the online shipping marketplace

I am in the same boat. I have 30 positive feedbacks and zero negative feedbacks but because I place 2 or 3 bids to fill a load and when one accepts I cancel the others uship has lowered my feedback rating. I would not have to bid on 2 or 3 shipments if these people did not want their 20k Harley-Davidson shipped 500 miles for $75.00. I have not used uship for about 5 months and fuel has gone up almost $2.00 a gal and if all transporters would come together and not cut each other this would not happen and uship would make more money. No one should move a car or truck for less than $1.25 per mile and a motorcycle for less than $.90 per mile. If you can get more that is great for all. It is now a waste of time to bid on anything on uship if you are a real transport company. I can make a big pile on my trailer and tie it down and delivery it in any kind of conditions whenever I get around to it if I feel like delivery at all for dirt cheap.

I just think there should be some rules for the transporters. Uship has many rules for the shipper. A good company is fare all the time and will last a long time.

Not to start an argument, but I have a slightly different perspective on the Cancellation Policy and how it impacts and has impacted both the TSPs and Shippers. 

First of all, I think the previous poster probably intended to state that he had cancelled matches, not bids because canceling bids doesn't impact feedback scores.  Canceling matches does because once there is a match you have a contract with the shipper and an obligation to provide the service as agreed.  Obviously there can be extenuating circumstances, emergencies, and unanticipated situations that are valid and justifiable reasons to cancel a match.  However in my opinion, not being able to fill out a load completely is not one of those reasons that justifies canceling a match. 

The "excessive cancellations" policy appears to me to be an improvement since it makes TSPs who bid and then cancel excessively, suffer some consequences in the form of reduced feedback.  I wouldn't say it is always fair all the time, but I believe it is an improvement over the previous process before this policy was implemented.  In the past, too many TSPs would bid on too many items at once and if they didn't get a full load they would simply cancel the match with the no consequences.  Some others would bid successfully and then find a more lucrative shipment and just cancel the first one.  That often left the shipper holding the bag, frequently until it was too late.  That certainly wasn't fair to the shippers.  Allowing rampant bidding and unlimited cancellations wasn't fair to the other TSPs either since it effectively removed the shipment from the market place precluding other TSPs from bidding.

My intention is not to start a debate, just state my two cents worth .........and that is you should be sure you can and will commit before you bid……if you win the bidding, complete your commitment…… even if you lose money. 

On the other side of the coin, shame on those shippers that think nothing of having the TSP run miles out of there way to pick up their shipment only to find it isn’t ready or maybe even cancel it completely.  By the same token, shame on uShip for not implementing a similar program that would punish the shippers who fail to complete their end of the deal.  I’d suggest at a minimum that the shipper not receive a refund and the TSP should receive the deposit the shipper has paid.  Of course that would require uShip to expend resources to arbitrate and we all know they're not going to do that.  It would diminish uShip's bottom line profits and that just isn't going to happen.  Customer service and a fairness doctrine aren't contained anywhere in the User's Agreement....and apparently not in uShip's active vocabulary either.

And one additional thought on another sore subject for me and many other TSPs…..deposits....both those uShip collects and those paid directly to the TSP. For the most part, the shipper doesn't really understand that the deposit uShip collects isn't a deposit that provides some guarantee or assurance that the TSP will complete the contract.  I don't have a suggestion as to how uShip could resolve that problem, but better educating of the shipper would be a step in the right direction.  But I guess if you can't get most shippers and some TSPs to read the User's Agreement....it is probably an impossible task.  On the other deposit issue, those paid directly to the TSP......although I rarely required a deposit in the past…. and I have been critical of some that did, I’ve recently changed my opinion and position on that too after seeing so many shippers screw over the TSPs and do so with impunity.  If I was transporting for hire presently, you can bet that I’d now require 1/3 of the total as a non-refundable deposit payable immediately after the bid was accepted.  The remainder would be due at delivery.  I’d make exceptions for past customers and repeat clients that had demonstrated their word was good.  In other words, shipper, if you cancel for no good reason, it’ll cost you $$$$..... 

Good luck to all and happy bidding...........I've had my say and the thread is now all yours for your input....I'm out of here.

Don