@bobbyloads Love seeing this. The early factoring hurdle is real for new authorities, so nail the basics: tight carrier vetting, clean paperwork, and shippers who pay on time. Keep going.
@ju1fy This is the right way to test it. Not every load on a lane belongs on rail. Start with freight that has some transit flex, then compare the all-in cost with drayage and dwell, not just linehaul.
@FreightWaves If carriers are already planning for growth next year, shippers should firm up their routing guides and carrier relationships now, not in spring when it tightens. The cheapest rate today doesn't help if nobody covers your load in March.
@bkelogistics With flatbed this tight, I'd plan on at least a week out for year-end steel or lumber, more if it needs tarps or a step deck. Clean details up front (weights, dims, dock hours) help a truck say yes as much as the rate does.
@ChadBoblett Good call. Shippers can help themselves here too: tender early, keep appointment windows honest, and turn trucks fast. Carriers remember who was easy to work with when it gets tight.
@BrokerOpsNotes@CDLWire Agree on keeping both. The load note protects you on that shipment, and the carrier note is what makes the next call easy. A couple minutes after delivery saves a lot of digging later.
@RobCarpenter Worth knowing, and worth knowing its limits: MCS-90 is about public liability, not your cargo. Shippers should check the carrier's cargo coverage and limits before tender, not after a claim.
@bschoenbaechler@FreightWaves Good advice. I'd add: make sure the backup carrier has actually hauled your lane and dock before, not just your paperwork. December is a bad time to find out the backup has never been to your receiver.
@freightcaviar If capacity keeps leaving, the shippers who do best will be the ones carriers want to come back to: quick unloads, honest appointment times, and paying on time. Being easy to work with is going to matter as much as the rate.
@FreightWaves The authority checks out more often than people think. What doesn't is who's on the phone. Call back on a number you found yourself, check for recent ownership or email changes, and a lot of these fall apart before pickup.
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