Trucking: Getting into the o/o business, use brokers, bob stephens

Question
HI.  My husband is currently trying to get his own truck/trailer to become an o/o.  I want to get his loads for him.  How do I go about doing this?  

Answer
Hi Sara.

You can go to sites like www.getloaded.com, pay a monthly fee and get all the loads you want.  That's one of the areas where I started.  After a while, you get to know the brokers and can call them direct.  ONLY USE BROKERS WITH A HIGH CREDIT RATING!!  It's listed on getloaded's site.  I never carry a load for anybody with less than an 85 credit score (out of 100).  Otherwise, you could be hauling that load for free.

Once you know who the shippers and receivers are, you can contact them directly for loads.  Brokers take a cut, and if I can pocket the money myself, I will.  You will have to deal with brokers, but do everything you can to break away from them as much as possible.

I always tell people do to a little sales, also.  Drop off your business card at local businesses that may need your services.  They may not ship a lot, but receive truckloads of freight.  If your husband is in the area of the shipper, it's great to have a load coming real close to home.  It takes some legwork, but it's great when a load comes through.  I got a regular run like that from LA to a mile from our offices.  I just did some outside sales.

Good Luck!

Bob Stephens