Complaint Review: Total Quality Logistics - Cincinnati Ohio

STAY AWAY FORM TQL 

Well after several heated conversations with the inept at TQL, they said they could help but now refuse to due to the fact I made them "Jump through hoops" to get the load cross docked. As per the FMCSA any carrier who allows another carrier to transport their trailer MUST have a trailer interchange agreement on file. This was the loop hole I was supposedly holding the load hostage for and TQL broker insisted that they had an interchange agreement on file with TQL. That is only good if it is a TQL owned trailer which as far as I know they do not own any equipment. I contacted my attorney and to my enlightenment their is too much more to risk losing by sueing TQL due to their contract. I have since been further updated that he does not recommend anyone to sign their contract due to their stipulations and when you as the carrier agree to them you forgo your rights under the FMCSA to go after any recourse other than TQL. Then you are limited to arbitration in Ohio at your expense until you win. If you lose you have no further recourse, in other words because of their contract you give up your right to appeal to a higher court. There are two other brokers who have these same clause and we will refer to them as the big 3. I have ceased all operations and filed thenecessary paperwork with TQL to end our contract. I have notified the other 2 broker agencies that they have been placed on our do not haul list until they amend their contract with our company to extinguish the clause eliminating our areas of recourse given to us by the FMCSA.

We respectfully disagree about this situation.

This carrier did breakdown on a coast-to-coast load that we contracted with them to haul.  After having a mechanical breakdown, the dispatcher refused to allow us to cross-dock the customers product onto a working tractor/trailer without a new rate confirmation demanding to be paid for a portion of the incomplete shipment.  During the entire load, the customer owns the product, not the carrier. As an intermediary, we are required to move it from Pt. A to Pt. B.  The contracted carrier is required to take responsibility for moving such load, and also is required to cover charges incurred if  their equipment cannot complete the shipment.  These requirements are stated in our signed Carrier Contract and on the Rate Confirmation for this individual load.  Additionally this is refrigerated product, which has an expiration date, putting even more emphasis on the urgency of delivery.  The truck hadnt moved for over 24 hours with no ETA of being fixed, further putting the customers perishable product in jeopardy.  By finding a new carrier that can complete the delivery, we reduce both the original trucking company and our exposure to a full load value potential claim.
 
We also received an email 1 day later stating the truck was finally fixed and had found another load, which contradicts the statement of the truck being repaired before the cross-dock was completed. 

We have tried to explain this situation to the carrier several times.  It is an unfortunate situation, but we are required by our customer to get the product to the receiver on time, and if a breakdown occurs (especially without an ETA of being fixed), we have no other option than to find another carrier that can complete the shipment.