Backloads

[Darren Petherick]

Hi all - i have just started running a small van from devon up to bootle four night a week and am wondering what is the best way to find backloads? Do i ring around all the local couriers each night or is it easier to find work on a courierexchange style website and if so which would you all recommend as i have never used one before? Many thanks, Darren

[bramble43]

Phoning round every night could become a real nightmare, might be best to call or better call into couriers in the areas and tell them what you are doing, leave a card and just call once a month after that as a reminder

Could have a look at www.shed5.co.uk or www.courierworld.co.uk

There is also courierexchange among others, seems a bit expensive but if it brings in some regular loads it's worth it,

[Anonymous]

i also wanted to join courier exchange and the lady told me £350 per year upfront.It's far too expensive.
Anyone here had experience with them?Is it worth joining for £350 a year?

[Stuart Farrington]

Have a look at Shed 5, it's an inexpensive option and is run by Mike who runs this forum.

Somebody who I sub for sends his job details and purchase orders to me by email & SMS via CX. When he first did this I started to receive calls from them trying to sign me up. In the end I e-mailed them and asked them to take me off their marketing list which did the trick, there was no way I'd join them as they are far to expensive IMO.

[steve jones]

What time do you leave Devon,Darren.
Im not a great believer of paying these internet Exchange's a large upfront sum of money in the hope they might give me work,i would rather they just take a percentage from the job when it happen's,anyway you can network yourself for much greater reward's.
I would focus on what drivers are coming down south from up that way.

[Darren Petherick]

Thanks for the replies guys, I too think courier exchange looks rather expensive and would like to find a good way of networking with other ODs out there.. Have had a look at the forum list of freight exchanges and will see if i can come up with something from there.. Steve - i leave Devon at 9Pm and clear in bootle at about 1am. Many thanks for your replies all!

[Elite Carriers]

Hi Darren, the timings you state will make it very difficult to accommodate any kind of decent paying load either way without staying out overnight. Your home location isn't ideal either - i rarely travel (for work) SW of the imaginary Bristol - Bournemouth line.

That said, there are a few reputable companies down your way and i know of some ODs who have/are successfully worked/ing out of Cornwall. It sounds like a sweet night run you've picked up there, a regular backload would be the 'unlikely but not impossible' cherry!

CX is always recommended for people who have the regular outbound work. Is this an ongoing contract for a few months or longer? If so, i'd think now would be the ideal time to join CX. You can promote your regular run (not on the chat pages) and ring round the locals at both ends. £350 (btw i used to pay £272.55 for 6 months) is a lot of money but if you obtain just one monthly return you could easily be in profit after a year.

By all means look at the free sites and join the cheaper ones, but bear in mind it is that price for a reason. Had i had a regular load of some distance (like yours) i wouldn't have left!

[Mike George]

[steve jones]

Yer i would target the drivers with pre books coming down your way for the next morning.