Freight Brokering

[mattit]

Anyone here into freight brokering for a living or know anyone who is. I've been look it pretty hard lately and would love to talk to someone who does it.

[ELIMINATOR]

My buddy does and he makes a really good living doing it. What would you like to know about it?

[mattit]

Oh man I'd hate to say I'd like to know EVERYTHING.. lol... but I do. I've been tryin to find some good info on getting started and how the process works but my only resource is buying some shady course or something. I've been on the drivers side of trucking for about 6 years now and would love to not have to do that anymore and make a better living. I'm very serious about getting into it and would love some sound advice.

[ELIMINATOR]

Well, he works for a company called Always Trucking and all he really does is works with truckers and people needing stuffed hauled, basically, he's the middle man and he takes a cut from it. If I were you, I'd look into what businesses in your area do this kind of thing as well.

[mattit]

Did he go into it without any experience? If I could find a company who would hire without any experience than that would be a good start but these companies make money off of your work so if you didn't know what you were doing they'd probably want nothing to do with you. I'd love to be able to do it from home one day.

[Gators]

The trucking industry is pretty tough right now. margins are pretty skinny, but if you can broker deals, there's always room in any industry if you can increase revenues. My advice, without knowing anything about you or the situation your looking into, is look elsewhere, it's a tough industry to get into, so i've been told, but i'm no expert, but i ship about 100 semi loads a year, and i hear things from truckers...

[ELIMINATOR]

My friends dad is a manager there, so he got him into it. First, he started out as an assistant, then made his way up to a broker. He's been doing really good at it. However, they have a high turnover, since when they hire they expect results very quickly.

[mattit]

Well I've been a driver for 6 years now and I'm looking for something that I can make a life for me and a family. I'm getting married next year and I don't want to have to worry about money. I know everywhere is slim, even trucking, but I know I could make more in it than what I make as a driver. Its no way to live. Not too much pride in it either. But thanks for all the responses guys. I appreciate it.

[ELIMINATOR]

Good luck! My buddy made 10g's last month in it, so there's money to be made.

[btinc]

First you have to decide if your going to work at a big brokerage firm, a trucking company or do it as a independent. In most cases you would need to bring in your own freight base, and a following of independent owner operators would help, but not necessary. Now if someone was training you from the ground up that would be a different story. Being a good broker is the same as being a good sales person, you are selling your service to shippers and a making your living off of the loads you move. Without taking a course and with out posting your broker bond, you could find out how good you are by making cold calls to all the places you have delivered to, the local business and industrial parks in your area. When you pick up and deliver ask to speak to the transportation manager and ask if i come back as a broker will give me a chance to move your loads. If not taking one of the courses will help.

[boss]

It's a tough market right now...a lot of brokers that act just as that have went under...but then again pretty much all businesses in area or another have experience that in the past year...i'm a Sr. level logistics manager and have managed transportation departments and worked with brokers for the past 12 plus years. I started out working in dispatch myself so i'm familiar with the industry from most all aspects. Drop me a PM with your specific ?'s and i'll give you as much info as I can offer...

[MADD_DOGG]

i used to be management for yellow freight. that's LTL (less than truckload) trucking. i'm in the steel business right now, and Let ME TELL YOU that hauling steel is the way to go as far as brokerage goes. a ton of money! too bad our fucking steel is being made in china now and the steel companies are almost all out of bIZ!

[MilitaryMuscle]

Mattit,

Try to get in good with the military or supporting agencies in your area (dont know where you are located at). I work in supply and there are always truckloads going out, i sent over 200 pallets of stuff this week alone.

GSA, DLA or any DDSC would be very good options, in starting a business relationship with.


-MM

[mattit]

Thanks MM, I'm just gettin my feet wet so every bit of info helps