This is the first in our new “Expert Spotlight” series, where you’ll hear directly from a FreightCenter shipping expert.
While some freight brokers view the current lack of Truckload capacity as a reason to complain about industry conditions and even to take advantage of independent truck operators, FreightCenter has taken a different approach by appointing 25-year freight shipping veteran Jamie Smith to the company’s new position of Director of Logistics.
Jamie’s experience has seen him serve logistics companies of all sizes, including mega-companies like CH Robinson and TransPlace (for which he ran their brokerage). He’s also worked in the trenches for smaller brokerages, including his own Orlando-based firm. Jamie is a true logistics expert.
While building a successful career, it became clear to Jamie that his best skill set was managing and leading people, and that’s exactly what he is doing at FreightCenter.
In his new role, Jamie has taken on a sizable portfolio that will give him the opportunity to recruit top talent and build winning teams in a variety of areas.
- Inside Truckload Sales that originate from freightcenter.com
- Outside Truckload Sales that reach out to businesses with regularly scheduled truckload shipments
- Operations Recruitment that attract the most efficient, effective and trustworthy carrier operators
- Strategic Partnerships with association members
- Business Development
It also gives him the opportunity to take on the Truckload capacity issue head-on.
The Dirty Underbelly of the Truckload Capacity Shortage
As has been covered in the shipping press and on our blog, the mandated use of Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs) has reduced the number of hours that truckers can work, thereby increasing the time it takes to get a shipment from pickup to delivery. For some hauls, that time has been stretched by days. As a result, there are simply not enough trucks or drivers to go around.
Ironically, this makes truckers an easy target for unscrupulous freight brokers that over-promise and under-deliver. A trucker might commit to picking up a load for a large broker only to find out that the shipment hasn’t actually been booked.
The broker just wanted to make sure they had a truck available just in case they did book a shipment. Now, the trucker is searching for a load, when there likely was one available if the trucker hadn’t committed to taking the ghost shipment.
In other cases, truckers have been underpaid or paid late.
Jamie is proving to truckers and shippers that FreightCenter doesn’t roll that way.
Setting and Following Higher Standards Based on Honesty and Trust
Jamie is setting FreightCenter’s Truckload Division apart from others by instituting standards based on honesty and trust. As Jamie sees it, “Living up to these standards ensures that customers and carriers will always be treated fairly.”
- When we say we have a load for you, we have a load for you
- We do what we say we are going to do
- For every shipment we do our due diligence to make sure all parties to a shipment are informed and aware
- Carriers get paid fairly and promptly
Historically, reliable truckers have demonstrated that they will stick with brokers they trust who will step up. Those are the brokers that:
- Don’t lie
- Don’t underpay
- Don’t pay late
- Don’t nickel and dime
Operators and Shippers Have A Friend in the Business in Jamie Smith
For more than 25 years, Jamie Smith has been building relationships on honesty and integrity with operators and shippers alike. His forthright approach won’t make the Truckload shortage go away, but it will ensure that FreightCenter customers always get a straight deal.
Ready to book a Full Truckload shipment? Get an instant truckload quote or call FreightCenter at 800-716-7608.
Look for a new piece each month where we’ll share the knowledge of a FreightCenter expert.
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