I can help with that!!
National Van and Flat rates for today per DAT. You can google Van or Flatbed rates daily on DAT. Good luck…if you have any questions or need some help, let me know
I have this pinned on my computer, so when I open it, I just hit refresh to get current ratesš Again, feel free to contact DispatcHER @ this email 4kidz4jobz@gmail.com
Be Safe y’all š
The guide to helping drivers find dispatchers and loads, also the rules of the road and other important information you need to be a safe and prosperous truck driver is coming soon.
This guide is packed with knowledge about the trucking industry that will help even the seasoned driver. There is information for hotshot and semi drivers.
Stay tuned for launch info!šš„³šš¾
P.S. I am also writing a guide for dispatchersš«£š
I am working on a guide that has info on starting and running a trucking business.
FMCSA is a good place to start to figure out what you need regarding permits for your state and other states. Also, check with your state Dept. of Motor Vehicles regarding any special rules and regulations.
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/
DispatcHER helps with questions and other services that involve trucking. Contact 4kidz4jobz@gmail.com
I just found out this insurance was a thing. And only after a driver found out he didn’t have it to cover a trailer fire he was involved in. If you pull trailers that YOU DONāT OWN YOU NEED THIS COVERAGE! If you don’t have it and something happens to the trailer in your possession you are ultimately responsible.
**This is NOT THE SAME AS CARGO INSURANCE** Please don’t get the 2 confused.
Below is a link to a Progressive article that explains it more in-depth.
Be safe and Insured šš¾š
https://www.progressivecommercial.com/coverages/trailer-interchange/
Fuel prices are still up there. Loads are still few, and far between and not paying great but rates are slowly on the rise. The storm was rough on everyone I’ve spoken with. Be safe y’all and Happy New Year š
In 2023 I am Asserting the Mastery of my Real Self!
I posted on Quora this week, so click the link below to see it! Quora is a platform where you can post and answer other people’s questions. I love it.
DispatcHER šš»šØ
Power Only loads
Tis the season….for Seasonal Power Only loads! What that means is if you are a Owner Operator with your own truck and authority you can hook up to a trailer, loaded or empty, and move it where it needs to go. You do need to sign up with the company or broker offering these loads. Some want you to pull double trailers so know you may need to get licensed for that if you’re not already.
The companies, and their contact info, that usually have these types of loads are:
UPS: 800.332.9735
Amazon: relay.amazon.com
Fedex: customcritical.fedex.com
Walmart: carsrvrq@wal-mart.com
If you have any questions or need help don’t hesitate to contact me.
Sharmyn at 4kidz4jobz@gmail.com
DispatcHER Tip of the Week! šš»šØ
Quite a few drivers call my job and inquire about loads that are for Flatbed trailers. They wait till we get through the whole spiel about the load then ask if a Conestoga will work. 80% of the time a Conestoga will not work for a Flatbed and 100% of the time it won’t work for items that have shard edges.
If you have a Conestoga you should search for loads filtered to accommodate Conestoga trailers first. It will be way more efficient and save time if you look for loads specific to your trailer type. You will find loads that will work for Flatbeds and Stepdecks more often than a Flatbed load that works on a Conestoga.
So, if you’re calling looking for loads start with the trailer you have to see if it will work before wasting everyone’s time.
Be Blessed and Safe
DispatcHER Tip of the Weekšš»šØ
In todayās market waiting is costing more than driving in some cases. On the one hand, if you wait, you could lose business income. On the other hand, if you keep moving, you could end up worse off.
Drivers need to be smart and diligent during these times to stay afloat.
ā¢ Waiting: I donāt like the wait game. Too many times, the driver was like āNah, Iāll waitā on a load going exactly where he needs to get because they think theyāll come up on the rate or something better will surface. That strategy works maybe 20% of the time in my experience. I always tell drivers āYou study long, you study wrong.ā Why wait for a decent load to get away on a hope? Now you lost another day if you wait too long or have to take a real shit load.
ā¢ Not waiting: The only bad part of not waiting, in my opinion, is panicking and not planning well so you end up in BFE and deadheading so far you lost all the profit you made on the load getting you where you were. However, I think this is the best option because of the fact that if you plan properly, you will end up where you need to be with some money in your pocket. You may not end up exactly where you want, but if you plan accordingly, youāll be ahead.
ā¢ Costs: Waiting could ultimately cost your business as sitting and waiting for loads to fall into your lap is never a good game plan. In times like this, you need to be a go-getter and be resourceful. For example, if you want to make $200,000/ year, then you have to make approximately $715/day. That equates to working 40 weeks of the year or 280 days. So, instead of waiting for loads to fall out of thin air call load coordinators, agents, and customers, you know, utilize all the load boards and make it happen. You may have to Deadhead a little more, but if it works out in the end and youāre not negative, then you’re up. The moral of the story is that when deciding to move, keep in mind to add your recurring expenses at home and truck costs into the mix.
At the end of the day, use your best judgment. If you’re not sure, ask someone with more experience, Hell ask me!
For more information on Trucking contact Sharmyn at 4kidz4jobz@gmail.com!
Be Safe and Profitable
DispatcHER Tip of the week!
Excessive Idle times can be costly if you get caught in the wrong city, state or countyš just ‘chillin’. Not to mention the extra yearly maintenance costs it adds to keeping your truck running, which is your income so that should be Priority #1. I get extreme circumstances like weather or a reefer trailer where you must idle, however, if neither of these apply in your situation take heed. American Transportation Research Institute or ATRI has a list current as of 10/2021 that shows the states/areas, idle times, fines and exemptions the rule applies too. Here’s a link for the pdf and to the website:
https://truckingresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/2021.ATRI-CabCard-Oct.pdf
https://truckingresearch.org/2019/01/09/atri-updates-online-idling-regulations-compendium-3/
Contact info: Sharmyn @ 4kidz4jobz@gmail.com
Be safe and Profitable šš»šØ
I am not understanding why Freight is still slow? The holidays are basically upon us but the only steady freight I see are ridiculously cheap and extraordinarily heavy lumber loads. With the dunnage and chain work needed that don’t make dollars or sense.
My advice is to utilize all the load boards you can right now. I’ll put links to a few. Some are paid but a lot of them you can still see price and/or broker contact info. Also, Google truck load boards but verify whoever your calling is up to par (run their credit) and not trying to scam youš§
If you need any assistance maneuvering through the load boards contact me, Sharmyn at 4kidz4jobz@gmail.com
https://www.landstaronline.com/loadspublic
https://mercer-trans.com/freight-brokerage/
https://truckstop.com/
https://www.dat.com/load-boards
https://truckerpath.com/
Good Luck and Be Safe
DispatcHER šš»šØ
Dispatcher, Broker & Double Brokering
Dispatcher and broker are 2 different things, Iāll explain.
Double brokering can happen to dispatchers or brokers.
Dispatchers only work for the driver. They cannot legally represent shippers or manufacturers. They can call brokers and give a driverās MC# to inquire/book loads. They can also negotiate rates.
Brokers, on the other hand, must have freight broker authority through the FMCSA and surety bond. Brokers should not call other brokers to put Owner Operators with their own authority on loads as that becomes double brokering.
This is when someone books a load under one MC and gives it to someone with a different MC to pick up and then keeps all the money for not doing the load or gives carrier that did do load very little percentage of what load paid. Also known as interlining or co brokering, it is illegal. It puts the broker and shipper at risk for liability, loss and claims due to unqualified carriers.
Be sure youāre giving the correct MC# in the case you are a dispatcher for multiple drivers. The Name/MC# on the rate con has to match the Name/MC# on the truck that pulls up to load. If not, carriers could be turned away. If they arenāt and run the load, when itās time to get paid the carrier is usually left out the money because no one can get a hold of the broker that booked the load.
So be cautious when booking loads, check references and if something sounds to good to be true it probably is.
By: DispatcHER
Contact- 4kidz4jobz@gmail.com
Brought to you by DispatcHER
Would you like more Abundance to come into your trucking business. Well all you have to do is start affirming what you want using Affirmations.
Affirmations are statements you say in Present Tense to call what you want in life into your reality. Itās easy and only takes a few minutes.
Examples:
My business is thriving and profitable.
I have all the drivers I need.
I always receive good loads with great rates.
My truck and trailer are always in good working order when I have to load.
I have customers who have exclusive and dedicated loads for my business.
Statements like these will greatly improve whatever situation(s) you need abundance in. Make sure to end the Affirmation with āSo be it, So it is.ā or āThis or something better.ā
Happy Trucking and Be Safe šš»
Questions or comments email: 4kidz4jobz@gmail.com
Well I’m sure you’ve noticed as everyone else has the freight loads are getting real thin. I mean almost transparent.
The company I work for has seen a dramatic decrease in loads from just 2 months ago. It was like as soon as the rates went up, loads went down.
The major companies seem to have loads that we don’t to keep drivers moving or get them back from areas like the west and I’m talking any state west of like MO. Or upper norheast states that once you get there all the loads stay up in that area so you have to deadhead to like NY just to get out of that loop.
I do see where loads out of Bremen IN and Whitestown IN are back….for now. But my Gawd, loads used to be plentiful coming out of IL, IN, OH and areas like that. Shit, I haven’t sent one of my drivers to OH in months. I have 2 drivers that live in IN and they had to do something else this week cause I didn’t have anything for them. Whereas, just a month ago I was able to book them for the week by Tuesday.
So it seems like it’s come to the point where it’s a go for what you market. Get in where you fit in and get qualified with as many reputable brokers as you can to stay afloat until this menagerie is over.
If you have questions or need help finding loads please contact me @ 4kidz4jobz@gmail.com and I will do what I can to point you in the right direction regarding your trucking situation.
TEAMWORK MAKES THE DREAM ONE š« Be safe and prosperous out here y’all šš¾ ā¤ļø šššØ
In this article Devin talks about the most common types of scams leveraged against truckersand their businesses these days. I can attest that these are accurate as I deal with them daily at my job.
Here's the list:
DOT Impersonation
Phishing
Factoring Scams
Double Brokering
Repair Shop Impersonation
Also, there is another scam that seems to be getting worse and that’s unauthorized use of driver’s credit and debit cards. I’ve had a couple drivers tell me their cards have been compromised. My advice is when you’re not using your card have it turned off or restricted so it can’t be used in a nefarious manner by others. Just remember to turn it back on when you go to use it again.
Stay vigilant and alert everyone. Times are too tough to be falling prey to clowns that have nothing better to do than to prey on hard working individuals and their business. Be safešÆāš¾
If you have no idea how much work using a leveler is to haul a load, please watch this video. It is mind blowing how much work is involved. Also, they look heavy and awkward so hats off to all drivers who use them.
Dispatchers and brokers really need to understand the equipment their drivers use in case the driver calls with a problem you can comprehend what is happening and help in an efficient manner.
Video courtesy of Hotshot Haven on YouTube. If you have questions or would like info on DispatcHER services, leave a comment or email 4kidz4jobz@gmail.com
Accessorials are fees paid for services requested that are above and beyond the original agreed upon load requirements at time of booking. Things like delays, reconsignment, tarping, etc.
It is important to verify you receive, sign and submit the new rate con if any changes have been made aftet booking and you want to get paid the correct amount. Everyone isn’t honest and times are hard right now so be diligent.
In order to get these extra fees paid, you have to have documentation, in most cases. Here are some examples of extra fees:
Advanced Notification
After hours
Border Crossing
Circuitous miles
COD fees
Deadhead
Detention
Diversion
Fuel Surcharge
Inside delivery fee
Layover
Liftgate
Limited Access
Lumper
Reclassified/Reweighed
Reconsignment
Residential
Storage
Stop off
Tarping
Tolls
TONU
*Note: Some of these fees are already included in you rate con, check to verify.
Tell whomever you booked the load with of any issues immediately so they can have a record. Don’t assume the broker or agent knows what’s going on. A lot of times they have no idea there’s a problem because the shipper/receiver is communicating with you, the driver. In my current job, I am the one who alerts brokers/agents of issues with loads and I do brokerage tracking. I’ll call for load or empty times and the driver informs me, whether I ask or not. So don’t be afraid to say something because a closed mouth don’t get fed. And, in my opinion the only time contact is initiated from the shipper/receiver to the broker/agent is when there is an issue with the driver…for example they are acting out of pocket, being rude or acting violent. By the way, don’t do this is you don’t want to be labeled as such. Especially if you need to be paid for extra work. If you want to talk shit do so after you get paid.
Alright everyone, let’s get paid for all the work they expect with rates dumb low and fuel stupid high. We got this!
If you have questions regarding dispatch or trucking, please contact me 4kidz4jobz@gmail.com.
Ok, I am sure we are all aware the price of fuel is outrageous. It doesn’t help that rates don’t seem to be climbing as fast.
The only way I can see to rectify this is if truckers take a day or two and not buy fuel. I know it would be hard to not move due to the state of the economy and inflation rearing it’s ugly head but we have to do something. Drivers already pay for everything to conduct business so why can’t they get a break at the pump?
AAA has fuel prices by state and nationally. This can be helpful when taking loads so you know how much you need to make in order to haul the load and make money. Here’s the link to copy and paste ā¬ļøā¬ļø https://gasprices.aaa.com/state-gas-price-averages/
TCI Capital has a story about freight rates as of May 2022. It shows Vans, Flats, and Reefer. It also breaks down the changes in rates and how much rates are by region. Below is the link to copy and paste ā¬ļøā¬ļø https://www.tcicapital.com/tci-insights/current-freight-trends/
I don’t see fuel prices dropping anytime soon. But maybe the above resources will help. Don’t forget to check for fuel discounts everywhere you can. Good luckšš¾ššš»šØšØ
These tips are for new Hotshot truckers or ones looking to streamline finding loads. Good luck!
DO!
-Look for loads that match your equipment, i.e., trailer type, length, weight, width, and date you want you to load. It makes it easier to find matching loads. *Just because a load matches to you doesnāt mean a customer will load a Hotshot. **Please note: A lot donāt load trailers that are not dock high.**
-Get qualified/set up with as many brokers as possible. Doing this will ensure there are no delays in you taking a load. Just because you see a matching load doesnāt mean the agent will hold the load while you get set up. Most will not due to the volume of carriers who never finish the packets and now they have to scramble and find someone else to cover the customerās load.
-Carry tarps, chains, straps, and PPE.
-Understand and abide by all broker and customer expectations. If you canāt then donāt accept the load.
-Keep in contact with the agent and or broker. Turn in clear copies of Rate Con, BOL/POD, and whatever other required paperwork, promptly, to ensure you get paid.
Speaking of Freeā¦below are a few more boards that are free:
Free load boards:
Landstar
Trucker Path
Load Up (junk removal)
Freight Finder
Nextload
**I do not endorse any of the above-listed companies, I do, however, utilize a few. **
~Thereās no crying in Trucking. Either youāre All In or All Out.~
DON’T
-Think you know better than the place youāre calling for the load. If they tell you they donāt see or canāt find the load, 9 times out of 10 it is because YOU are giving the wrong info, like pickup date, trailer type, Hazardous, etc. If the broker agent tells you they canāt find it either check the info you entered or ask if they have something else coming out of your area. BE POLITE, the people answering the phones get paid to help YOU. We want you to be successful as we understand every load depends on YOU maintaining your livelihood.
-Overbook loads because at best you look eager to work and at worst youāll have to give back loads. This will get you on the DO NOT USE list quick dealing with brokers/agents because you seem unreliable. Brokers keep notes on carriers so if you have an ugly note other agencies under that broker will see it and not use you.
-Turn down a decent paying load because it has a lot of stops. Also, donāt do something that will be detrimental to your current situation either.
Need more help?
Email me!
4kidz4jobz@gmail.com
DispatcHER
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