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The way expediters live and work on the road varies as much as the expediters themselves. Diane and I recently spent a week in the western states. I wrote a story about it that illustrates our way. Topics include worries about slow freight, deadhead decisions, attitude management, truck...

In the topic "200k Gross?" RichM and DaveKC both made the point that that net income is more important than gross income. The logic of that is irrefutable. I recently read an article about truck financing. I'm not agreeing or disagreeing with the point made, but am tossing it out here for...

If you are researching the industry and will be attending the Mid America Trucking Show (MATS) for the first time, I offer the following: 1. The show is huge! You cannot see it all in the three days the show goes on. To use the show to maximum advantage, plan your time. 2. If you are coming to...

Some expediters sometimes refer to themselves as paid tourists. Today and tomorrow, Diane and I are "forced tourists." I share this for people researching the industry. If seeing the country is one of your reasons for entering the business, pick a carrier that has a national reach and you will...

My recent "Introduction to Expediting" post prompted a request from Greg334 to make it available as a download in .pdf format. I revised the piece to be carrier neutral and ran it by Lawrence. He read and approved it, and posted the .pdf document at...

Introduction To Expediting by Phil Madsen, Expediter[/b] Expediting, also known as critical-shipment freight transport, is a wonderful business opportunity for people who are up to the challenge. If you possess basic business skills, are able to spend weeks at a time away from home and can live...

Two years ago today, Diane and I hauled our first-ever load as expediters. We walked away from our white-collar professions and entered the industry with no prior trucking experience. Our goals at the time were to increase our income, simplify our lives, spend more time together, share in a...

Partly in response to a recent thread on the topic, and partly because business plans are talked about in only the most general of terms in the EO Open Forum, I'm wondering aloud if experienced drivers and owner/operators and fleet owners would be willing to publish their own business plan...

I just read a Business Week story about "extreme commuters." The link is: http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/05_08/b3921127.htm Wow! It's hard to believe some people live that way. Gives you something to think about when we're jamed up in traffic with folks like these.

I received the following e-mail from an EO reader today. "I am an expediter wannabe. When you and everyone speaks of research, what exactly do you mean? I am currently finding the cost of health and insurance for a cargo/sprinter van, but what else do I need to know? What do I need to...

One of the best places to research expediting is the Mid America Trucking Show in Louisville, KY. This year it's scheduled for March 31 to April 2. It includes a huge expediting section where all the major carriers exhibit, as do most industry vendors. You can see numerous expediting trucks on...

Good Driver/Fleet Owner communications can do much to promote successful business relationships between the two. What questions would fleet owners be wise to ask drivers? And what questions would drivers be wise to ask fleet owners?

A frequent question asked by folks researching the expediting industry is "How do you get your CDL?" I invite licensed expediters - new and old - to to help our expediter wannabee friends by sharing your story here. Ours is below. -------------------------------- My wife and me had no truck...

The financial press is picking up a story about a lifestyle survey of recent retirees Putnam Investments commissioned. It's not pretty. Expediter newbies and wannabees are well-positioned to avoid the regrets many of today's new retirees have. They are making a career change into something...

My wife and I are buying a new truck that we need to equip with ratchet straps, load bars, furniture pads, dollies, etc. The equipment we use now belongs to the fleet owner we drive for and will go with the truck when we turn it in. Where do you go to buy your equipment? Any tips would be...

As we (husband/wife team) prepare to begin as D-unit drivers for a fleet owner, we need to create our business entity for this endeavor. We've read extensively about the various business forms (sole proprietorship, partnership, C corporation, S corporation, limited liability company, limited...

As we prepare to begin as team drivers, we're looking at companies to drive for. The current EO news page profiles Con-Way NOW. We’ve talked to drivers who are happy with Con-Way and I don’t mean to take anything away from them at all. But In an industry where seemingly everyone tells you to be...

What does "White Glove-qualified" mean?