A veteran rookie!

EYDJ14

Rookie Expediter
This is my inaugural post so I'm a bit nervous...ha!

My name is Eddie & I'm reaching my 20 years of service with FedEx Express next week. I recently received my 17th year safe driving award. I currently am running a straight truck route with Class B & Hazmat.
I have been thinking a lot lately about retiring soon & have been browsing the Expeditor boards. My interest is in purchasing my own Sprinter or Straight Truck & running solo. Not interested in team driving because occasionally I'd like the wifey with me. From what I've been reading, the market is pretty heavily saturated though. Being with FedEx for so long my initial thought was to get on with FEDEX CC & live happily after, but after scouring the Internet I'm realizing that there are so many more opportunities available.

I can drive a ST or a Sprinter in my sleep(insert jokes here), but have never had to deal with the responsibilities of being an O/O so here are a few random, and I'm sure probably comical, for you veterans of the business:

Can a solo straight truck or Sprinter o/o make it out there & not starve?
Can it work by staying with one carrier?
Would getting a refrigerated ST or Sprinter be advantageous or not worth the $$$
Will my tenure & safe driving experience with FedEx Express give me a better resume & bargaining chip even though I have zero o/o experience?
Should I just stay where I'm at and delete this entire post?

Thanks for reading & feel free to fire away!
 

jjoerger

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
US Army
Why do you want to do this?
How much do you make a year doing what you do now?
Do you get any benefits?
Do you want to sleep in your own bed at night?
Can you be on the road for weeks at a time?
Do you have a good nest egg for slow times or breakdowns?

I talked with a ground driver doing a local route. After we compared notes he decided he was better off staying with ground.
 

EYDJ14

Rookie Expediter
Eh...After 20 years, my pension is set. I thought about driving a school bus or even a charter bus too. I'm ready for a change! I'm still young enough to have another career. I'm in my early 50s!
 
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