No Convoy Needed

I spend a lot of my day interacting with carriers and shippers. I am often asked my thoughts on the "trucker's strike" that has made the news in Canada and iscoming to America.

Truckers organizing "The People's Convoy" are set to leave California and travel to Washington DC to protest "vaccine mandates" February 23. Yet according to Overdrive   "OSHA clarified vax mandates wouldn't apply to most truck drivers.    The ETS (emergency temporary standards) does not apply to individuals who work alone.  The labor secretary reinforced this in a statement to CNBC.

Truck drivers are usually in a cab by themselves when they are driving across country.

Most news sources claim the truckers are mad about vaccination mandates.

That is a small piece of what has gotten them stirred up. As reported in Landline media, Brian Brase, an organizer of the convoy, says it is not about vaccines at all but about "human and constitutional rights".

 

 I've been in the transportation industry for over 3 decades.  I am a huge advocate for truckers.  They keep our economy going.  They have an important and very exhausting job.  Without those hardworking men and women America's economy would come to a screeching halt.

 Profit margin for a trucker is only about 5%. As long as I've been talking with truck drivers they have been frustrated with the costs that limit their profit.  The drivers drive and maintain their truck.  They farm out everything else to brokers, factoring companies, etc.  Their frustrations are fueled by listening to other drivers and reading stuff on the internet.

 As an advocate, I thrive on teaching these amazing people ways to help their bottom line.  So many truckers come through our school with a totally new outlook on their industry and better ways to run their business.  They think coming in that they understand the transportation industry but quickly learn it is a much bigger puzzle than what they've been putting together.

I invite all truck drivers to come through Brooke Transportation Training. They will learn how to find their own loads, how to streamline their operation and be inspired to greater heights.

Call me 214-206-1169 and I can tell your more.  No pressure, we will just talk through

your situation and I'll tell you my thoughts.  I always have a lot of thoughts.

 

Moving forward,

 Jeff Roach

www.brooketraining.com

The Best Thing About Being a Freight Broker

According to a recent survey in Transportation Journal magazine, the aspects brokers enjoy most about their work are solving problems for their customers and the fast-paced environment of the transportation industry.

So if you are a problem solver and like to keep moving then freight brokering is right up your alley.  I have always excelled in sales no matter what it was I was selling. Selling is simply helping another fill a need.  A manufacturer has a need to get merchandise moved from one area of the country to another and a broker solves that need by finding a carrier who needs to fill his truck from one area of the country to another. 

What is most frustrating about being a freight broker?  According to the survey brokers are frustrated with the lack of trucks and the feeling that brokers are not respected as professionals.  The need for more truck drivers is well documented. I recently read an article that praised the military for their training of carriers so that as soon as they get finished with their service they can easily move into the transportation industry as a truck driver.  I'm proud that our school is certified to train disabled vets to become freight brokers.  So if you know someone who needs a job, encourage them to become a truck driver or a freight broker.

I believe we as freight brokers or freight broker agents can change the thought that brokers are not professional by always conducting business with the highest level of integrity.  That is what we train in our freight broker training courses.  Honesty is the best policy.  Sometimes a little white lie may seem easier than telling the whole truth but in the long run it is not worth it.  If a customer gets the smallest hint that you are not being totally above board with him, he will take his business elsewhere.  Most professionals respect, prefer and expect others to take responsibility for their mistakes.  We all make mistakes but we don't all own up to our mistakes.  Now that is a mistake.

Moving forward,

Jeff Roach
www.transportationtraining.com

Great Job

I've been in the transportation industry for over 3 decades.  I've spent the bulk of my career as a freight broker, freight broker agent or teaching others the skills of freight brokering.  It has been an amazing ride.  I've made a great income to support my family, I'm my own boss and I have met many incredible people along the way.

As a freight broker I talk to a lot of carriers. Truckers are salt of the earth individuals.  They love America, grandma and apple pie.  They spend a lot of time away from their family on the road but they are family guys.  Truck drivers are a tight knit group because their jobs are unique.  Their truck cab is their office and many have a decked out office.  They take pride in their work and in their rig.  Truck drivers are hard workers who earn their living one mile at a time.

As a freight broker I also talk with a lot of manufacturers or product distributors.  Their job is to get their products to market. I negotiate how that is going to happen.  If I make sure their loads get delivered where they want, when they want then I make their day.  A key element in getting a keeping good customers is consistency in delivery.  Of course there will be weather, traffic and truck breakdowns delays.  So long as I let my customer know there is a potential slow down, they understand.  They don't a surprises, like when the load is not delivered when they thought.

If you'd like to talk about this great career, give me a call 214-206-1169.

Moving forward,

Jeff Roach
www.transportationtraining.com

Freight Brokers, Trained and Ready

Brooke Training's  top notched instructors once again trained a great group of professionals to be freight brokers.  Here's what the students said about their class experience:







"Great instructors, very fun and informational.  I would recommend this class to anyone.  It was nice having real brokers here and getting to hear what they had to say. 
I would love to come back for the advanced class." --Jacob Pratt


"I met a great group of new people who I believe and want to become new partners or collaborators in the Freight Logistics business in the future.   
 I gained in depth insight on the various nuances of Freight Broking and it was helpful.

Vinny’s class was on point and covered more than I expected regarding sales/brokering techniques."  --Troy B.

 "I wasn’t really sure what to expect out of the class.  Twenty years of driving experience and I was ready for a change.  This class showed me a completely different point of view about the industry.  The class was very informative and the instructors were excellent.  I am leaving with a great understanding of the Broker-Agent side of the industry.  I would definitely recommend this course to anyone serious about brokering." --Adams Banks


"Very informative.  I was beyond terrified upon starting this course.  Vinny is very knowledgeable about sales and the transportation business.  He held my attention and was very funny.  The course changed my whole outlook on the trucking business from both angles.  Tish is incredible and I loved the way she handled her business.

 Overall this class was awesome!!!  Love on top of love all the positive things that I received here.  I can honestly say that I feel comfortable starting my own brokerage business."--Dee Mayberry
 
  "The experience in the class or with the Brooke team was amazing.  Instructor Vinny was the right person to teach the class.  His energy and knowledge of sales and the industry exceeded my expectations coming to this class.

Tish as well did an awesome job with showing us her business and giving a real live snapshot of how the business can be.  Overall if I had to rate this class, I would rate it a ten hands down.  I will be coming back to the class for continuing education.  Thanks for having me and look forward to future classes, and relationships.

                               Experience:  Live calls to customers

                               Cold calling to Manufactures

                               Speaking with A.L.M.E."
--A. Lewis Sr.


"The class was very informative.  The teacher, Mr. Vinny, was awesome and patient with his teaching.  I like that he used different methods, not just reading, but participation methods.  I also saw that having companies come in to tell us about their company and wanting to hire us was great and beneficial for everyone.   Meeting Tish, was awesome too, because we got a chance to see what she does on a daily basis and she seems to be very successful with what she does, and that encourages me."
-- Robin Monley


"Great class.  Great instructors.  Very informative for beginners and for those that have had some experience in the trucking industry.

  I had a great time in the class.  I was able to see the other side of the trucking industry and at the same time I learned the mistakes I was making as a carrier.  I loved the fact that they put you in “Hot Water” completely taking you out of your comfort zone.  I believe that helped me understand, my first week, what I could improve and what my strengths were."--M.A.

 
"As a carrier Brooke Broker Training Solutions was an awesome experience.  The instructor and instructors were informative to the point that it gave me confidence to run my business. 
 
Brooke Transportation Training Solutions was great.  I would recommend it to everyone needing their service."  --K. B.

"In the past week, I have experienced some important values and principals, not only in freight brokering; more so as an individual.  I would like to share that one of the more important tools of freight brokering is that I have received is building bridges (relationships, trust, stability) for long term purposes.   

In addition to receiving great understanding of freight brokering, I have to definitely say that I am leaving with something much more valuable than resource tools.  Thanks to the Brooke's staff:  Vinny, Tish, Bobby and the other speakers."  --Desmond Adams

 

"I would like to take the time to express my overwhelming sense of gratitude for the incredible abundance of knowledge shared by our instructors Vinny & Tish.  They went above and beyond to make sure the information being shared was thoroughly understood.  I will highly recommend BTTS to friends and family for years to come. 

I am extremely happy with my decision to attend BTTS.  I only wish I could have attended sooner.  Our instructor Vinny is by far, one of, if not the best freight broker instructor in America!  I look forward to a long lasting relationship with BTTS.  Thank you Jeff & Janis for your vision in starting BTTS.  God Bless You!" -- Jessie Garcia, Jr.

So if you want to be encouraged, make friends, learn great freight brokering skills and have a week to spare, come join us for our next class.  Class schedule is on our website:  www.transportationtraining.com

Moving forward,

Jeff Roach
www.transportationtraining.com

Not In for the Long Haul

We have a major truck driver shortage.   Drivers are needed to keep our economy going.   Many truck drivers are quitting.   As truck drivers stop driving or retire, they are not being replaced by a younger crop.  

Below are excerpts from an article from Business Insiders that give an explanation of why:

Higher driving costs and falling pay have created a truck-driver shortage that's likely to worsen in the coming years. The American Trucking Associations (ATA) estimates the U.S. is short 30,000 truck drivers — a number expected to surge to 239,000 by 2022.

"Smaller 'owner/operator' firms are increasingly dropping by the wayside as the cost of operations and maintenance are simply becoming too expensive to stay in business," Paul Pittman, a planner at a North Carolina-based logisitcs company, told Business Insider by email.  So drivers are suddenly faced with the choice of leaving the profession entirely or moving to a larger company where wages are likely to be lower. 

"As controls continue to tighten, many of the existing drivers currently employed are turning to other areas of employment simply to get off the road and escape some of the regulations implemented to govern their operations," Pittman said.

To hang on, small operators are forced to cut corners. For Jeff, a driver who asked to be identified by only his first name, the pay isn't the biggest issue — it's the compromises some firms are making on driver compliance.

"When you're non-compliant as a driver you run the risk of fatigue and the risk of hurting other people," he said. "And as a driver it's my license on the line." Jeff said he was asked by multiple trucking companies to falsify his logs, but he refused to.

"I consider myself a safety-oriented driver, and I have found that is a bad thing," Jeff said. "Because since I got my CDL [commercial driver's license] in 2008, I have worked for about 10 different trucking companies. That doesn't look good because it looks like it is job hopping ... I'm sticking to my guns."

Time Away From Home

Another problem is lack of time spent at home. Todd Feucht of Wisconsin says drivers can expect to spend as little as 52 days at home a year. Feucht, who hauls oversize loads, averages about three to five weeks. Last year he was home 54 days, including his vacation days. "Back in the day you were treated like a knight, but now you're treated like a peon," Feucht says.

All of this helps explain why the turnover rate at large truckload carriers was 92% annualized in Q1, according to the ATA. Turnover refers to the rate at which drivers leave the industry and are replaced.

Getting Squeezed

Meanwhile, drivers with less experience or bargaining power get squeezed. Feucht has been driving trucks for 20 years and thinks trucking companies need to be more honest when recruiting.

There may finally be some movement on this front. Last month, Swift, one of the largest haulers in the U.S., announced it would refocus expenditures on better labor conditions for employees, including higher wages.

"After assessing the current and expected environment, we believe the best investment we can make at this time, for all of our stakeholders, is in our drivers," the firm said in its earnings release. "Our goal is to clear the path for our drivers by helping them overcome challenges, eliminate wait times and take home more money."

To read the entire article: http://www.businessinsider.com/american-truck-drivers-are-getting-squeezed-out-of-their-profession-2014-8#ixzz3B4MazCeC

Moving forward,

Jeff Roach

www.tranpsortationtraining.com