TALTOA

New Radio Show --- Audio Blog?

2010-05-10T03:58:00.000-07:00

If you've misssed it, here's the skinny...

In April the 3PL Radio Network signed on. Now, what is 3PL Radio Network? Good question, 3PL Radio Network is a radio station dedicated to the transportation professional. A mix of news, talk, information, weather, entertainment, and classic rock.

TALTOA's Trainer Mike (from our Podcast) is host of TALTOA's Transportation Minute and TALTOA's T&L (Transportation & Logistics). Transportation Minute is an infromation feature broadcast on 3PL that deal with different topics broadcast several times a day.

www.3plrn.com

TALTOA's T&L is a pre-recorded call in radio show with a new show broadcast every Wednesday and re-broadcast at different times throughout the week. You're invited to take part in the show by calling 724.444.7444, when prompted for an ID enter 8140 followed by the # sign.

Call times for the show are scheduled several times a week. The process is simple, go to the TALTOA Home Page (www.taltoa.com) and click the "More" option in the Talk Chat Box. A new window will open diplaying the next call time for the show. If a show is open for calls it will display a "Listen Now" button which will allow you to tune in and listen to the calls live and provide instructions for calling.

Hope we are able to talk soon...

The Last 30 Days...

2008-08-04T13:56:00.000-07:00

A little over a month ago I left the confines of the office and went back out on the road. Due to the RV manufacturers normal July shutdown, I decided to go out on a big truck.

It was interesting to say the least. It was nice to be back out on the open road traveling many highways I hadn't been on in years. The first couple of days I was reacquainting myself with a big truck, after that I was able to be more observant and compare then and now.

One of the things I noticed was much of the foolishness on channel 19 had died down quite a bit. It was still a tad bit raunchy around the truck stops, but much tamer than I remember it being. I think satellite radio could be the main reason for the for the long overdue maturity.

Another thing I noticed was the slowdown of the majority of the trucks. I had been assigned a 70 MPH truck and thought I would be next to the slowest thing on the road. To my surprise, I was faster than most. This was a fantastic move by trucking companies. More than fantastic...a must!

This is something that has perplexed me during this fuel crisis, the speed limit. I remember in the 70's when President Nixon lowered the national speed limit to 55 M.P.H. Not a popular move and I'm sure it wouldn't be today either. The statistics of that day shows that fuel consumption was reduced by only 1% or less. Personally I find this hard to believe.

While transporting RV's I experienced as much as a 10% increase in fuel mileage (dependent on weather conditions and terrain) by slowing to 55 MPH. Big trucks would have to experience more than a 1% savings to justify slowing their trucks down or they wouldn't do it. Keep in mind that the motors of today are much better than those of the 70's. In the 70's there were no computers...just points, plugs, and condensers.

Another observation was that traffic on the interstates seemed to be less as well. The majority of the traffic that was traveling had slowed a good 5-10 MPH from the posted speed limit. A good thing but aggravating at times as well.

My first 2 weeks out I noticed that the RV Transporter traffic was down. Normal considering that the majority of the plants had been shut down in July. But I will admit, it was a bit worrisome. Was the RV industry over? Could it be that the last nails were being driven in the RV industries coffin?

Since the first of the year everyone and anyone in the RV industry has been concerned. To be honest, you didn't have to be in the RV industry to have a worried expression on your face about the future.

Then finally a break, news that oil was finally going down. Not to the level of last year but finally headed in the right direction after what seemed like an eternity of going up everyday. As I write this oil is down another $3.00 a barrel and the average price of diesel is down over $.10 per gallon from a week ago. Finally!!!

The last couple weeks of my big truck experience proved promising as well. I began to see hundreds of transporters with new RV's on the road to a dealership somewhere. I knew I was seeing more and more units on the road, but being gun shy after the past 7 months I wanted to make sure I wasn't seeing the same one over and over again. I called a friend of mine at an RV transport company for confirmation.

Not only did I receive confirmation I was told to send drivers. Hallelujah!!!

Now, this doesn't mean that we're back to the good ole days of a year or two ago but it is the first real positive sign in months. What's next? RV manufacturers will be doing some fancy re-designing I'm sure. More fuel efficient lightweight towables. This will be great for the consumer and the transporter as well.

In reality over the past 10 years the towables have gotten larger and larger. Up until this last crunch many manufacturers were attempting to go even larger, legally. RV's are considered RV's up to a certain square footage of living space, any larger and they're a mobile home.

Many of us can look at some of the towables today and remember that not that long ago those would have been considered mobile homes. Some are just huge! With the emphasis now on becoming fuel efficient and lightweight, transporters should begin to see a higher profit margin in the not too distant future.

Today someone wishing to enter the RV transport business is in a better position than those entering as little as a year ago. Today you can buy a truck for as much as $10,000.00 off the sticker of a year ago. Just last week, while in Michigan, I saw a commercial where one truck manufacturer had resumed employee pricing on trucks.

Is the RV industry dead or dying? Not by a long shot. Is there money to be made? You bet if done right!

How Can I Become A Freight Broker

2008-06-14T10:33:00.000-07:00

It’s hard to believe that it’s been nearly 20 years since I started my transportation career, looking back I can remember wishing that I knew the answer to that question. As I learned nearly 20 years ago and what you’ll soon learn is the easy part is becoming a freight broker, the hard part is being a successful freight broker.

I could furnish you a list as long as my arm of companies that would contract you right now, with no experience. Why shouldn’t they, it’s not costing them anything except a little time. Don’t misunderstand me; they would prefer you to have experience, transportation knowledge or some kind of understanding about the business. But there are many that will play the odd’s game of contracting freight brokers with no experience.

The odd’s game is that if you contract enough freight brokers you’ll eventually have one that makes it. The average freight broker contracted to a freight brokerage earns a 60% commission, on average. This commission is derived from the difference of what the customer paid you to move a load and what you paid the truck. The 40% goes to the freight brokerage with whom you’re contracted.

The freight brokerage knows how many agents they must contract in order to find one that can make it. Of course the experienced freight brokers don’t fall into that picture as it is much easier to contract an inexperienced freight broker. Experienced freight brokers are a give-me.

By playing the odd’s game the freight brokerage can’t lose. Over time they become the big winners as long as they retain their agents. The losers in the odd’s game are the ones that took a chance with little to no transportation experience and didn’t make it. They are the ones that purchased equipment and have been without a steady income for “X” amount of time.

In the early 80’s I answered a blind help wanted ad in the newspaper. I was in my early 20’s and really hadn’t figured out what I wanted to do with my life yet. The ad ended up being for an insurance company looking for agents. They would train me for two weeks to pass my state test to get a license. Afterwards, contingent on my passing the test, they would contract me as a commissioned agent. By commissioned I mean I would make a commission of what I sell.

During those two weeks of training I was exposed to other agents coming in and out of the office every day that had made sales with commissions in the hundreds of dollars. The more I watched the more determined I was to make it. Not knocking anyone from those days, but there were several agents that were making great money that convinced me that if they could do it, I could do it!

I got my license and became an agent. I was fired up and ready to go. Five days later I was still ready to go and really fired up because I hadn’t sold anything yet. I was really fired up and still motivated because I kept seeing these other knuckle heads make money doing it. I was determined.

Five more days later, I was really mad. Not even a nibble. I mean it was close to being embarrassing. Right then and there I knew I was missing something and that something was how to sell. That Friday afternoon I went straight to the library and checked out all the books they would let me on sales.

That weekend was nothing but a constant study hall. But it paid off. That next week I sold my first policy and that was all I needed. Once I was able to accomplish that it wasn’t a matter of trying to make money as an agent, I was an agent!

The insurance company was playing the odd’s game. They knew that all their investment would be was a little time…and a newspaper ad while their reward would be the agents that made it. It was up to the agents to make it or not. I chose to make it by learning as much as I could.

Being a freight broker is much more than just having loads to put on trucks. You’ve got to know how to sell, how to negotiate, how to prospect, how to set rates…and the list goes on and on. This is one of the reasons many in-experienced freight brokers fail, just as I almost had with insurance, they’re not prepared.

If you’re serious about becoming a freight broker you should give yourself every opportunity to succeed. Do this by educating yourself on the industry as a whole. Learn what you must know and always understand that you’ve never learned it all.

The Price Of Fuel...

2008-04-21T03:28:00.001-07:00

This is a concern to all not just those in the RV transportation industry. The commercial transportation industry appears to be taking the brunt of the impact but it's hitting everyone. Not just in the fuel you buy, but in your everyday purchases as well. The items we use in our everyday life are being affected because some form of commercial transportation delivered them. When fuel goes up the price is eventually passed down to the consumer. Same with the RV transportation business.

The RV Transport companies charge their customers a base rate PLUS a fuel surcharge. The fuel surcharge is in addition to the normal rate charged to move a load from origin to destination. If you've been to FedEx, UPS or any of the other courier companies lately you've experienced a fuel surcharge.

All reputable RV transport companies pass 100% of the fuel surcharge to the transporter. As of this writing, I am not aware of any company that isn't passing this to the transporter. Believe me, if I knew of any company that was keeping a percentage of the fuel surcharge for themselves, I'd list them.

Now before I get letters, every company has their own way of calculating the fuel surcharge. If a company is paying a little less fuel surcharge than another it's probably because of their fuel surcharge agreement with their customer, not them being dishonest with the transporter.

It's not to the transportation companies benefit to skim any of the fuel surcharge. Let's face it, without the transporter the transport company is out of business. The entire industry is shut down.

What does this mean for the transporter? Basically that there is still a lot of money to be made. It's true that the price of fuel is keeping a lot of potential transporters away. Many may not be aware of the fuel surcharge.

One major transport company has published their fuel surcharge numbers that show the cost to the driver for fuel after fuel surcharge is only $1.89 per gallon. Another major company is paying an extra $.05 per mile bonus for new units being delivered.

The RVIA (Recreation Vehicle Industry Association) has predicted that RV shipments in 2008 are expected to be the fifth highest in 30 years, and well above the most recent ten-year average.

Using current fuel prices, I entered a 900 mile trip as a model in my computer. For transporter pay I entered a low $1.21 per mile. Gross pay for this trip would be $1,089.00. To make it more interesting I entered that I had to drive 800 miles empty to get to my load (trailer). At 17 mpg empty my fuel cost showed to be $190.59. With trailer and traveling 900 miles my fuel consumption dropped to 12 mpg with a fuel cost of $303.75. At the end of my trip my net after fuel totaled $593.47. Not bad for 2.5 days work and 800 miles empty.

What does all of this mean? If fewer transporters are entering the industry because of the fuel prices and 2008 shipments are expected to be the 5th highest in 30 years...It means to me that there are more trailers available to deliver which means more money in the pocket. There is a silver lining.

Let's Ruffle Some Feathers

2008-04-09T05:29:00.000-07:00

I've been biting my tongue for some time knowing that I would only be causing myself trouble by posting my thoughts concerning the state of the trucking industry. This isn't something that I just decided to write about on a whim, it's been building for a while. It seems to have growth spurts every time I see a driver being interviewed by the media concerning the state of the trucking industry or when I read the rants of a driver that has written an article or a letter to the editor with their feelings.

I'm all for free speech and the sharing of ideas. This might be the most American thing we can do. However with this freedom comes responsibility. The responsibility to learn the facts before making statements that further jeopardize your brothers and sisters who are also in the industry. The responsibility to reflect on your own business practices before condemning others of theirs. Remember '05 and the rate FEMA was paying you? The detention time? Couldn't one easily say that was more than your fair share?

Unfortunately the drives I refer to represent themselves as owner operators to the press and in their writings. As such one would think that they would have a little business savvy. Case in point, if the load doesn't pay enough you don't take it. You find another. It's time to quit being a steering wheel holder blaming everyone else for your problems and start being business people.

Every report, article, or letter I come across or is brought to my attention always has a reference about freight brokers taking more than their fair share. What? What exactly is their fair share? If a shipper were to offer you $5.00 per mile on a load when the market rate was at $2.00 would you give $3.00 per mile back? A freight broker only makes what the market will allow. Freight Brokers don't control the market, trucks do. Again, if the rate isn't enough don't load it. A broker can not force you to take a load.

All of our clients hear me say the same thing, a freight broker is the most miss-used service in the trucking industry. A broker used correctly, should only be for backhauls. That is a load that returns your equipment to an area where you have an account in order to service your customer and allow you to obtain a higher rate. If you're using a broker for all of your loads then it's not the broker it's you! Why do you not have your own accounts?

Over the last several years we have had more owner/operators contract our services in order to learn how to find their own accounts. Each and every one of them were using a broker for more than 70% of their loads. Our brokerage has shown an unimaginable rise in companies seeking a load out of their home base area. This can only mean that they don't have or don't have enough outbound accounts. The one common denominator is that they are all smaller companies (1-5 trucks).

This past Christmas I warned our brokerage as well as our brokerage consulting clients that December 26 - January 3 would be slow. The reason for this warning is that Christmas is the holiday that finds the majority of the trucks home. Once they begin moving on the 26th it takes 5-7 days to have them scattered enough across the country in order to start re-loading them. This past after Christmas week, the week I warned would be slow, was the busiest week of the year for several of our offices. When reviewing the reports it showed that the majority of the loads were being picked up by local carriers as a head haul.

I understand that from time to time things happen. When things happen it should be the exception, not the rule. I am fully aware of the frustrations being felt in the industry and I fully believe that $4.00+ per gallon fuel is a sin. My opinion is that the rate per mile for a truck should be near or equal to a gallon of fuel. It used to be, a lot of things used to be. A strike is not the answer because they just won't work. How many have since deregulation?

Reality is this, the industry is going through a correction phase right now. The strong will survive others unfortunately won't. But for everyone to have a chance we have to accept responsibility for our own instead of blaming everyone else. For those that are and even those that are enabling others with the pointing of the blame finger, you should stop. Correction begins at home.

Yes. I'll be the first one in line to say that bad brokers and even bad broker organizations exist, my answer is to not use them. The bad ones normally disappear in the course of time. Find a broker you can work with and cultivate the relationship. You shouldn't have 10 filing cabinets full of broker packages.

I truly hope that the next time a driver is in front of a camera, writes an article or letter to be published in a newspaper or magazine that he or she remembers that shippers are hearing and reading your words. The same shippers that will or won't pay more to ship their freight. They are a business just as we are. If they sense that our industry is in such disarray that they don't have to raise the rates, they won't. Why should they? They're in business to make money just as we are. They just do it different.

The Recipe For A Backhaul

2007-10-31T03:27:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I was at a rally in Northwest Arkansas, seated and enjoying the day and the time I was spending with my wife. Seating was limited and a couple asked to share our table, which was no problem at all. As the conversation ensued, naturally the standard questions of where's home? What do you do?...All came up.

The gentleman that joined us with his wife was a truck driver that had some time off. Naturally when he learned that I worked for TALTOA, the conversation immediately went to the trucking industry. He had specific views on several subjects concerning the transportation industry but the one that amazed me was his thoughts on backhauls. His view, “there is no such thing!”

That amazed me. How could this seemingly intelligent man make such an absurd statement? He really believed that all loads were headhauls. Thus I felt a need to share with you The Recipe For A Backhaul.

When a person that owns a truck or trucks decides that it's time for them to become a trucking company, they do so generally with an account or two already set-up. In other words they have one or two customers that they know they can haul for when they start their business. These first shippers, customers, accounts (whichever you prefer to call them) are normally located in a close proximity to their (the trucking company's) base of operations. Before you send letters, I said first accounts and normally.

The shipments acquired from these accounts, the ones that the trucking company can call customers, are generally known as headhauls. The reason for this is that these are the trucking companies own customers with freight headed out or away from their customers location. Thus headhaul, freight hauled by the trucking company headed away from their own customer.

As a rule and depending on the location of the load, the rates paid by the trucking companies own customer to the trucking company is in the neighborhood of 10 -15% more than what they can get from a freight broker for a backhaul. The reason the rates are lower from a broker than from an actual customer is because the 10 - 15% is the fee the broker charges to provide the trucking company the load.

A backhaul should be a load moved by a truck that returns the truck to the general location of where the truck has accounts and can get the higher rate. There is a difference! A trucking company should have a plan. They should not get their own authority with the idea that they can use brokers until they can find their own accounts. If you have no accounts, don't start a trucking company.

Every day we have trucking companies register to send their people to a FBT Workshop. The reasons are twofold, 1) it serves their best interest to have their people know how to find and set-up customers for headhauls 2) with the accounts they’ll be adding they can obtain their broker authority in order to broker their excess freight to other trucking companies as backhauls generating a new form of revenue.

To learn more about the Freight Broker Training Workshop click the links found on the right.

How Can I Make Money...

2007-05-28T06:27:00.000-07:00

Not a week goes by that we don't receive a phone call, email, even an occasional fax from someone wishing to know how they can make money as a transporter when the fuel prices are so high, when there are no re-loads, when I live 800 miles from the nearest terminal...

You get the idea.

There are thousands of transporters rolling up and down the road that are doing great and making a good living, then there are those that are barely making it or failing and can't wait to tell everyone of their impending doom. What makes one transporter successful and another a failure? The answer to that question is somewhat elusive, to a point.

Much of the problem for the transporter that is failing is poor planning from the start, for example:

1) Did they do the needed research before entering the industry or did they just decide to give it a shot and buy a truck?

2) Did they enter the industry for the long term or just to make a quick buck?

3) Did they have prior transportation experience or did they just figure that since they have towed a trailer before that their couldn't be much to it?

4) Any previous business experience?

5) Any previous sales experience?

Just from this short list it's obvious that succeeding as a transporter starts long before one hauls their first trailer. One of the first things we tell those wanting to attend a RV Transport Workshop is not to buy anything (especially a truck) before attending. This is to make sure that they have needed information for buying before spending. If one doesn’t know what one need's or what one is looking for, one will spend too much!

To answer one specific question from the hundreds of "how can I make money when..." is nearly impossible because to answer one question would require other questions to be answered first. This is the sole reason for the existence of the RV Transport Workshop. As transporters ourselves, we've watched hundreds of transporters go belly up because of lack of information/training.

You, as a transporter, are an independent contractor. The company will contract you and show you the way they want things done. This isn't training it's an orientation. Huge difference. Hence the conception of the RV Transport Training Workshop. To learn more click the RV Transport link on the right.

Why A Consultant

2007-04-02T05:16:00.000-07:00

Many that attend our Freight Broker Training and RV Transport Workshops look at me funny when I tell them that we're not a school but a consulting company which caters to individuals as well as large companies. One item that set's us apart from schools is the support available after a Workshop.

Many of the so-called schools operate with a wham-bam thank you m'am attitude. I've heard of one that will spend a couple hours teaching about a guy and his mule....Really. Others offer different levels of certifications depending on which training you choose. Here's the truth, a freight broker is a freight broker nothing more nothing less. Tell someone you have a Doctorate in Freight Brokering and… well, just wait for the response.

Now in defense of these schools I'll say this, they all have a place. What floats your boat may not float mine but that's ok. You should choose to get your training from where you feel you will learn the most. The ones that are easy to find on the web appear to be reputable, however you should always do your homework.

Now why a consultant? Consultants have a nasty habit of being successful at what they do. Consultants do more than teach, they support. If they can help enough people be successful, they’ll be successful.

This is why we are a consulting company which caters to individuals as well as large companies. When you attend one of our Workshops you are gaining much more than a few days in a classroom. You’re getting a scaled down version of a professional consulting package. Part of any consulting package is support. Have a question? Call. Need advice? Call. We don’t just say thanks and good luck.

If you’ve been thinking about starting a new career or perhaps expanding your business then take all of this into consideration. If we can be of service to you if just to answer questions you’ve not been able to find the answers to, please call us. Experience our service first hand.

To learn more about our services please visit our site at www.taltoa.com.

Like Sands Through An Hourglass...

2007-02-04T05:31:00.000-08:00

It's Super Bowl Sunday and all through the house not a creature is stirring, not even a mouse... Wait, that's the Holiday for little kids... Today's the Holiday for Big Kids! Da Dah da DAAAAH! (football theme music).

My wife wouldn't go near a grocery store yesterday because of everyone getting their Super Bowl fix'ns. Sorta like me not going near the mall or any other retail outlet between Thanksgiving and Christmas. See, it really does balance out.

It's nice to know that the Super Bowl is 41 years young. By now, suffice it to say, an American tradition. Last night on the NFL Network I was able to watch the 1969 Super Bowl between the Baltimore Colts and the New York Jets. Man, it brought back memories. Not so much so for the game but the other things going on around it. I was 8, mom and dad were still here as were many of my relatives, not to mention the other thousands of memories that came flooding back.

Then back to reality. It's 2007 and many in the transportation industry are still reeling from the changes that happened at 12:00 A.M. January 1. No more SSRS (Single State Registration System), Texas has their own DOT #, and the IRS again seems to have their own language for interpreting laws. As much as I would like to lament on the IRS, for the purpose of this Blog I will stay on transportation topics.

On January 1 the SSRS ceased to exist causing somewhat of a commotion due to the fact that there was no replacement. The official statement is "At some point in 2007, it is expected that SSRS program will be replaced by the new Unified Carrier Registration Agreement (UCR)." In addition, the new program will also apply to leasing companies, freight forwarders, and brokers. You'll want to keep up on this no matter what facet of the transportation industry you might be involved with.

Second point, Texas and their new Texas DOT #. It appears that Texas has taken the bull by the horns and have initiated their own replacement for the SSRS in the form of a Texas DOT #. As of a week ago I was hearing stories that carriers were sitting while waiting for their Texas DOT # to be issued. It was not a :30 minute wait but a wait that lasted days. It is also my understanding that if you had not yet received your Texas DOT #, Texas DOT Officers were providing parking while you waited.

In short, if you are in the transportation business you have to stay on top of what is happening in the industry. Perhaps through reading trade publications, industry associations, or using our consulting services.

TALTOA provides transportation and logistic consulting services for carriers, brokers, and shippers. You get our entire team for less that what you may pay in an annual salary. The SSRS and the Texas DOT #'s are not large areas of concern, for those that were ready. However for those that weren't, how much money was lost?

To learn more about the consulting services offered through TALTOA, click the TALTOA link on the right.

Don't Drive Above Your Skill Level

2006-12-01T03:58:00.000-08:00

As I sit in my office listening to the weather reports about the upcoming first significant winter weather event for our part of the world, I find myself thinking about the first year transporters that are on the road. Be it under a load or bob tailing, they are finding new ways to become stressed. No matter their individual experience level they have no control over the experience level of the driver next, beside, behind, or in front of them.

It's during these times that the driver finds out how much they have learned since deciding to become a professional driver. Now following distance is not just something you do, it's something you live by. Not just you but how close is that guy behind you. Is he too close? What to do? If you slow down too fast you could cause him to hit his brakes which could cause him to go into a spin. If you can't get him to go around or back off should you have to make a maneuver, the same could occur or worse, he could run up your rear end.

Ice and snow can cause added stress for a driver which causes fatigue quicker. You may be wide awake due to the adrenalin rush during your stress period, but afterwards you will find yourself totally exhausted. You will need rest!

Your stress level should be a reliable indicator of your skill level. The higher the stress the lower the skill level. Over time your winter driving skills will improve and you will find yourself not being as stressed. The key words in the previous sentence is "over time". You've got to allow that time in order to become a better driver.

The point I'm wanting to make though is that it's much better to get off the road and have your load in tact, your truck in one piece, and your health rather than attempting to drive above your skill level and failing. I was told a long time ago when I was just starting to drive big trucks...

You are able to go down a hill too slow a thousand times, you can go down the same hill too fast once!

TALTOA Is Growing

2006-11-19T09:58:00.000-08:00

Whew...hard to believe that it's been over a month since we last posted. For those of you that subscribe, forgive us as we promise to try and do better. We have been on a growth spurt for the last several months and are now nearing the time that we move into larger facilities. We hope to be in our new facility December 1. What does this mean for you? Well, if you will be attending any of our Workshops you will be doing so at our main facility instead of an off-site meeting room. As soon as we get move we will have pictures posted on our main website (taltoa.com).

Besides moving into new facilities, we have added 3 new members to our team. Renee, Kay, and Jan. Should you call you may find yourself talking to either one of these new girls. Renee and Kay are in our newly established advertising department (more on that in a second) and Jan joins us in sales and accounting. Should you attend a Workshop your sure to meet them.

The advertising department. Tell me, why does TALTOA have an advertising department? We have many associations with different companies across the country. Due to our large reach, many companies wish to associate or advertise with us. The demand became so large that we had to develope an advertising department just to keep things organized and allow us to assist those that wish to advertise on any of our properties. So, if your company would like to reach our audience call us today and speak to Renee or Kay.

More on our growth. We have added a new workshop. This new workshop is for truck drivers wishing to take the big step and become an owner operator. Much to learn in this workshop. By attending you may find yourself avoiding costly mistakes common to new owner operators. To learn more click on the TALTOA link.

Another twist is we have added Weekend Freight Broker Training Workshops to our schedule. These are perfect for those unable to take time off from their present jobs during the week. The Weekend FBT Workshops are conducted during the first full weekend of the month. To learn more click on the Freight Broker Training link on the right.

As mentioned earlier, we promise to try an update more often. Don't forget the TALTOA Podcast with Trainer Mike. Find more info on any of our sites. Till next time be safe and have a Happy Thanksgiving.

RV Transport Business On The Move

2006-10-05T10:55:00.000-07:00

Many have been concerned about the RV Transport business as of late due to the high fuel prices. The fuel prices did cause a drop in motorhome sales over the summer months, but towable RV sales stayed in the game. Except for a brief period when manufacturers slowed in their production, RV Transporters for the most part were able to stay busy.

Last week the word came down form several transport companies that the manufacturers were beefing up production. The '07 models are coming down the line, the dealers are moving the '06 units off their lot, fuel prices have fallen and people are buying again. All good news for the RV Transport industry.

FEMA has been keeping RV Transporters busy as well. At last count there were aproximately 9000 FEMA trailers sitting in Hope, Ar. These trailers have been moved, moved again and moved again with more moves planned in their future. Many of these FEMA trailers will be going on the sales block shortly allowing RV Transporters to have more business.

Right now is an opportune time to enter the RV Transport industry. Either as a contract driver or as a driver with their own authority. RV Transport Training can assist those that are looking to do either. A 2 day RV Transport Workshop can provide future transporters a wealth of information allowing them to start their new career with the knowledge needed to be a successful transporter. To learn more about TALTOA's RV Transport Workshop, just click the link on the right.

Fuel Prices Are Dropping

2006-09-15T06:46:00.000-07:00

After what seems like an eternity, fuel prices are finally dropping to a figure that will allow people to have a little more disposable income. I know that most are going to be squirmish about spending this income as everyone expects this drop will more than likely not last as long as the increase did.

I think that we all can expect the drop to last through November anyway...the elections. As sad as it is to even think this, the powers that be are now allowing lower fuel prices in hopes of finding forgiveness in their constituents in order to be re-elected. Perhaps a friend of mine is right, if we want to keep low fuel prices...clean house. Vote for the new guy and get the old guy out! No incumbents.

Back on topic...with the fuel prices dropping this will have a somewhat positive effect for the RV industry. Dealers will be dropping prices on new units to move them out for the '07 models. Most dealers and manufacturer's will use the drop as a selling pont in their advertising as "still the cheapest way to take a vacation".

With what I suspect to be an increase in sales and movements of trailers, FEMA is still in the mix this year as well. A year later and FEMA still can't make up it's mind on where to put the trailers ordered from last year. As of this writing FEMA is moving hundreds, if not thousands of trailers from Baton Rouge, La to Hope, AR. Plus with a termite problem...should something happen FEMA may have to order more trailers.

I see many positives with the transport industry right now. If you have been thinking about becoming a transporter perhaps now may be a good time to take the step. For more information just click the link on the right.

Five Years Later

2006-09-11T04:33:00.000-07:00

In every life there are events that happen which one remembers the smallest of details as to what they were doing at that exact moment or where they were when they heard the news. September 11, 2001 is one of those events. The difference in this event as opposed to others was this marked the 1st day of a changed nation if not world.

September 11, 2001 started for me as any other morning. I was up early, made coffee, and went down the hall to my office. My office was in my home but I normally didn't have the TV on. I was doing what I always did every morning. Looking over the loads I had to move for the day, post loads, check truck availability...just another day at the office.

By 7:00 A.M. the phones were beginning to ring, emails began coming in, carriers accepting loads, shippers scheduling loads...another busy day in the life of a freight broker. Then it stopped! It was so sudden that I remember thinking that my phones had quit working. One minute I was brokering freight, had people on the phone holding, emails being received, faxes being received...and suddenly, as if someone had turned a switch, nothing. A complete eerie silence.

I was the only one in my house and I didn’t have the TV on, so I hadn’t a clue. As odd and eerie as I new the events were I still moved forward. I picked up the phone and called a carrier to discuss a load. I still remember the conversation “oh man, we’re not doing nothing right now. Have you seen the news? A plane just hit the WTC….”

What?

So much has changed since that one phone call.

God Bless America!

What Experience Do I Need To Become A Freight Broker?

2006-09-05T06:44:00.000-07:00

The answer you'll hear most is "...be a dispatcher for a couple years then look into becoming a freight broker." Normally you'll hear this answer from freight brokers more than anyone else.

Before and after I became a broker, passing on the advice of becoming a dispatcher first, I often wondered what the logic was behind becoming a dispatcher first. Was this a required point of entry to the profession? Obviously not since I became a broker. Could it be that I would learn how to broker freight by being a dispatcher? No, I would learn how to dispatch trucks and deal with truck drivers. Then what could it be? Why was I being told to become a dispatcher first.

Truth be told, whenever I asked a broker how to get in the business they would almost seem frightened. Perhaps frightened is too strong a word, lets say they were less than eager to offer real advice. Often I would hear "...you can have my job." Well that made no sense. If you don't like your job just quit. If you're not making enough money then why are you doing it? In short, I became a broker without any help from those already in the business. Not easy, but I did. If you plan on doing it this way I wish you luck. One day we'll post a blog concerning the first 6 months of my broker career and why it would have been nice to have had a FBT Workshop to attend.

To answer the question: What Experience Do I Need To Become A Freight Broker? None. If you have any type of transportation experience it is helpful and puts you ahead of the curve. Being a freight broker is more than just knowing the difference between a flat bed and a dry van. It's sales, marketing, computer skills, budgeting, people management, prospecting, presentations and much more. All from the comfort of your office, be it at home or someplace else.

Our FBT Workshops offer you a crash course on being a Freight Broker. Who attends FBT Workshops? We've had peple from all walks of life attend. From stay-at-home mom's seeking career to former NFL Football players making an investment. By attending a FBT Workshop, you'll find that your training isn't over once your Workshop is finished. By attending a FBT Workshop you receive 1 year of FBT eWorkshop plus unimited phone support. Currently we boast of having a 100% placement rate for those wishing to become Freight Broker/Agents.

To learn more about becoming a freight broker visit our web site by clicking on the links to the right or by visiting our sites at www.fbt101.com or www.taltoa.com.

Something New & Free!

2006-09-03T07:18:00.000-07:00

Today is September 3, Labor Day Weekend. I truely hope that you are having a great "last blast of summer" holiday.

I wanted to break from our norm of discussing transport topics in order to share with you some new and exciting information which can increase your knowledge of the transportation industry. Best of all it's FREE!

The TALTOA Podcasts discuss important, and not so important issues, concerning the transportation industry. Hosted by "Trainer Mike" the Podcasts are approximately 10 minutes in length for easy downloading to your player or iPod.

Note the above paragraph...yes you can get a Podcast player if you do not have an iPod. Another nice thing...the players are FREE! Players are available from iTunes by clicking here and following the instructions at the bottom of our Podcast page.

The TALTOA Podcasts are entertaining and informative providing discussions, comments, information, news, and interviews concerning being a freight broker and being a RV Transporter.

We hope that you will subscribe to the TALTOA Podcast. Information on doing so is provided at www.taltoa.com.

Why Attend A Workshop?

2006-08-23T04:03:00.000-07:00

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

2006-08-22T06:43:00.000-07:00

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

2006-08-18T04:29:00.000-07:00

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

2006-08-17T05:43:00.000-07:00

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

2006-08-16T04:43:00.000-07:00

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

2006-08-15T06:58:00.000-07:00

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.