Broker , Who do you use?

What makes you think I would have already pissed him off ?

Gavilon. I forgot about them. I used to haul grain from their facility here in Wichita. How ever now I might have to find someone to lease onto for a short time. I am fairly certain I can get local freightliner to finance a truck for me. Probably not enough cash left to do a trailer and still have plenty to operate on. I want a newer truck cuz I dont want others problems. Been driving them trucks for 13 years. Too many breakdowns. Them isx are great for the mechanic shop but not me. That has put 3 people I worked for out of business.

seems startup loans are very hard to get these days. I should have went at this while I still had a good paying job. (they went out of business last fall). But I think 15K down on a decent truck should work. Might just have to put up with working where I dont want to till I got cash for a trailer.

Finding a company to lease to that , that pays well, and comes home every weekend is a problem. Thought about Oakley but dont think they can get me home every weekend.

But anyway. Thanks for the names. I will save them. Going to need them when I get this figured out.

Northwest Transportation Services also has some really good brokers!

I use Redwood Group.

I just wouldn't use a broker unless I couldn't get anything figured out for myself. Some people can get out and hustle and make it, but there's less and less of them anymore. Some people just have to be told where and when and don't see the picture without direction. But just cause they have a nice truck with some extras doesn't mean they are part of the problem! I've heard more loudmouth cb rambo's driving beat up Columbia's and Volvo white's than the guys who are just driving a fancy Big truck!

Well for your info, I did this exact same thing as a company driver. There was nothing around here to do on a weekend except once in a while get a load that delivered on monday. I made a grand a week so obviously there is money in it or they could not pay me that. I was home through the week now and then. Long enough to take a shower etc and sometimes do my 10 hours.

I have loads now, as I have a broker, that bring me right back home often. Get a load this way. do my 34. head off to deliver it or get another. So where is the problem here?

If you guys need to live in your truck longer than 1 week then that is what you must do. I just prefer to get loads that allow me to do it at home.

As for your buddy you replied to , he can go pound sand. He has a bad attitude and he is very rude.

Exactly, If you don't care how much money you make, just go lease a truck from JBHunt or Swift and call it done. You get late model equipment, run when you want, get to be an owner operator, (in name only), and finally you won't make much money... WINNING🤠

Earnest Freight Solutions is a good company. They have great relationships with shippers and have access to different loads all over the US. Often times the loads are dedicated. I would reach out them!

Earnest Freight Solutions EFS 510.771.2821

What are you actually looking for in a broker?? We know of several good ones. We run 15 to 25 hoppers on any given day. Find ones that keep you moving in an area that you are happy with and at a rate that you need to make a good living at. Hubby has been an o/o since the early 2000.

Hey Marcus. I started out own my own a while back. I made sure I had my own freight, my own authority, my truck and trailer (s). I think thats a better deal than just owning the tractor. I haul a couple states around Iowa, home most nights, kinda depends on the money. If its good, I'm just like anyone else, I get gready and will stay out while the cash is good. Make it when you can!! And you need to see where your trying to work. If the money aint real good around there, I wouldn't haul there very often. And don't be afraid to knock some doors yourself. I would say if you haul for someone with steady freight lanes, you might do ok. But its really amazing to meet a customer, start to work for them, and then to have them tell you thanks for your hard work. It is really nice to get emails, phones calls from them asking you to haul from them. I haul grain during harvest time, I do $5000+ a week durning harvest. I haul some other AG products from Jan 15th until April, average $6500/ week on 2650 miles. Then I switch to a dry van from 4/1 until 7/31. I am under contract with them, $1000/day min gaurentee, even if I do not turn a wheel, I get paid. I get $3.00 all miles regular freight when miles are past minimun, $4.75 out on Hazmat, $3.00 back. I work Monday thru Friday. Im out Tuesday and Thursday. That runs $6500-$9500/ week. Its good money. Then I take a summer break, week or two. Then I haul DDG's, two loads a day Monday thru Friday and do around $5800 week. I have 3 regular hauls for feed ingrediants, two my own, one for a broker. $3+ mile out, beans back. It averages $1400 per day when I run them. I winter in Cali 11/15 until 1/15 each year. So it can be done, but if getting the truck was a struggle, you have jumped into this life unprepared.

Wish you luck, it sounds like you have the drive. Thats a positive.

And again, talk to others in your area, most will be tight lipped, nobody wants to share. But just watch where they go, see where they picked from if your in line with them. In Kansas there is a boat load of cheep work, Colorado to. Maybe you can look at running from north to south. ND or SD to Oklahoma, Texas, Arkamsas, etc. Then load north. Just time the runs so you can run home.