This was posted a couple of times over the last couple of years to answer the constant question that comes up about expediting. That question is, can I make a living at expediting etc.etc?, from novices and wannabes. The only thing I can see that has changed from the time I originally posted this is, fuel prices have gone up, and fuel surcharges have been instituted...sort of, and of course, companies and drivers have come and gone. All the info here is what I feel is honestly representative of my experience in expediting. I repost it, to answer the recent crop of newbies I see, asking those same questions. I hope it helps some of you. I think trucking is a good career, and I personally like doing it. All the things I write about here, were learned somewhere.
We´ll begin with The Game Plan.
By now you´ve sat around and fantisized about going expediting, but you´re not sure. Step one, get on the internet, (this site is a good source) and start collecting company literature. Read everything. Step two, go to a truck stop (big one),get more literature, and talk to drivers from the companies you read about, and ask them the questions that you want to know. Step three, call the recruiters, and ask them the same specific questions that you asked the drivers. This process should give you an "idea", of what this business can offer you. You will never get a true picture, because there is none.You will hear good and bad about every aspect of trucking, and every company, from everybody you talk to, because that´s the way it is. There is good and bad in every segment, and every company. Step four, decide on a company, a unit size you want to run, and jump in.
To be sucessful, be willing to work. Trucking is a LIFESTYLE, as well as a career. I´m speaking from 19 years of experience when I say this. For the most part, failures in trucking happen to those that don´t know how to manage time and money, bottom line. I´ve seen it over and over. The driver that wants to be home every weekend, the driver that turns down load after load (we all turn down loads from time to time for various reasons). The truckstop cowboy who spends $50 a day on video machines etc. There are many ways to mismanage, and these are just a few.
Be realistic. Very important! If you´re a single driver you can expect to make on average (52 weeks) about $1000-$1200 per week as an owner operator in a D unit. Less revenue, in B and C units, because the mileage rate is lower. If you run team, you should make $2000-$2200 in a D unit, and less repectively in B and C units. Both of these figures should be take home pay if you´re out there and available, most of the time, including weekends. When´expediting is REALLY busy, (August to December) you will have weeks doubling these figures and more. And you may get some banner weeks by chance during the year, by being in the right place at the right time. But , you will AVERAGE what i´m talking about. If you´re consistently doing better than that running under someone elses authority, you have found it! It won´t get any better than that. Stay there. You know more than most of us.
The economics of it all is that every company charges the same to move frieght. One company may pay a high dollar figure per loaded mile,while another pays your base plates, tolls etc. and a lower loaded mile figure. There are many formulas. But by the time you figure in the deadhead, the overhead costs etc, the bottom line is this! All COMPANIES PAY VIRTUALLY THE SAME TO THE TRUCK, BECAUSE THAT IS THE FIGURE IT TAKES TO MOVE FRIEGHT, PERIOD.
To sum up, the more miles you run the more money you make, the more time you spend at home or doing whatever, the less you make. Very pragmatic. Make up your mind that you´re going to make money, be available and manage. Keep your payments as low as possible when starting out, keep your expenses down, until you see as an owner operator where you are over a 6 month period. Do your preventative maintenance on your equipment,and do your regular walkaround inspections, whether you drive for someone, or it´s your truck. When the truck goes into the garage, the only guy that makes money is the the guy that owns the place where it´s being fixed. Also heed the advice of others, and drive for someone, before you invest, to see if it´s for you, first, if your not convinced this is what you want to do. Good luck.
We´ll begin with The Game Plan.
By now you´ve sat around and fantisized about going expediting, but you´re not sure. Step one, get on the internet, (this site is a good source) and start collecting company literature. Read everything. Step two, go to a truck stop (big one),get more literature, and talk to drivers from the companies you read about, and ask them the questions that you want to know. Step three, call the recruiters, and ask them the same specific questions that you asked the drivers. This process should give you an "idea", of what this business can offer you. You will never get a true picture, because there is none.You will hear good and bad about every aspect of trucking, and every company, from everybody you talk to, because that´s the way it is. There is good and bad in every segment, and every company. Step four, decide on a company, a unit size you want to run, and jump in.
To be sucessful, be willing to work. Trucking is a LIFESTYLE, as well as a career. I´m speaking from 19 years of experience when I say this. For the most part, failures in trucking happen to those that don´t know how to manage time and money, bottom line. I´ve seen it over and over. The driver that wants to be home every weekend, the driver that turns down load after load (we all turn down loads from time to time for various reasons). The truckstop cowboy who spends $50 a day on video machines etc. There are many ways to mismanage, and these are just a few.
Be realistic. Very important! If you´re a single driver you can expect to make on average (52 weeks) about $1000-$1200 per week as an owner operator in a D unit. Less revenue, in B and C units, because the mileage rate is lower. If you run team, you should make $2000-$2200 in a D unit, and less repectively in B and C units. Both of these figures should be take home pay if you´re out there and available, most of the time, including weekends. When´expediting is REALLY busy, (August to December) you will have weeks doubling these figures and more. And you may get some banner weeks by chance during the year, by being in the right place at the right time. But , you will AVERAGE what i´m talking about. If you´re consistently doing better than that running under someone elses authority, you have found it! It won´t get any better than that. Stay there. You know more than most of us.
The economics of it all is that every company charges the same to move frieght. One company may pay a high dollar figure per loaded mile,while another pays your base plates, tolls etc. and a lower loaded mile figure. There are many formulas. But by the time you figure in the deadhead, the overhead costs etc, the bottom line is this! All COMPANIES PAY VIRTUALLY THE SAME TO THE TRUCK, BECAUSE THAT IS THE FIGURE IT TAKES TO MOVE FRIEGHT, PERIOD.
To sum up, the more miles you run the more money you make, the more time you spend at home or doing whatever, the less you make. Very pragmatic. Make up your mind that you´re going to make money, be available and manage. Keep your payments as low as possible when starting out, keep your expenses down, until you see as an owner operator where you are over a 6 month period. Do your preventative maintenance on your equipment,and do your regular walkaround inspections, whether you drive for someone, or it´s your truck. When the truck goes into the garage, the only guy that makes money is the the guy that owns the place where it´s being fixed. Also heed the advice of others, and drive for someone, before you invest, to see if it´s for you, first, if your not convinced this is what you want to do. Good luck.
