Just having successfully celebrated three years of being an independent motor carrier operating on my own authority, along with expanding to a thriving three-truck fleet within those years, I have learned an important lesson regarding tech along the way. While I am a firm believer that no one source has all the loads to satisfy the hunger for work that exists in my fleet, I believe diversification has been the key to my success from day one. Not putting “all my eggs in one basket” was always a key component in finding loads in the local LA market area, but is now easier to do than ever with the advances in digital load board and brokering technology!
I will always be the first to admit that I started this venture of mine after hauling for several large carriers and wanting more, but at the time knew not one direct customer or broker to speak of. After asking around to a few friends and checking out some reviews, I signed up for a truckstop.com load board account and downloaded their mobile app for more convenient searching. From that moment on I was hooked into the realm of digital trucking and haven’t looked back since. I advanced from just one load board app to using several within just a few weeks time to spread the word and land chances to prove my merit in the world of trucking. Though the apps have come and gone in my diversified digital portfolio, the original cornerstones still remain strong right next to the “latest and greatest”! Having seen apps like “Dispatcher” and “Cargomatic” fail or go by the wayside over time, I have learned what makes a trucking app desirable and tend to use only the most robust ones available at any given time.
While most people involved in wealth management and investing recommend portfolio diversification as a means for steady gains, the same rings true for trucks that find their freight through brokers. While a large portion of our loads now come from repeat brokers that give us first-dibs on really good hauls, we still source a good amount of work through the digital apps I have access to on a daily basis. Having looked back on my start as an independent carrier, the risk I took focusing on just one app in the beginning could have meant disaster, had I continued thinking that one load board or app had all the answers. With more and more brokerages producing loads on their own streamlined apps, even those brokerages owned by the “mega-carriers”, it is easier than ever to find apps to jump on into and try. As always, it is important to be on your guard about knowing your lane rates and only accepting loads that pay what you are worth. By all means though, do not be afraid to try something new and take the leap into the digital age of trucking by letting the abundance of apps out there help you find more work to keep your wheels rolling!