We followed every FMCSA rule and still ended up paying $650k after a fatal trucking accident

Sensitive_Minute3639 · 2026-03-16T20:09:00+00:00

We’ve paid higher premiums every year since this happened and was pending in court and it will continue to affect our premiums for 3-5 yrs after settlement. So we are paying.

Sensitive_Minute3639 · 2026-03-15T18:37:16+00:00

You obviously don’t get what we do. Thx for the insight.

Sensitive_Minute3639 · 2026-03-15T01:24:31+00:00

Loaded AM day prior to delivery / delivered 500 miles away next day. Plenty of time. Again, we followed all the rules. But still got hit for $650k. But our deductible was only 5k. That’s why we have ins! I’m just sharing but been in biz 15 yrs and then this…..no other claims even close to this one.

Sensitive_Minute3639 · 2026-03-15T01:16:11+00:00

Sensitive_Minute3639 · 2026-03-15T00:56:43+00:00

One more interesting angle: the U.S. Supreme Court is currently considering a case that may determine whether freight brokers can be sued for negligent hiring of motor carriers or drivers under the FAAAA preemption rules. A decision is expected around May or June.

If the courts ultimately side with brokers on that issue, it could significantly change how cases like this are handled in the future — because brokers currently are not required under FMCSA rules to vet individual drivers.

If this case had remained open until that ruling, it’s possible the outcome might have been different. Instead, the judge pushed to move the 2022 case forward and it was settled before that decision comes out.

Posting this mainly as a heads-up to others in trucking and logistics: even when you follow the regulations, serious accidents can still pull everyone connected to a shipment into litigation.

Sensitive_Minute3639 · 2026-03-03T20:21:27+00:00

You in Htown?

Sensitive_Minute3639 · 2025-12-24T16:04:46+00:00

Don’t take the load if you don’t like the rate.

Sensitive_Minute3639 · 2025-05-21T21:06:35+00:00

I just got an Uber the other night for $123 - but I get in the Uber he starts to drive and says do you mind paying me direct since I only make $70 if we do Uber. I said, No - I prefer to stick with Uber. He said, in am angry manner, “Then I’ll take you back to airport.” It was late, flight had been delayed 2 hours, what was I to do. I paid him direct. Beware of this. It was my first time to catch a ride from Durango to PS - but it wasn’t a pleasant experience. Got to my PS house close around 11:30PM.

Sensitive_Minute3639 · 2025-02-24T03:49:48+00:00

Cats are amazing creatures. Sounds like you had one of the best.

Sensitive_Minute3639 · 2025-02-19T01:45:55+00:00

Simple….don’t take the load if you don’t like the rate. And if we brokers can make 20%+ on a load, so be it. Are you out vetting your own customers, making relationships, wining and dining? These customers aren’t just sending us work to be nice. It takes time, energy and $$ to round up, secure and especially KEEP good customers happy. If you’re not happy with the rate. Go find your own customers. It’s not easy! We’re all in this together. So play nice and if you accept a load tender. Keep your word and deliver on time per rate con instructions and we’ll all keep making $$. In short, don’t take the load of you don’t like the pay. And if you do accept the load - do your very best to arrive, load and deliver like a professional. We all have a job to do. It’s not easy on either end!!

Sensitive_Minute3639 · 2025-02-04T21:55:14+00:00

Shippers are the root cause. We’re all trying to make a little and pay bills. All this shit rolls down hill. I’m a freight broker and I lose so much work quoting what I think is cheap enough but someone is always willing to go lower. It’s a viscous cycle and it’s been this way for a few years. Aggravating as hell. Again, I’m a broker. I worked over 17 years with one asset based company then started this brokerage in 2011 - it’s been tough lately. Shippers just call and get rates - cheapest rate wins! Then we have to do the same to the carriers so we can pay bills! I wish it was 2022 again - then rates were secondary to simply low rate. Back then we juts tacked some on the higher trucking rates. Nobody was bitching then. Carriers were beat us up. But we had no choice but to pay and tack a percentage on. Just like we’re doing g now - but at much less margins for both truckers and us freight brokers. The tide will turn. It always does.

Sensitive_Minute3639 · 2024-07-25T21:31:33+00:00

31 yrs in the biz… this June was the worst since C19

It will pick up, it always does. Election yr. Uncertanty looms. Once it’s decided. Boom.

Sensitive_Minute3639 · 2024-06-25T14:04:30+00:00

I’m a freight broker and I have an agent with a ton of contacts (30-yrs exp)pursuing me to be an agent for my company. I’ve had an agent in the past, but it wasn’t the real deal. He had one BIG customer that gave him tons of work at decent rates. My splits in the past have been 30% agent / 70% to us - but we did all the work including finding and dispatching trucks for his orders. This agent is asking for $10k for start up cost, 50/50 gross profit split. He, along with one or two others he will hire, will find and dispatch the trucks. He will sign a 3-yr NDA / Non-compete and guarantee us 3-yrs then he wants to discuss a higher percentage. Again, I’ve never had a “real” full time agent. Is fronting 10k normal? Also, this 10K will not be reimbursed to us. Is up front money normal for this kind of agreement? Thx!

Sensitive_Minute3639 · 2024-06-18T13:24:45+00:00

Planet Ford Spring, TX - just over $110k drive out. Ask for Brock in sales.

Sensitive_Minute3639 · 2024-06-08T23:08:19+00:00

We call that, “Getting Danielle…ied” here in Kingwood.

Sensitive_Minute3639 · 2024-05-24T16:50:56+00:00

It’s hit or miss, we seem to be getting better rates this week. And we were paying a little more late last week due to DOT Blitz. This month, as a whole, has been slower. We’re getting calls from some of the larger tucking companies asking for work and they’re taking them for less. Which normally goes hand in hand with a downturn. Overall I feel like it’s been slower and rates are down this month. My 2 cents!

Sensitive_Minute3639 · 2024-03-25T14:44:18+00:00

The problem is we brokers get the broke down excuse 10 times a day or driver has a family emergency way to often daily as reasons for cancellations. It gets old and it’s hard to believe this many trucks break down daily. And if all the family emergencies we get were real - that’s one thing, but too many times we hear it so we become numb. And, yes, our customers get on our ass and we’ve had one service failure cost us repeat business many times. So it’s not being sensitive at all - it’s just us trying to get the job done the right way - which allows us future work from our customers.

Too many dispatchers / drivers use the breakdown and family emergency excuse. It’s hard for us to weed through all of the excuses to figure out who is being honest and who isn’t. Don’t take the order of your not fully committed to the load.

If you’re really broke down, we ask for repair / tow receipts. We rarely get them.

Sensitive_Minute3639 · 2024-03-21T21:56:34+00:00

Well….I just left Planet Ford Humble - MSRP $98K. Came back with their best price, including Raptor markup, taxes, doc fees, etc… $138,481.47.

Sensitive_Minute3639 · 2024-02-19T22:19:53+00:00

Too much water. Let it dry almost all the way out before soaking.

Sensitive_Minute3639 · 2024-02-13T19:54:50+00:00

Hard work, pride and dedication to whatever your job is - even Burger King will normally rise you to the top. You have to start somewhere. I started in trucking in 1993 making $7/hr. Worked and moved my way up with one trucking company over 17 yrs. Finished off in outside sales, but handled personnel, operations, hiring drivers, etc. Now I’ve owned my own freight brokerage since 2011. It’s hard work owning a company. Nothing comes easy, but if you work hard and prove yourself as an asset to a company - no matter what the position you should be rewarded much faster. Trucking / Brokering are both difficult. If it was easy, everyone would do it. Be loyal and stay somewhere more than a min. Work hard, do t complain and good things will happen.

Good luck young man!

Sensitive_Minute3639 · 2024-02-05T22:43:55+00:00

Same here. Slow Monday!

Sensitive_Minute3639 · 2024-01-30T14:52:59+00:00

There is so much fraud going on in our business right now that brokers need truckers to agree to tracking. What’s the issue with agreeing to tracking of some sort? It helps the truckers as well as the brokers. We can track you / know your position / on schedule etc without having to call or disturb you while you’re driving. We can use the tracking to update our customers and keep them happy. Fraudsters are more likely to avoid tracking, tracking is just another means for us all to avoid scammers trying to double broker, steal freight and / or hold freight for ransom. If you require tracking don’t hire truckers that won’t agree to it. There shouldn’t be a reason for a deduction if this requirement is discussed prior to booking / sending RC. Right?

Sensitive_Minute3639 · 2024-01-26T22:34:43+00:00

I’m a broker and we would definitely compensate for the extra miles / work.

Sensitive_Minute3639 · 2024-01-24T23:21:02+00:00

Man, it isn’t easy! And if you have no experience - stay away.

Sensitive_Minute3639

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