goWholesale

I haven't used them, but I am familiar with how they operate. They are what is called freight consolidators. They deal mainly with independent truckers who sit around truckstops waiting to find a "load" on a "board" they have listing loads around the country. The board is actually a TV monitor.

Anyhow, if you are in bo hurry, it is the least expensive way to ship, but it may not be the fastest. What happens is they get enough people like you with shipments from the same starting point with delivery points either in the same general area, or along a loose path. They then find a trucker who is willing to make that run. Let's use an example -

There is a trucker who just dropped a load in Charleston, SC who wants to get home to mama in NJ. But, he doesn't want to drive home empty or "deadhead". So, he sits around the truckstop until he sees this load offered.

Pickup some in Charleston, some in Greenville and then a drop off in Charlotte, NC, another delivery in Roanoke, VA and a third in Baltimore. Not exactly a straight shot, but it's heading home, and there is a paycheck involved. So he goes for it.

But, you called SBT 2 weeks ago and it took them that long to find the other 2 loads to fill the truck and make it worth the trucker's time. So, that method can save you money, but it may not meet any deadlines.

If you need to put it on a truck in SC Monday and have it delivered in VA on Tuesday or Wednesday, don't use a consolidator. Unless they can guarantee you delivery.

Better to use an LTL common carrier. I'm assuming you have less than a full truckload. If you do have a full truckload, a consolidator is fine, they can find someone right away. But, if you have Less than a Truck Load, you need an LTL carrier. Estes, Ovenight, Old Dominion, Southeastern, ABF, Watkins, R&L and others are names that come to mind. If you need a lift-gate to load heavy items from a floor, not a loading dock, be sure to ask if they have that capability. Some don't, so do not assume they do.

Other than that, they are all reliable and I'd go with the best price. You are dealing with known firms who specialize in what they do, have employees who are throughly screened and meet all regulations. With a consolidator, you nor the consolidater know who will end up with the load, what they shot up with or drank last night, what condition their truck is in, etc. Not saying all independent truckers are that way. Most aren't. But, you just don't know. And you don;t want you freight sitting on the side of the road because the guy broke down. Fleet vehicles are usually well maintained.