Overdrive : January 2010
Boost Your Rate
28 Overdrive JANUARY 2010 B rokers play a Jekyll and Hyde role in today's trucking market. Many owner-operators at times depend on brokers, yet brokers appear to hold the upper hand when negotiating loads and rates. Karen Albert and her husband Henry (Over-drive's 2007 Trucker of the Year) understand the challenges of working with brokers and have fo-cused on building solid relationship with shippers for their independent business. Nevertheless, over the past year and a half, Mrs. Albert estimates she's worked with brokers more than the entire first 13 years we've been in business. There are days I'm glad [brokers are] there, she says. For instance, when I take a shipment for a customer that's not on one of our normal lanes. Learning to negotiate with brokers is vital to building relationships that pay off today and long term. By TOdd diLLS Beyond the rate Load match-ing services offer access to dynamic information on particlar lanes, a key tool for negotiating with brokers. Cour tesy of Int er ne t T ruc ks top