Looking for a bit advice. I’m a web application developer, have a site which matches routes for car drivers travelling to various events.
It’s occurred to me that the technology used could very easily be applied to matching back loads and partial loads. My question really is, is there a need for this? Do owner operators/small fleets have much in the way of spare capacity. Would they be prepared to go slightly off route for additional pickups (if in hours)? Do many firms turn work because they don’t have the vehicles?
I know there are some forum based sites, and some expensive desktop software which does this, but I think I can offer almost (!) a one-click, web (and mobile) way of matching up hauliers and loads.
Also, a key feature is that matches part routes. So if you have a half load from e.g. London/Glasgow, the software I’ve already developed would automatically suggest a e.g. an available Birmingham/Carlisle pickup.
Grateful for all positive/negative views, and really keen to partner with someone with industry knowledge. My gut says there’s a massive market for this, and I’m not sure that there’s anyone offering a service with no upfront/subscription charges, and the super-optimised route matching algorithm.
I don’t know how some companies run as I rarely get to back loads in time so just drive on back to base. They can’t be paying alot and it can’t be urgent I’m assuming.
Cheers Dan. So I guess if there’s loads cocking it up, there a need for someone to do it right. What are they doing wrong? Sounds like a problem of how they do it, not the principle?
bowcot84:
Cheers Dan. So I guess if there’s loads cocking it up, there a need for someone to do it right. What are they doing wrong? Sounds like a problem of how they do it, not the principle?
There are not as many firms round here as there used to be that produce goods for transport by road ,we find our selves going further a field for work up to 30 miles now sometimes to load ,if our local customers were to start using such websites where would that leave us ? we can’t compete against a website where someone from say London comes through here and takes our outgoing load for half what we would ,we don’t very often go to the same place twice ,however we do return loads but the type of loads Are not someone else s bread & butter at a cut rate ,they’re jobs that struggle to pay a good rate normally due to the goods being worth very little .such websites make the job harder for all of us in the long run .
The people who use such websites deserve all they get ,how’d they like it if they were going out for £400 and using a website to return load for £200 then they have to start doing the out going load for £200 as the customers says ooh we got quotes of a website to do the job you charge £400 for £200 ?
I have never understood why hauliers accept [zb] rate back-load ' rates . If a local haulier was to carry from point A to point B its a full rate,
just because another hauliers truck happens to be in that viscinity going to B ish - the agent feels justified by paying a quarter/half of the rate for the fun of it. . Nothing is a back-load’ , the goods start from point A of origin for loading and are to be delivered to point B . End of.
If they want to earn to pay for trucks, grow some and demand full rates.
Half the time the back-load interferes with your next days quota because it cant be dropped off in time, so demand full rate .
.
Thanks to the likes of E$ and such like ripping the arse out of the job, no wonder there`s little room for decent pay rates.
This would be the modern day answer to the old style Clearing House only done on a computer instead of the phone take on any load irrespective of the rate take a big cut and hand the job on at much reduced rate. You are right Dan it is the last thing hauliers need. Eddie,
erfguy:
This would be the modern day answer to the old style Clearing House only done on a computer instead of the phone take on any load irrespective of the rate take a big cut and hand the job on at much reduced rate. You are right Dan it is the last thing hauliers need. Eddie,
There have been 2 examples of these ■■■■ house people recently ,one in his front room in Lancashire dishing out bulk tipper work ,doesn’t even own a lorry ,has gone bump ,he was ripping the pants of those who did loads for him ,he’s now gone bust with no assets and owes a lot of hauliers ,the other who’s believed to have gone was posted on here last week but in the flat & general market again didn’t even own a lorry but traded as a Haulier or so there advert would have you believe .
One back load that I did earlier this year was from DHL Deeside, 14.00, the Monkeys didn’t load it until 19.00 (5 hours wasted) delivery Waitrose, Bracknell 12.00 the next day, I left there at 16.00, got back to MK at 18.00- tying the wagon up for 28 hours for £300, & they rejected a pallet that would have needed to be returned to Deeside (Wow, not gonna get very rich playing that game)
No wonder we hate the likes of Barron (Robbing) Hood.
trux:
I have never understood why hauliers accept ■■■■■ rate back-load ' rates . If a local haulier was to carry from point A to point B its a full rate,
just because another hauliers truck happens to be in that viscinity going to B ish - the agent feels justified by paying a quarter/half of the rate for the fun of it. . Nothing is a back-load’ , the goods start from point A of origin for loading and are to be delivered to point B . End of.
If they want to earn to pay for trucks, grow some and demand full rates.
Half the time the back-load interferes with your next days quota because it cant be dropped off in time, so demand full rate .
.
Thanks to the likes of E$ and such like ripping the arse out of the job, no wonder there`s little room for decent pay rates.
if one transport company don t want move load for half price,this job will do some another company.it is business. not happy back empty.all depend from some load balance between diferent side of Uk.
suggesting this is anything to do with back loads is a bad idea, they have a BAD reputation, filling partial loads is a better idea.
there’s a feeling that fuller vehicles is likely to lead to less vehicles and so less jobs. I can see this, but surely if you have high fixed costs, then extra revenue is likely to be mostly extra profit ( assuming the additional loads are virtually on your route)
introducing extra competition in the industry isn’t welcomed. Personally, don’t buy this. Deregulation of the airlines lead to a bigger overall industry, people simply travelled more.
payment should be guaranteed through escrow
need to make it clear this is a haulier to haulier exchange.
commission needs to be as low as possible (obviously)
I’m presuming that the E$ of this world have got where they are by ensuring as close to 100% full running as possible. It’s how the most profitable hotels, airlines, trains, work. Fill spare capacity at lower rates. It’s where the margin is.
suggesting this is anything to do with back loads is a bad idea, they have a BAD reputation, filling partial loads is a better idea.
there’s a feeling that fuller vehicles is likely to lead to less vehicles and so less jobs. I can see this, but surely if you have high fixed costs, then extra revenue is likely to be mostly extra profit ( assuming the additional loads are virtually on your route)
introducing extra competition in the industry isn’t welcomed. Personally, don’t buy this. Deregulation of the airlines lead to a bigger overall industry, people simply travelled more.
payment should be guaranteed through escrow
need to make it clear this is a haulier to haulier exchange.
commission needs to be as low as possible (obviously)
I’m presuming that the E$ of this world have got where they are by ensuring as close to 100% full running as possible. It’s how the most profitable hotels, airlines, trains, work. Fill spare capacity at lower rates. It’s where the margin is.
Is that all fair?
All the big boys offer backloads, why would anyone go through an intermediary? Just get on the blower with DHL/Wincanton/ND/Stobie/Malcolm/Widdowson etc and get on their list. Once you are on with 4-5 of them you are within easy reach of their depot once you did your run to pick up a load for them. Of course you won’t get a full rate out of them, they need to make a profit too, but at least you are not running empty. Most of the big boys have setup intranet sites, you don’t even need to call them anymore, just see what suits your run and Bob is your uncle.
Using a middle man like you are suggesting is totally unnecessary. You can get more backloads then you can get your own loads going out, finding a backload is easy.
suggesting this is anything to do with back loads is a bad idea, they have a BAD reputation, filling partial loads is a better idea.
there’s a feeling that fuller vehicles is likely to lead to less vehicles and so less jobs. I can see this, but surely if you have high fixed costs, then extra revenue is likely to be mostly extra profit ( assuming the additional loads are virtually on your route)
introducing extra competition in the industry isn’t welcomed. Personally, don’t buy this. Deregulation of the airlines lead to a bigger overall industry, people simply travelled more.
payment should be guaranteed through escrow
need to make it clear this is a haulier to haulier exchange.
commission needs to be as low as possible (obviously)
I’m presuming that the E$ of this world have got where they are by ensuring as close to 100% full running as possible. It’s how the most profitable hotels, airlines, trains, work. Fill spare capacity at lower rates. It’s where the margin is.
Is that all fair?
All the big boys offer backloads, why would anyone go through an intermediary? Just get on the blower with DHL/Wincanton/ND/Stobie/Malcolm/Widdowson etc and get on their list. Once you are on with 4-5 of them you are easily within easy reach of their depot once you did your run to pick up a load for them. Of course you won’t get a full rate out of them, they need to make a profit too, but at least you are not running empty. Most of the big boys have setup intranet sites, you don’t even need to call them anymore, just see what suits your run and Bob is your uncle.
Using a middle man like you are suggesting is totally unnecessary.
After they’ve been round your office and checked you out ,told you where your going wrong ,told you the rates ,and how it’s going to be ,well here’s the door !
Dan Punchard:
After they’ve been round your office and checked you out ,told you where your going wrong ,told you the rates ,and how it’s going to be ,well here’s the door !
Yes, and? Of course they are going to check you out, that is just a formality, you are hauling on their behalf. As I said, their rates won’t be full rates, they are getting their contracts cheaply and will pay you a fixed rate for doing a run, it beats running empty. With a few phone calls and a bit of effort you will never need to run empty again, charge full rate going out, that is your job and get the cream on the back run, even at a discounted run you are still running at a profit on that one, not a lot but you aren’t doing it for free or below your cost.
