Fully independent o/o

[SHAMIC]

So I'm looking for a little advice. I've been an o/o for the past 15 years, operating Ontario only, and I run my own plate, cvor, insurance. I am interested in getting some additional work but the fact that I am not running company plates shuts the door in my face at most carriers. Not to mention, I have no interest in a company helping themselves to half of the cartage rate.
I was hoping that someone on here might have some mentoring advice to point me in the right direction with finding customers that need freight moved, as opposed to truck companies looking for traditional o/o's. I've lived a sheltered life for my whole career hauling for one dedicated customer, so I'm pretty green on this topic. Any help would be appreciated. PM's would be preffered

[ralph]

So I'm looking for a little advice. I've been an o/o for the past 15 years, operating Ontario only, and I run my own plate, cvor, insurance. I am interested in getting some additional work but the fact that I am not running company plates shuts the door in my face at most carriers. Not to mention, I have no interest in a company helping themselves to half of the cartage rate.
I was hoping that someone on here might have some mentoring advice to point me in the right direction with finding customers that need freight moved, as opposed to truck companies looking for traditional o/o's. I've lived a sheltered life for my whole career hauling for one dedicated customer, so I'm pretty green on this topic. Any help would be appreciated. PM's would be preffered

Shamic, when you're in doing a drop or a pick look around and see what else is moving. What labels are on the freight sitting on the dock? Where does their inbound product come from? Keep nosing around, hand out some cards, show up with a shirt with a collar and have the equipment clean inside and out. Be punctual, be professional and you'll have customers tripping over themselves to get to you. If you are competing on price only, excuse yourself from the bidding process as anyone can work cheap!

[SHAMIC]

Shamic, when you're in doing a drop or a pick look around and see what else is moving. What labels are on the freight sitting on the dock? Where does their inbound product come from? Keep nosing around, hand out some cards, show up with a shirt with a collar and have the equipment clean inside and out. Be punctual, be professional and you'll have customers tripping over themselves to get to you. If you are competing on price only, excuse yourself from the bidding process as anyone can work cheap!

Thank you both for the replies, that will definitely be my first step. I'm proud to say that I have never underbid in my career, only competed on service. One advantage I have with my equipment is that I have all Ryder full maintenance leases. 15 years and I have a 100% delivery completion record.

[ralph]

Thank you both for the replies, that will definitely be my first step. I'm proud to say that I have never underbid in my career, only competed on service. One advantage I have with my equipment is that I have all Ryder full maintenance leases. 15 years and I have a 100% delivery completion record.

Paclease will treat you better! (cheap plug)

[JReid]

Put on a clean shirt and pant's and do some cold sale's call's to some logistic department's.You say you have Ryder full leases for 15 year's.Do you have 1 truck for 15 year's or10.I didn't know you can run your own plate's if you have all Ryder equipment?What does it say on your ownership? And what about your Insurance is that Ryder too. Maybe people think it's to easy for you to close the door's with just one phone call to Ryder saying that's it I'm done I can't do this anymore come and get your truck's and leave your customer's high and dry.If you basically have RENTED truck's I could see where they might get scared.So don't tell them you have Ryder truck's just say Ryder does all the maintenance so their freight will not sit on the side of the road waiting for some local guy to fix the truck.

[ralph]

HUGE difference between renting and leasing. Renting is short or undefined term where as a lease has a specific term and penalties (that are fully spelt out) for early termination or violation of contract. You can have your tin or their tin on a rental, makes no difference. Typically unless the rental is for more than 30 days the fleet name doesn't go on the truck. Ryder will "offer" insurance but they don't sell it. RIBO licensing reasons. They don't offer cargo insurance either.

[SHAMIC]

Put on a clean shirt and pant's and do some cold sale's call's to some logistic department's.You say you have Ryder full leases for 15 year's.Do you have 1 truck for 15 year's or10.I didn't know you can run your own plate's if you have all Ryder equipment?What does it say on your ownership? And what about your Insurance is that Ryder too. Maybe people think it's to easy for you to close the door's with just one phone call to Ryder saying that's it I'm done I can't do this anymore come and get your truck's and leave your customer's high and dry.If you basically have RENTED truck's I could see where they might get scared.So don't tell them you have Ryder truck's just say Ryder does all the maintenance so their freight will not sit on the side of the road waiting for some local guy to fix the truck.

In regards to the plate, they are in my company name. I have 4 trucks on a long term lease, which is considerable harder to get out of than owning a truck. So no, there is no fear of me leaving a customer high and dry. The big selling feature is that under my contract, not only are the repairs covered but a substitute truck is provided whenever the truck is down. I don't even have to worry if the engine falls out, I'm covered.
My main obstacle is that many companies want you to run their plate and insurance, thus claiming a huge portion of the cartage. Ryder does sell me insurance at a very competitive rate, and I pay for my cargo insurance separately.