Save your Lane History

Do you Save your Lane History?

As a Carrier booking loads with Brokers and Carrier Sales Reps, you need to be keeping a Historical Log Book notating the details of the loads you're moving. You need to build an excel sheet or, at a minimum, you need to notate the load details in a notebook. You need to be building relationships with Brokers and Carrier Sales Reps and you should be trying to figure out how to get consistent loads from those contacts, and the best way to nurture & grow those relationships is to stay connected with them. After every load you move, you need to write down: 

A.) Who gave you the load;

B.) Contact name, phone number, email address;

C.) The date you moved the load;

D.) What you were paid;

E.) The pickup and delivery locations (City/State). 

This is how the Brokers play the Freight Game. They call it "Lane History" and you need to be doing the exact same thing so you can stand toe to toe with them and get paid the best rates. 

I have personally booked loads with Carriers week after week and sold them the exact same load at different prices every time. WHY? It wasn't because the demand or price for the shipping lane changed, or because fuel prices changed. I was able to sell the exact same loads at different prices because the Carrier wasn't keeping good records from the last time I paid them to run the load. So, if you're not writing down what you were paid 2 weeks ago for a load you ran and someone asks you today to run the same load again and you don't remember what you got paid last time... Well, the Broker is going to capitalize on that.

I have a tool to help you get started with your "Lane History." Check out and watch my video here: (vimeo.com/648806928). This is my excel sheet that you can use as a template to help you create your own Historical Log Book notating the details of the loads you're moving. Again, your focus is to build relationships with Brokers and Carrier Sales Reps. This way, when their customer gives them a load you are the first person they think of and they will call you first. You want them to call you first to offer you the load before they post it on DAT. Again, they will give you first dibs on the load because of your relationship with them, and if you can't take it at least they thought of you and offered you the opportunity. Then they will post it on the load board after consulting you. This is what you have to do if you if you want be memorable and have the Brokers with the best loads call you before they offer said loads to anyone else. You want to get consistent freight.