Letter to the Editor: Brokers and Shippers

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ately, there seems to be a rash of brokers offering the same load from a shipper. Why is this? You call and ask about the load, destination, appointment times, loading and unloading fees and weight. The response: “I’ll have to check with the shipper and call you back.”

So you wait, they call back with some of the information, then call back again with some more and, inevitably, they give you a weight that is, say, 36,000 pounds. But when the driver arrives, it’s really 40,000 pounds. And when it’s loaded and weighed, it’s really 43,000 pounds. Now you are stuck with it.

Why can’t drivers know the actual weight of the load from the beginning? Why is it that shippers feel the need to hide this one piece of information that is pertinent to the driver?

Many brokers have no concept of the importance of weight when you are trying to book the load. There has to be a way of making people understand this. But how?

Many shippers note the product weight without the box, the wrapping and the pallets. We all know the formula is basic, but who wants to say the load weighs 45,000 pounds or 48,000 pounds? So, the info is misconstrued all along the “whisper down the lane” game.

What a waste of a driver’s time.

I know most people don’t believe you can be honest in trucking. It’s a tough industry. But I sure do wish more people would be upfront about all the information on loads so drivers can make an informed decision.

That is where the profits are — informed decisions.

This industry is struggling with the loss of many of the good truckers who’ve gone elsewhere to regain their sanity. We can’t afford to lose many more dedicated, reliable, hard-working, trustworthy drivers.

Truckers are a good-hearted, very intelligent bunch of people. All they want is some honesty about what they are getting into. They don’t need to be baby-sat. They don’t need to make 15 phone calls a day to update their progress.

Give them the details, and they will get the job done. Lie to them, and boy, you are in for a rude awakening. They have the best network for getting information out there about companies that don’t do right by you.

o I’m asking from a driver’s stance: Please be honest. Don’t waste their time.

Murn Myers

i>Double J Trucking

ackson, N.J.

These letters appear in the July 17 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.