Is it normal to feel guilty when you cut ties with employee/agent? I feel like I should have done more to help but at the end of the day, the whole reason I went the agent route was because I'm not a good manager.

We have been getting hit hard with double brokering but, with the help of loading and receiving warehouses, we have been able to stop it. Thought we had all strategic processes in place until last week. Before Carrier A was loaded, we confirmed MC/DOT on the truck matched up. Sometime after pickup, our cargo was offloaded and loaded on to Carrier B who in turn delivered our freight. Although Carrier A's factoring company sent us an invoice, they advised we legally do not have to pay them as dispatch never submitted the load to them. Carrier A expressed frustration that I reached out to their factoring company. To find out, he had no intention of submitting this load to them and only did so after the Factoring Co called to find out what was going on. Carrier A & Carrier B have separate DOT/MC #'s, addresses, etc. Although separate, Carrier A is trying to justify his actions in passing on our load saying both carriers are owned by the same person. I did obtain the carrier packet from Carrier B and sure enough the W9 is signed by the same person who signed Carrier B's W9. If owner in fact owns both entities, this still does not provide a loophole to double broker and do not want to get caught in games when it comes to payment as both physically had a part in the load. Carrier B has yet to reach out requesting payment. Has anyone run into this type of scenario and if so, how did you handle resolution?

I have been in freight sales for 30 plus years. I have been selling OTR truckload services for 17 years. Most shippers have annual pricing events. Most of the time we are told , pricing too high, not competitive. I always like to know where we rank as compared to whom. I am an irregular route one-way OTR provider. I liked to ranked and measured against the same. I think many times we are measured against brokers, dedicated or private fleets. I will never be competitive with those folks. Make It a Great day

Hey ya'll, Looking for a mentor with experience scaling past $5 million in revenue. Every time I get to this revenue level, I stall. Obtaining drivers, and equipment doesn't seem to be the bottleneck, as we have a hybrid asset, owner opp, broker model. It's more so on the customer acquisition side and human capital. If you have graduated past this level, please reach out. Let's chat!

1. Restructuring Reshapes Shipping In 2025, the global shipping industry faces unprecedented restructuring, driven by aggressive fleet expansions, market consolidation, and evolving alliances. This reshaping of the competitive landscape challenges smaller carriers while opening opportunities for strategic partnerships and innovation. Key Drivers of Transformation - Major carriers consolidating their dominance through alliances and acquisitions. - Smaller players struggling to remain competitive due to rising costs and limited capacity. - Strategic alliances redefining service offerings and trade dynamics. For shippers, forwarders, and logistics service providers (LSPs), staying competitive requires adapting to these industry shifts. 2. Market Consolidation Gains Momentum Major Players Dominate: - OCEAN Alliance (COSCO, CMA CGM, Evergreen) controls 28.9% of global capacity and continues to expand its influence, particularly in Asia-Europe trade. - MSC, the world’s largest carrier, is aggressively pursuing fleet expansion to secure a 20% global market share, reshaping competition with its independent strategy. Mergers and Acquisitions: - M&A activity is accelerating as carriers aim to scale operations and improve profitability, leaving fewer options for smaller players. Impact on Stakeholders: - Fewer Carrier Options: Shippers face reduced competition and growing reliance on dominant alliances like OCEAN and MSC. - Freight Rate Volatility: Market consolidation allows major players to exert greater control over capacity, amplifying rate fluctuations. 3. Strategic Alliances Redefine the Competitive Landscape MSC’s Independent Approach: - MSC’s decision to operate outside traditional alliances challenges the status quo and intensifies competition. Regional Alliances: - Smaller carriers increasingly turn to niche partnerships and regional alliances to sustain operations. Impact on Stakeholders: - Service Differentiation: Alliances are investing in premium offerings like expedited shipping and enhanced reliability. - Regional Specialization: Smaller carriers focus on specific trade lanes or cargo types to remain viable.