I work at a logistics company and my job is to find drivers to take freight from A to B. I work with the same trucking companies a lot, but sometimes I get one-off drivers. This is one of those.
A truck driver calls me asking about a load for the next morning coming out of Laredo TX going to Portland OR.
Me: We can pay $3,500 on it
Me: Sorry, customer is strict about the rate on this one. Has to be 35.
TD: Oh man, I need this. I need to get home to see my son and my wife is sick.
Me: Then we need 35 on it. Customer will not go higher.
The guy ends up taking it. If you think I’m being too hard on him, keep in mind there really isn’t a whole lot heading from TX>OR at any given time, so I could try to get him his rate but I’d risk losing the load to another driver. If he really needs to get back, why does he want to go back and forth negotiating on price and risk it?
The answer is because he’s full of shit.
The next morning I get a call from the customer saying that the facility that’s receiving the freight has been changed. It’s still going to be in Portland, just in a different place. Something like a 20-30 mile difference, tops. Should be a complete non-issue, considering the driver has just started a 2,200 mile journey, so it’s a drop in the bucket.
Me: Hey, just a heads up, receiver called to say that it’s going to deliver at a different address. It’s XXXX, Portland, OR
TD: Oh well, you can send me rate confirmation with little bit more money.
TD: Agreement has changed, need to renegotiate.
Me: … seriously? It’s like a 20-30 miles difference from the original one.
TD: 20-30 miles is kind of long way to go.
Me: (humoring him) Okay what do you think you need for the new rate?
TD: Ehhh, $4,000 should do it.
OOOOOH REALLY? THE ORIGINAL RATE YOU WANTED HUH? WOW WHAT A COINCIDENCE.
I put the driver on hold just to spite him for trying to handle me like that, and I start working on something else. Out of curiosity, I check the address for the original delivery facility compared to the new one. Turns out the new receiver is actually 25 miles closer to the shipper in Laredo. New travel distance is 2,175 miles. I pick his line back up.
Me: Hey we will change up the rate after all.
TD: (very excited) Okay, send to me the confirmation.
Me: Okay, we ran the miles and the new receiver is actually 25 miles closer to Laredo, so we’re going to need to reduce the rate to $3,000.
TD: Wha… what are you talking about??
Me: Well, we’re cutting 25 miles off the trip and it’s kind of a lot of miles to cut. It’s only fair, right?
TD: Ahhh, ah hah hah hah… ahhhh so, ah that's… yeah, so $3,500 still good?
Me: Of course it’s still good. I’m not going to change the rate by $500 because of a 25 miles difference. I’m not an asshole.
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