NeonNova

FreightGuard reports are a joke. I have one on my record, and it drives me nuts. My truck broke down on the way to the shipper, and I called the broker multiple times, but they didn’t respond. I even sent them repair and tow receipts after the fact, but they didn’t care—they still slapped me with the report.

As a carrier, we usually just try to build extra money into the rate upfront because delays realistically cost us $50-$100 per hour. Getting a broker to pay what it actually costs us is way too stressful and time-consuming. It’s like how I drive assuming everyone else on the road is going to do the dumbest thing possible—I assume brokers and shippers don’t care about my time either.

I’d steer clear of TQL altogether. Total Quality Logistics is a joke—they have nothing to do with quality. They’re one of the worst brokers in the industry. They constantly lie to drivers and refuse to take accountability. I wouldn’t touch their loads with a ten-foot pole.

FedEx is entitled to their payment. Unfortunately, it seems like the broker wasn’t properly vetted. You might need to either pay FedEx or risk damaging your relationship with a customer.

RTS: I would skip them. They operate a brokerage/carrier company, and there's nothing preventing them from sharing factored load information and confirmations internally. OTR: Pretty solid, but they don't follow up for their customers when submitted loads are missing documentation. eCapital: All business dealings with them have been solid. Depending on whether you're factoring as a broker, carrier, or another entity type, my recommendations would vary.

I booked a load with a mid-size broker, and I noticed something at the bottom of the rate confirmation: "TONU (Truck Ordered and Not Used) rate is $150.00." I called the broker to ask what that meant. He explained, "If the load gets canceled by the customer, you’ll get $150, but we’ll also put you on a Do Not Deal (DND) list." I asked why we’d be put on a DND list just for a TONU, and he replied, "Because you requested a TONU." I just said, "Okay," since we were only 8 miles from the pickup, and luckily, we ended up getting loaded. But honestly, one day the market will change maybe in 8 months, maybe in 8 years and we’ll be ready for it.