If you don’t have to negotiate the rate then you really just have to exchange information and learn more about the details. Imagine if brokers could put some notes in the comments to describe the freight. Then carriers would almost just accept it.
What is needed to accept a load between a carrier and broker.
- The broker needs to have their carrier packet filled out
- TID info for payment record keeping
- Insurance Info
- Truckload carrier info
What the trucking company needs:
- Rate sheet
- Pickup and delivery information. Appointments, pick up and delivery expectations
- Copy of brokers bond info
So the carrier can out together a few sheets of information and scan them or pint them as PDF. The broker is able to have their documents in PDF form also and easily send them to the carrier.
How to fill out a PDF carrier agreement:
- open PDF file
- Go to tools annotate and select text.
- this will create a little box where you can type in.
- You may have to edit the size of the text to fit the lines of the document where you are filling in
- you can drag the text where it needs to be. it shows up in the middle of the page and is usually pretty big.
- Create a signature
- Tools/ Annotate / Signature/ Create Signature
- Insert signature on document
- Resize the signature to fit the space
- You can move the corners and sides of the box in and out to make the box bigger or smaller.
So now once a freight broker posts a load with a rate the carrier could talk to them and send the documents easily. You can even load the documents on a google drive and send a link to the broker by email so you don’t even have to worry about attaching anything. You can print docs to google drive and email the link if you only have a mobile device.
More Info posted like rates and comments allows truckers and brokers to virtually communicate by email or maybe even text message. This is all technology that is available today using basic smart phone or tablet.
Companies are spending a lot of money on trucking apps. They are setting up private load networks that enable communication by clicking on rates and filling in boxes.
JB Hunt has a 360 App. Awesome little tool that allows drivers to check on loads and bid on loads in real time with dispatchers working to cover freight. Really amazing. Once you set up with them you can basically pick up freight without talking to anyone.
There are a lot of online tools out there and they keep getting better and better. The freight exchange created at Trulos by displaying truckloads with rates has created a huge freight auction. Could be the largest online. In real time loads are posted and rate and contact info is displayed.