in different offices so it seems unfair that you'd assume everyone at Freight Tec is bad.

Anyone, including anonymous people can post reviews on Google. Literally anyone can post anything there with absolutley no checks in place for padding the reviews in favor (or against) of the business. The fakes reviews are out of hand. They're actually rendering them useless. I stopped using them quite a while ago. Competitors attacking each other using them has been a big deal. Google is not used in the industry.

DAT however, is NOT. DAT is vetted 100 percent with MC numbers. DAT is the real deal that can be trusted and verified. Google cannot say the same. Anyone that uses DAT or ITS can see for themselves.

Actually it's a lot of carriers that left both positive and negative reviews. You can check Google if you don't believe me.

Honestly I don't have access to our carrier agreement, it's all done electronically and goes directly from the carrier to my home office. I'm not sure what exactly is written in our contract or how it's written.

Gotcha. Are you saying that was BEFORE the brokerage takes their percentage? Anyway, Freight Tec can tell the customer it's too low when they complain about the crappy service they get. I consider both parties to share the responsibility equally. The shipper and the broker are asking for entirely too much yet bring nothing to the table.

Wow. I'm surprised you anything moved for that customer at all. Curious. How many repeat carriers do you have to handle these loads? Do you have any "go to" trucks for this customer to call when he needs his trash moved?

I don't book much with them and I've only had one repeat carrier but we had to really convince the customer to pay at least $2/mile (power only pays less than freight) and really it should pay more than $2 because the driver has to strap the trailer (almost every one of his trailers are salvage trailers coming from auctions)

I had to look anyway. Looks close to the DAT ones don't they? Thanks for sharing.

The writing is certainly on the wall. I agree. However, Iran is none of my business. My business is here in our land. We've been meddling in the Middle East for over 40 years. For over two decades there's ALWAYS a new excuse to bring strife, war, pain, death and misery to our cousins door steps. It's unnacceptable. It's far time we focus on our own country that's getting taken over by illegal invaders. DISCLAIMER: I have no problem with CONTROLLED LEGAL immigration but we already have enough criminals here we don't need more. Do it the right way or don't do it at all. What happened to, "America First"? Trump was supposed to be bringing all the troops home and fixing our very broken once great nation. Don't get me started. I don't think we should turn this thread into political one.

As all I do is listen to carriers that haven't been paid for 10 hours a day, I would like to address this. Understand I am not talking about a specific broker, but there are a few dozen that I get calls on every week. And have for the last 11 years. Regardless of what the OP does for their carriers, I get calls weekly with proof of communication from a driver to a broker, showing they are behind, because of loading times(sometimes 12 hours, how do you stay in HOS like that?) and the broker doesn't pay a cent. There are brokers that set carriers up to not have to pay them. There is a broker in Cincinnati, that comes up with a reason to hold $200 on every single load, because my company and its one competitor of significance, won't work accounts that small.

There is a broker local to me, that was placed in collections several times, we call and ask whats up, he stated that "he makes a few extra grand a month, not paying until people call a couple of times, because there is always someone that won't call"

There are factoring companies that do everything they can to make money OFF of a carrier and their are factoring companies that do everything they can to make money WITH the carrier. And just like that, there are some brokers that realize they can make more with you from the shipper than off of you, with the shipper.

AND the biggest issue of all, brokers giving loads to trucking companies that have never had an inspection, and acting surprised when a legitimate carrier shows up wanting to be paid for the load the broker paid the fake carrier that double brokered the load to the real carrier shows up.

Brokers HAVE to stop giving loads to people that are obviously double brokering. Carriers have to understand that sooner or later there just isn't enough meat on the bone for two brokerages to make money and the carrier get paid, and they will end up losing in the end because of it.

WOW, a guy takes a coouple days off for a little vacaton with the wife and look what I missed on here.. This was a good one! We spent a couple of days in Biloxi. Yes, we lost. My new gmabling strategy is, put just enough money on the table to get a free drink, then when it comes, go throw the rest of the gambling budget in the parking lot and go back to the room.

Anyway, it seems this topic has been beat to death, so I say YES lets move on to POLITICS!!

Who thinks Uncle Joe and Aunt Kamala are doing a bang up job so far? I don't know about y'all but I can wait to pay higher taxes! I'm so excited I think I'm going to have a bowel movement..

Have a good weekend everyone!

I get calls everyday about brokerages pulling fast ones to not pay the full rate. If you know your shipper hasn't gotten a truck loaded in under 4 hours in a year, and a carrier says "as long as its loaded within 2 hours, I can make it within HOS" and you don't let the carrier know that right away, and you charge late fees or push them on HOS because of it, you are in violation of the coercion rule, in my opinion.

https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/safety/coercion