Frustration

After 5 pm, a load from Rosenberg, TX (right next to Katy) to Grand Rapids, MI showed up in my email notifications. I called the number and got an answering machine. I left a message expressing my interest in the load, and set my alarm for 7:50 (they open at 8).

Upon checking my email and the Pickatruckload.com loadboard in the morning, I found three MORE of these loads, and on click-through found "this load is no longer available".

The load was available last night, which is why I tried to get it.

So, overnight, four of these loads came and went, and I had no shot.

So I called the broker this morning, and explained this briefly, and asked if there was a night-time number or something. The agent acted like I was speaking Martian....

She just called back. Now I know that a couple people are in the office at 7:30, a half hour before they officially open. The guy that checks the voice-mail doesn't come in til 8:00. So she took a call before business hours and covered the load. She was calling me back not in response to this morning's call, but to the voice-mail.

Which was cool of her. It was an expensive lesson. This was a light load, and would have only cost me about 500 bucks to run. Light loads are often valuable, as well--plastic goods, car parts, etc. And on checking loads around Michigan for the 22nd, I found a few.

I learned something. No matter what they could teach in business school or whatever, there are always variables like this in any business that you have to find out by accident or persistance. She might not have returned my voice-message had I not called after 8:00 and asked about that.

This could be the case at other brokers, as well--call a half hour before business hours.

Now, I had surmised that Load Planners and Coordinators with trucking companies, representing fleets, etc. might have a night-time number or something. If I were a broker, I would sort of favor people with a bunch of trucks over individuals such as Wile E Coyote, who might run four loads a week max. (I woudn't resent this much. Business is business and nobody owes me anything. I'm a real american).

But now I know that I had the same chance as whoever called her at 7:30.

I hate being a pihranna. This is the second time this happened. Before, it was SIX loads our of Houston to New York, every single one of which was covered before I had a chance to even open my email.

So when trying to load-plan, I'll just have to wake up early enough to check the loads, do some analysis, and join the feeding frenzie. It kinda turns my stomach--I'm not wired for it. But it's something I have to do.

I might have choices. I mean, another smaller company called me; they pay 1.00/mile plus 10% of the surcharge. That's pretty good for dryvan freight. I thought about it, since I wouldn't have to be a pihranna that way.

Yeah. Thirteen new notifications in my box this morning, every one of whichI had to delete after a glance because of distance and/or date. But I have to put up with that, as well.

The RTF paid board I subscribed to has now decided that my login is invalid, that my licenses have expired, and that my email address is not registered. THAT pisses me off.

But overall, I'm not as discouraged as I was when I started this entry. I have an equal shot as long as I'm a pihranna. If I'd have got that load, or one of the Houstons-to-New Yorks, I'd be covered for several days in advance, and not have to worry about it for a couple days. And I told the agent to keep me in mind for anything else--I'll be empty in Katy friday afternoon and need help getting out of there.

Two brokers now know this, including the one that got me the run to Katy. They might call. It's easier than listing the load.

After this, I'll go back to email and no doubt find five or more notifications of loads I mostly can't consider, but might get lucky.

Then I'll get cleaned up, get my stuff in the truck, hit the company to get my load info, grab a trailer, and head to Fort Wayne. I'll stop at a truckstop to do laundry, and I hope park overnight at the shipper so I'm first in line to get loaded.

On the road agin......