That call with an old hotshot driver changed how I book carriers now

I was on the phone last Tuesday with a guy named Jerry who's been hauling cars since the 80s. He flat out told me that 90% of the brokers he works with don't even check if a truck has working straps before they book a load. That hit different because I realized I've been just looking at price and dates, not the actual condition of the equipment. Anyone else ever get burned by a carrier that showed up looking like it rolled out of a junkyard?

2 comments

2 Comments

matthewh281mo ago

Jerry's got 30 some years on most of us in this game so I gotta respect that. But I think he might be off by a bit on the 90% number. I mean I've seen some rough trucks roll up but most of the guys I work with at least check the basics before sending a carrier out. Maybe its different in different markets or regions but around here in the midwest most brokers are pretty solid about equipment condition. Still though his point about straps is dead on I've had a load show up with bungee cords holding stuff down and that was a nightmare to deal with.

miller.avery28d ago

Not gonna lie, I think Jerry might be closer to right than people want to admit. I’ve been on the receiving end of loads where the broker swore up and down the truck was inspected and it showed up with a cracked windshield and mismatched tires (like, two different brands on the same axle, seriously?). The 90% number feels high but maybe not by as much as you’d hope when you factor in the small operators who skip the yard checks and just trust the carrier’s word over the phone.