Why Attend A Workshop?

Often we have customers call that have ordered one of our training services and somewhere in the conversation the statement "...now that I have this, I really don't need to attend a Workshop. Right?" is made. It seems the customer is seeking our approval of their knowledge being adequate for the job they are about to do.

Workshops, be it through TALTOA or another training company, are for enhanced learning. By attending a Workshop there is no doubt that the knowledge, not to mention the confidence, you'll take away is immeasurable. When first getting started on your new venture, be it as a freight broker or RV transporter, the more knowledge you have the better.

What you learn in a Workshop is generally something you would learn on your own at some point in the future. The when, where, and how is the unknown. Wouldn't it be better to learn a lesson in a Workshop environment rather than in a situation that has cost you hundreds if not thousands of dollars?

People attend all kinds of workshops everyday around the country. People in sales attend sales workshops to obtain better sales skills, managers attend management workshops for better management skills, and so on. Corporations and individuals spend countless millions of dollars a year educating their personnel and themselves in order to avoid costly mistakes and to better themselves in their career. This investment wouldn't be made if the return wasn't so valuable.

So, why attend a Workshop?

TALTOA is the parent company of Freight Broker Training 101 and RV Transport Training 101. TALTOA offers consulting services to transportation companies as well. To learn more about TALTOA and how their services can benefit you, click on any of the links on the right or visit them at www.taltoa.com.

Just For Carriers

Many truck drivers and trucking companies feel that brokers are crooks. As much as it aggravates me to hear that, often that sentiment is coming from an actual experience a driver or company has had with a broker.

The broker said it was "no touch"

The broker told me it was "1 - drop"

The broker said "it only weights..."

The broker said "the load will be ready today"

The broker said "blah, blah, blah"

The above are just some of the complaints I hear from drivers and carriers when it comes to freight brokers. I have to concur. I drove for several years and had a small fleet of trucks. Brokers were considered to be one step below dispatchers in the food chain. But don't most brokers start out as dispatchers? Hmmm!

So now that we have that figured out, where do many brokers learn their business practices? Again, Hmmm! This isn't to knock all brokers, carriers, or dispatchers. Brokers that conduct bad business practices are usually out of business quickly. Unfortunately there is another that has learned the same business practices waiting to fill the chair.

We (Freight Broker Training 101) have always taught that carriers are as important as shippers. In essence that a broker actually has two customers...the shipper and the carrier. The shipper may order the truck and pay the freight bill, but see how many loads you'll move without trucks.

Knowing this to be true, why are many brokers led to lie, cheat, and steal? Because they are too lazy to do it right. If that statement offends you then you should check your business practices. Do you double broker too? A topic for another day.

Being a freight broker should be a respectable career, and it can be if done correctly. Not only respectable but financially rewarding as well. Financially rewarding without trying to break the bank on every load. Our training prepares brokers for a long career. Not to get rich quick and get out. We prepare brokers to build accounts, carriers, lanes, and most of all relationships. To be honest and to be the first one to step up and take responsibility should the need arise. "The buck stops here" so to speak.

Brokers that are making 6 digit incomes are not taking short cuts nor are they performing shady business practices. They are doing it right! Carriers and shippers both want to work with these brokers. Why? Because this broker is a pro that understands that the best business deal is one where everyone concerned is happy.

To learn more about our Freight Broker Training click the link on the right or visit our site at www.fbt101.com.

First Transport Job

Actually the title of this entry should be "First Transport Contract" since 99% of transporter jobs are actually not jobs but rather contracts. You may be working for a company but it will most likely be in the form of an independent contractor. This means that at the end of the year you will get a 1099 instead of the normal W2 tax form that you may be use to. That's right, no taxes are held out of your checks.

Taxes are for another day so before we stray too far off topic, most companies would like you to have some type of hauling or commercial transportation experience. Either from hauling your own trailer around the country or from driving a truck. Don't be discouraged if you have no experience because there are companies that will contract you with no experience. Normally these companies will start you at a slightly lower rate while you are gaining experience, but the idea here is to get a foot in the door. Once you have the needed experience you can easily move to a new company that pays more.

For myself it took six months of looking at transport companies before I decided on the one with wish I contracted. It didn't have to take that long but at the time I was in no hurry and wanted to make sure I had made the right decision. Due to my being new to the industry, like you, I wasn't quite sure what I was looking for in a company. However the one I did choose was the right one because I stayed with them for three years.

There are plenty of wrong companies that you could contract with. Companies that are way top low on their pay, aren't paying you 100% of the fuel surcharge, on the brink of closing their doors...You get the idea. Being new to the industry you may not know what questions to ask or what answers to look for. This is how RV Transport 101 can help you. From our experience in the industry you can gain experience so that you can choose a "right" company rather than a "wrong" company.

To learn more about RV Transport 101 and the training offered just click the link on the right or go to www.rvtransport101.com. Tomorrow we return to discussing becoming a freight broker.

RV Transport

We've discussed Freight Brokering over the last couple days so today as a change of pace I thought we would touch on the subject of RV Transportation. RV Transportation covers a multitude of towables. Besides RV's one might tow horse trailers, cargo trailers, flatbed trailers, portable bathrooms, or any type trailer that can be pulled using a 5th wheel, gooseneck, or receiver type hitch. The correct term for those that transport RV's is actually "transporter". We use the term RV Transporter because most know what that is as opposed to just saying transporter.

Over the last couple of years there has been an influx of new transporters entering the industry. This has been largely due to the hurricanes that struck our coasts and the need for immediate temporary housing for victims through FEMA. When hurricanes have hit, FEMA has ordered thousands of RV's to furnish to those in need of temporary housing. Due to the urgency of making these units available, transport companies have had to hire scores of drivers to make deliveries to the stricken areas.

Many new transporters expect to hire on to a company, back up to a trailer, and take off. Easy! They soon find that they are losing money through damage, fines, fuel, bad loads, and a multitude of other problems that could and do occur do to their inexperience. Our training teaches those wanting to enter the industry and even those that are in the industry now, how to be more profitable.

You can learn more of what our training has to offer by clicking on the RV Transport Training link on the right or by visiting our site at www.rvtransport101.com. RV Transport Training 101 is a division of TALTOA - Transportation and Logistics Training of America.

Prospecting

Continuing on with our discussion on becoming a freight broker, the #1 reason a freight broker fails is due to prospecting. Be it lack of or none at all. They become complacent and become order takers forgetting what it was that they did to achieve the success with which they became complacent.

Many freight brokers come out of the chute on fire. They put to use immediately what they have learned from their freight broker training. They are making the calls and call backs. Prospective clients see their determination and drive and become customers. Once the broker reaches a certain level of income be it $600.00, $1,000.00, $1,500.00 a week or more they quit doing what it was to reach this level. They become complacent.

It takes time to build relationships with customers. Think about that for a second. Are you married? How long did you and your spouse date before getting married? With a few exceptions it wasn't "hi my name is....let's get married." It took time. As such it takes time with customers. But once the relationship is established it can be great for all involved. However with your customer it can end just as quick due to your contact being promoted, quitting, or the company closing it's doors. Should this happen you are back to square one. If you have quit prospecting for new business, you will find that your pay will decrease in direct proportion to the percentage of business that your customer created for you.

Don't ever stop prospecting!

Our FBT Workshop will teach you how to prospect and avoid downfalls that freight brokers sometimes find themselves facing. To learn more visit our Freight Broker Training 101 web site by clicking the link on the right or by clicking here.

TALTOA

Welcome to the TALTOA Blog. TALTOA is short for Transportation and Logistics Training of America. Our training zeros in on two main areas, Freight Broker training and Transport training. A third area that we specialize in is transportation and logistics consulting. In our first post we will focus on becoming a freight broker. A freight broker is an intermediary between a shipper and a carrier. Carriers (trucking companies) generally have their customers in a relatively close proximity to there terminal. When a carrier moves a load for one of it's customers they are left with no way in which to re-load in order to return. Hence they call a freight broker in search of what is commonly referred to as a backhaul.

One of the most asked questions we receive is how much money can I make as a freight broker? That is entirely up to you. There are individuals in this business that make 6 digit incomes. On the flip side of that coin there are individuals in this business that didn't make a dime. Why the huge difference when both had the same opportunity? That answer is relatively simple. Training. If one knows how to do a job correctly he or she can perform that job. However if one doesn't know how to do a job, failure is likely probable.

To learn all of the training options we have available for those interested in becoming a freight broker visit our site at www.fbt101.com. Freight Broker Training is a division of TALTOA -- Transportation and Logistics Training of America.