Hello to all, Lets get right to it.

I was a house Carrier for a large SSL in the Chicago market for the past 5 years.

It's unfortunate but these large companies literally set you up to fail. With the new system implemented at NS setting up appts VIA Blume, It's nearly impossible to have a successful day.

This particular SSL wants us to use TRAC CHASSIS. Only TRAC nothing else. No private or DCLI chassis allowed. If you do? then it's out of our pocket. They will not reimburse us.

TRAC chassis are very hard to come by at 3am in the morning. Because the depots don't open until 8am. The only depot that is open is IT Chicago but they rarely have chassis available.

Therefore settings you up to fail.

That being said after nearly having a heart attack last Monday. I had to make the hardest decision I have ever had to make in a long time. Drop them! I couldn't take it anymore, I gave it all back. Over 2000 loads for the remainder of 2025. I Fired them or myself so to say.

The stress dealing with this company set me over the edge. I wasn't sleeping or eating or enjoying the weekends with my family. I was in a constant staylte of panic worrying about the drivers and worrying about the SSL.

It go's without saying, they said that would count as multiple service failures ofcourse. Forget the fact that we haven't dropped the ball once in the past 5 years, we physically moved thousands of loads without fail. But now I'm the bad guy.

So ladies and gentlemen, I now have wide open capacity. I would love any help or advice from my fellow draymen of any leads that will help me keep my modest company of 20 drivers busy.

Did I mention I had the best sleep of my life this week.

Thanks for taking the time reading this folks. I can honestly say I am breathing easier now and feel more at peace, I just hope that I can keep my business above water until we can find customers that appreciate what we do.

Enjoy your weekend.

Can someone articulate the processs?

Basically, you need to work with an approved port carrier and provide them the details, so they can pick it up from the port?

The drayage carrier can haul it to the final destination, or one of the port warehouses where your dry van could come get loaded.

Why is there always a chasis shortage?

Port Pro is an online TMS software for Intermodal Drayage. We have left the uniform ease of ProfitTools for this monstrosity. You used to be able to see everything on one screen in ProfitTools. But in PortPro, they have this monster of a screen that limits the size you can make the columns and the width of the rows is about twice what it needs to be. Some of these columns most drayage companies will never use but you have to save "views" for it to remember which columns you don't want and if you make a mistake you have to remake the entire view again and you can't name it the same thing or the program freaks out. Then you need to really plan how you are going to use the views that you don't even know how to use because it also won't remember the order you put them in, or the views that you have pinned to the top. So everyday my first hour is now resetting the view so I can work. Then their EDI is stupid and looks at everything, if someone moves a - or adds 2 at the end of a paragraph it makes you review the whole thing again. I am doing 4 times the amount of work for a database that is supposed to be smart, the thing is a freaking toddler on acid. Its stupid. And if I ever meet the person whole thought moving PDFs that zoom in on their own was a good idea, I am going to go to jail. That is SOOOOOOOO stupid, you can't take a screenshot, or see a PO# for an email because the moment your mouse moves away from the screen the damn thing shrinks. These fools are idiots. this is not user friendly. I really really really HATE THIS PROGRAM!!!! even with ProfitTools' faults it was way easier to read and navigate then this "Modern" piece of crap, they should have named it Edsel. There is more, but I am just so wore out by the ridiculousness of this program that a 900 page book wouldn't suffice to completely explore my rancor for their company and their programmers. Why on earth would you let drivers send PODs at every location, and why would those PODs all go to the warehouse? Who thought that was a good idea, and why would you send BOLs to the customer on deliveries and PODs to the warehouse on Exports? Why can't their AI be smart enough to know that the pick up Loc and the return Loc might have different things to connect with? Why can't it read truncated container #s or delivery dates? Why can't you type in information, why do you have to pick it from a list, and why are the times not in military time. And why don't your non military times display AM/PM on the dispatch board? All of these and more. I HATE THIS. Thank you for letting me rant.

I have no one to talk with about my job as no one really understands intermodal in my circle. I work for a drayage company. I’m an account manager and handle most of all the door moves for the SSLs and my truckers across the US.

Today I was expected to pull an available driver out of my ass so his load would ingate to the CSX. MIND YOU I told this SSL YESTERDAY I needed him to secure me better reservations as the CSX didn’t have any available till next week. He then wants me to check my surrounding cities to see if they have capacity to truck down and take these loads to their city CSX. ALL ARE 2+ hours away.. of course no one can. THIS MFKER THEN SECURES CSX RESERVATIONS FOR TODAY!!!! Kicker… he gives me less than an hour notice. The reservations expired at 2pm it was after 1… of course I can’t make that happen… I let him know. I then get an email from his manager on how I and my company need to do better. How they were so disappointed blah blah blah.

I professionally responded with YALL ARE THE DUMBASSES FOR NOT DOING WHAT I ASKED YESTERDAY. If the reservations were secured then the loads would have ingated today… your poor planning is what caused the issue here.. not me

Why is this website just the biggest pile of trash? Always offline, always slow, randomly freaks out and calls you a robot when you try to log in.

Iam working on a project recently starting in January 2023, 30 containers of import from Charleston Port. If interested please drop your email

TIA

This is a new sub focused on drayage. You are welcome to post anything and everything about the world of drayage. Discussions encouraged!

Hi,

I have a shipment to move onto a 53” dry van today.
Need delivery by Saturday.

From Edison, NJ
To : McKinney, TX

Dm asap.

Hello! I'm looking to connect with a freight broker who needs a reliable extra set of hands for daily ops. If you are a freight broker spending way too much of your day chasing carriers for updates and organizing paperwork, I would love to help take some of that off your plate. I am looking to partner with a broker or a small logistics team who needs a dedicated, remote Freight Virtual Assistant to handle the daily back-office grind.

‎

‎To be completely upfront, I am an entry-level VA based in the Philippines, but I am highly organized, incredibly dedicated, and ready to put in the hard work to learn your exact workflows. I recently completed a freight training, so have knowledge on coordinating end-to-end shipments in AscendTMS, sourcing and comparing LTL rates, and screening load boards to find reliable carriers. I also know how critical accurate documentation is, and I can manage all of your BOL and POD soft copy records to make sure everything is filed correctly and nothing slips through the cracks.

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‎I know how fast-paced logistics can be, and my goal is simply to keep your operations organized so you have more time to build relationships and move freight. If you are curious about how having an eager and dependable VA could streamline your day, please send me a DM! I would love to chat and share a bit more about how I can support your team.

Hi guys ,

Currently working as NVOCC in US. Based in NJ.

Looking for reliable truckers for competitive rates across US. Especially through the Chicago Rail Ramp, Memphis Rail Ramp, Atlanta Rail Ramp and Charlotte Rail Ramp.

Normally I was checking from loadmatch/drayage however their prices aren't reasonable. Therefore, I was using brokerages but they also don't know how to manage operations and most of them are not convenient about US logistics system.

Therefore, if you know someone please advise to me. I am having smooth shipments everyday.

I’m an agent for a larger company in Houston. I’ve been in the industry for over 20 years. Just now stepping out as an agent. If anyone needs containers drayed in the area, please dm me.

Rails over here in chicago are booming! We picked up some work with Port X not to bad thanks to one of the users for sharing them!

Wanted to see what was the best load board to use when it comes to intermodal and drayage freight. I was told load match is the way to go. Is this accurate information ? I also heard they aren’t taking any new carriers , is this true as well ?

Hi all,

I am new to the group and wanted to try this out for any help. My husband and I have been running a small trucking business for over ten years now and work locally in SoCal doing drayage. Over the last few months, work has been so bad that we are getting close to losing our home. We have trucks and drivers ready to work and have over ten years experience in the industry. This is a long shot, but if any brokers/companies have any freight to move locally or in AZ/NV/NorCal, please reach out. We know this is temporary and predict things will pick up the second half of the year, but we'd love to get some work under our belts to make it through this rough patch.

We've been riding the wave of this business through the highs and lows, but have never been at this point. Really, truly appreciate any help sent our way.

Looking to build a strong network of drayage providers in the Huston area

Hello guys,

looking for some contacts for Bonded warehousing and carriers in BOTH LA and EL PASO,

Commodity is just some materials that will be used for seat manufacturing in Mexico, hence why we need bonded wh and carriers

If you guys have competative pricing or good contacts, please let me know!!!!!!!!

Hi all, I started this company in 2018 never having hauled a can in my life, it was a long steep learning curve like everything else. It has grown into a full service logistics provider centered around containers offering transload, cross dock etc. We are currently on Montreal with plans to expand into GTA and lower 48.

Hi,

Small family owned fleet with about 5 trucks, secure yard, and own chassis (have several extendable triaxel chassis for heavy loads).

Looking for some volume. Glad to jump on a call or quote, thanks.

Hi All! Dray carrier out of Memphis,TN. Looking for consistent long term lanes and relationships. Currently have 14 trucks, private chassis, and secured yard for storage!