Apply Now!

Anyone go from van to straight truck? looking for advice.

D

dc843

Expert Expediter
Researching
I had about 4 months exp in a TT when i decided i didnt like it. it was definitely due to the sheer size of what i was driving. So i got into van expediting. Did that for about a year with breaks in between.

Now ive decided to give straight trucks a try, driving for an owner of course.

Looking for the pros and cons from a fleet drivers perspective from anyone who has been in both? I will have an expierenced team driver to show me the ropes. We have a liftgate and both have hazmat so we should be able to stay relatively busy. I will have absolutely no expenses to pay myself.
 
RoadTime

RoadTime

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
Not sure what kind of advice you are looking for. Sounds like it's already a done deal. You will find out pretty quick

Other then the obvious things: Hopefully better living conditions, tolerating a co-driver, and being able to sleep in a moving vehical. Not sure where to focus my reply.

Sent from my P00I using EO Forums mobile app
 
D

dc843

Expert Expediter
Researching
RoadTime said:
Not sure what kind of advice you are looking for. Sounds like it's already a done deal. You will find out pretty quick

Other then the obvious things: Hopefully better living conditions, tolerating a co-driver, and being able to sleep in a moving vehical. Not sure where to focus my reply.

Sent from my P00I using EO Forums mobile app
Click to expand...
yeah i kinda do know most of it already, i dont really know exactly what im looking for. how they handle differently, if its way harder to manuever in traffic in a straight, special things to be aware and looking out for (besides the obvious) that wouldnt be a concern in a van. etc. i dont really know.
 
  • Like
Reactions: RoadTime
C

coalminer

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
I started in a van and moved up to a straight truck because I didnt want to drive 1000 mile loads direct. Most people complain about the HOS requirements, but I liked that I didnt have to drive more than 11 hours a day.

One warning about straight trucks, you will get inspected at weigh stations, frequently. The officers have a quota they have to fill and straight trucks are way easier to inspect than a full 18 wheeler.
 
  • Like
Reactions: RedBird
RoadTime

RoadTime

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
dc843 said:
yeah i kinda do know most of it already, i dont really know exactly what im looking for. how they handle differently, if its way harder to manuever in traffic in a straight, special things to be aware and looking out for (besides the obvious) that wouldnt be a concern in a van. etc. i dont really know.
Click to expand...
Well then I'll just give me 2 cents from my own experiences.

Loved driving them, thought they handled and maneuvered pretty nice. Especially when compared to T/T driving. Didn't miss the trailer having a mind of its own

On the down side. I hated my co-driver, couldn't sleep in a moving vehical (never have been able to). Although, less stressful then T/T, still a lot more stressful then a van. After finishing my shift that felt like it would never end, I was normally physically and mentally drained. I hated not being able to have the radio very load while co-driver was trying to sleep, etc. But those are team issues.

The big difference I noticed doing the reverse from straight to Van, other then a whole lot less stress, the long miles didn't feel so long anymore and extremely easy to drive for long periods of time.

Hopefully you will have a more positive experience

Sent from my P00I using EO Forums mobile app
 
D

dc843

Expert Expediter
Researching
coalminer said:
I started in a van and moved up to a straight truck because I didnt want to drive 1000 mile loads direct. Most people complain about the HOS requirements, but I liked that I didnt have to drive more than 11 hours a day.

One warning about straight trucks, you will get inspected at weigh stations, frequently. The officers have a quota they have to fill and straight trucks are way easier to inspect than a full 18 wheeler.
Click to expand...
Im the same way. In a van id be running pretty unsafe because in order to get my miles id run a 600 mile run then sleep for a few hours then get a call about another one going 800 mile and i take it just because i know if i dont ill probably sit. Im looking forward to having the HOS actually. And we will be a team so its not like that really matters load wise. Just gotta get comfortable with sleeping while someone drives.

My owner has many safety awards at our company and is very very good about taking care of his equipment so the inspections shouldnt be a problem.
 
D

dc843

Expert Expediter
Researching
RoadTime said:
dc843 said:
yeah i kinda do know most of it already, i dont really know exactly what im looking for. how they handle differently, if its way harder to manuever in traffic in a straight, special things to be aware and looking out for (besides the obvious) that wouldnt be a concern in a van. etc. i dont really know.
Click to expand...
Well then I'll just give me 2 cents from my own experiences.

Loved driving them, thought they handled and maneuvered pretty nice. Especially when compared to T/T driving. Didn't miss the trailer having a mind of its own

On the down side. I hated my co-driver, couldn't sleep in a moving vehical (never have been able to). Although, less stressful then T/T, still a lot more stressful then a van. After finishing my shift that felt like it would never end, I was normally physically and mentally drained. I hated not being able to have the radio very load while co-driver was trying to sleep, etc. But those are team issues.

The big difference I noticed doing the reverse from straight to Van, other then a whole lot less stress, the long miles didn't feel so long anymore and extremely easy to drive for long periods of time.

Hopefully you will have a more positive experience

Sent from my P00I using EO Forums mobile app
Click to expand...
yeah, im not looking forward to sleeping in a moving truck but i think ill be able to adapt to it. Ive dealt with hating co drivers when i was trained for TTs, real pos that guy was. Ive had a few long conversations with my new driver and he seems like someone ill get along pretty good with. We probably will just use the legal headsets for music. Worst comes to worst, im paid as an employee getting a w2, ill do it long enough to show the income to get a loan for a van. Really just going to depend how i like it. I appreciate your advice a lot, definately cant be as bad as a TT!
 
  • Like
Reactions: RoadTime
P

pelgrn

Expert Expediter
I have been fleet owner for both,still have vans.I am interested how you get paid as an employee and have a profitable venture for both parties.
 
ucfd608

ucfd608

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
If it was me I would stay in a straight I wouldn’t go to a van there is more money an opportunity’s in a straight
 
D

dc843

Expert Expediter
Researching
pelgrn said:
I have been fleet owner for both,still have vans.I am interested how you get paid as an employee and have a profitable venture for both parties.
Click to expand...
well, first of all, according to my owner, again according to my owner, its totally illegal for someone to pay someone to drive their truck that they own for them and not pay them as an employee. I dont remember his exact reasoning but it made sense, just one of those things that never gets called out.

So, anyway, to answer your question, the difference between the two is basically that they pay half of my social security and my medicare for me. In exchange, we split 35% instead of the stardard 40%. That 5% loss in my opinion is more than what youll have to pay for the share of my taxes, but probably more or less evens out. worth it from my end because no headache with doing my own taxes.

Im sure theres more that goes into it than that, but thats what i can give you.
 
RoadTime

RoadTime

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
dc843 said:
well, first of all, according to my owner, again according to my owner, its totally illegal for someone to pay someone to drive their truck that they own for them and not pay them as an employee. I dont remember his exact reasoning but it made sense, just one of those things that never gets called out.

So, anyway, to answer your question, the difference between the two is basically that they pay half of my social security and my medicare for me. In exchange, we split 35% instead of the stardard 40%. That 5% loss in my opinion is more than what youll have to pay for the share of my taxes, but probably more or less evens out. worth it from my end because no headache with doing my own taxes.

Im sure theres more that goes into it than that, but thats what i can give you.
Click to expand...
Ouch so your getting 15%?
I also was a w2, but at 20%. Man I had a lot of pathetic checks.
All parties eventually went broke.

Sent from my P00I using EO Forums mobile app
 
P

pelgrn

Expert Expediter
It's legal,and sounds ok for you and your co driver each getting 35 percent of the haul and splitting the driving.I am wondering how the owner does,i guess i am more interested in that side of.I didn't mean to get off topic,i gotta outta strt trks for alot of reasons making money wasn't one of them,being able to keep enough of it to make it worth while was my problem. lol
 
D

dc843

Expert Expediter
Researching
RoadTime said:
dc843 said:
well, first of all, according to my owner, again according to my owner, its totally illegal for someone to pay someone to drive their truck that they own for them and not pay them as an employee. I dont remember his exact reasoning but it made sense, just one of those things that never gets called out.

So, anyway, to answer your question, the difference between the two is basically that they pay half of my social security and my medicare for me. In exchange, we split 35% instead of the stardard 40%. That 5% loss in my opinion is more than what youll have to pay for the share of my taxes, but probably more or less evens out. worth it from my end because no headache with doing my own taxes.

Im sure theres more that goes into it than that, but thats what i can give you.
Click to expand...
Ouch so your getting 15%?
I also was a w2, but at 20%. Man I had a lot of pathetic checks.
All parties eventually went broke.

Sent from my P00I using EO Forums mobile app
Click to expand...
17.5%.....18% once my co driver gets his fingerprinting done. in a nutshell ill get $250 for every thousand miles we do together. Thats also not including the various bonuses and deadhead. It seems like a good gig to me.
 
D

dc843

Expert Expediter
Researching
pelgrn said:
It's legal,and sounds ok for you and your co driver each getting 35 percent of the haul and splitting the driving.I am wondering how the owner does,i guess i am more interested in that side of.I didn't mean to get off topic,i gotta outta strt trks for alot of reasons making money wasn't one of them,being able to keep enough of it to make it worth while was my problem. lol
Click to expand...
idk either way im going to work my way up to being a fleet owner myself. and yeah i know everyone its a waste of my time and i wont make any more money than i do now even though theres all these fleet owners making a living without doing a mile of the driving themselves. (thats not nessesarily to you, thats just what i always get told when i bring up wanting to start a fleet)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top