There is something about seeing your own trucks with your company name and logo rolling down the highway. It instills a sense of pride and is also a good source of mobile advertising. However, this pride comes with a high price and for many companies today, the price is simply too much. In fact, you have other alternatives to maintaining an entire fleet, like hiring a truck brokerage or outside carriers. Let’s take a look at the options many companies have today.
Your Own Fleet
Owning your own trucks can be a good idea in some cases. For instance, you might run a small business which makes local deliveries. Operating one or two trucks may be a cost-effective way to do business. But what if you have large or a variety of shipping needs?
Owning a large fleet can be very expensive. For example, you must buy or lease your trucks and trailers and then there is the continued upkeep expense to consider. Also, you must have full-time truck drivers on the payroll. When a driver calls in sick, you now have an additional problem to deal with.
Hiring Carriers
You can contract with shipping services to take care of your needs. However, if you don’t have a close
working relationship with a company it can be hard to choose the best service. Also, you may not be aware of better deals, because your selections are limited.
Truck Brokerage
A freight broker gives you all the benefits of outsourcing your shipping needs, without all the management, negotiating and other headaches associated with shipping.
No to be Confused with Freight Forwarding Services
There is a difference between a truck brokerage and a freight forwarding service. A freight forwarder may actually take possession of shipments and be the carrier. However, a freight broker only makes shipping arrangements and is only interested in finding you the best possible services for your needs. You can depend on a broker to always have your best interests in mind.
Why a Truck Brokerage Maybe The Best Option
In many cases, you may be better off going with a freight broker, and here are some reasons why:
* Costs – much cheaper than keeping up your equipment. Also, there are labor costs to consider and when you use a broker you can operate with fewer people on your payroll.
* Services – you will enjoy a wide variety of shipping services, including oversized loads and LTL shipments.
* Expedited services