As bad as it seems?

upnygimp · Nov 19, 2007

I just stumbled on these forums a few days ago. Right now, I'm a college student working for a certain small package delivery business who shall remain nameless. (Hint: we're not Teamsters ;-) ) Ever since my orientation/training and learning about Custom Critical, I've been intrigued by the expediting business. Now that I'm finishing up my degree, I realize that I don't want to spend my time in an office just yet, so I've been thinking more and more about getting in the business as a way to see the country. I'm fully certified on everything up to a 26' truck, but I don't have my class B yet.

Reading these forums though, I sort of get the feeling that a lot of people are feeling miserable about their job. Is this just people upset that they're not making the million dollars they thought they were going to, or is the economy slowing down to a point where it's just not profitable to be in this business anymore?

Crazynuff · Nov 19, 2007

If you have to ask you haven't been reading enough .

upnygimp · Nov 19, 2007

No, I do know that fuel prices and slowing economy are having some effect. They're affecting everyone and everything. That's not exactly my question though. What I want to know is whether things are actually as bad as some people are making them seem, or are those people just frustrated in general and venting.

davekc · Nov 19, 2007

I would still recommend looking back several months to get some kind of idea.
Why? Because opinions will generate many different answers depending on the company, solo or team, type of vehicles etc.
All of those differences are likely to give you different answers.
Some are doing well, and some aren't.
Without a doubt, high fuel and a slowing economy are going to change the climate for many.
For others, it may have little impact because their particular carrier has a good fuel surcharge program.
A lot of variables to consider.

Davekc
owner
23 years
PantherII
EO moderator

ATeam · Nov 19, 2007

People are people. There are those who will complain in the very best of circumstances. There are those who will express hope and joy in the very worst. Good research into the expediting business opportunity will focus on the business itself more than how people feel about it.

tr · Nov 19, 2007

Unigimp, just my opinion. As others have said, you need to read as many of the post on this forum as you can, not saying they are wrong, not saying they are all right, just read and get some insight.
I was in expediting for about 10 years, times I loved it, times I was not so sure, once out of it, I missed it terribly, but as life is you always miss the "good times" and don't really dwell on the down or bad times.

As much as I would like to get back into expediting, it would be only as an owner/operator of a straight truck, I do not feel that this is the time to do it, even if I wanted to. This is only an opinion, but I think the field has been flooded with too many trucks, too many expedite companies and the price of fuel is outrageous. My heart goes out to the guys on the road that are getting the same amount per mile and not a lot of compensation for the increased fuel. Yes, some do get an adequate fuel surcharge while I am sure others do not.

While you are undecided, and maybe wanting to get a feel of it and see the States, you may want to get some hands on experience, don't know if you would have any luck sigining on with a fleet owner, but there are advertisments all of the time, who knows, it never hurts to try. Just don't go out and invest a small fortune on a "whim", know your limits, capabilities, do extensive research read everything you can about expediting, visit with expediters at truckstops, attend any of the truck shows as they have expediter reps present, and after all of this then and only then, make your decision. Hope this helps.

upnygimp · Nov 20, 2007

Just to clarify, If I do end up deciding to do this it will be for at least a couple years, if not more depending on the way things go.

Suds43 · Nov 22, 2007

You say your "certified" in everything up to/including a 26' straight truck, but don't have your liscense yet.
If you don't have your "B" CDL, your not certified in anything yet!
You have a ways to go before you even get behind the wheel of a truck.
Take the time to get your liscense, take a deep breath, then decide what to do.
Don't "sugar coat" life on the road.......It can be tough!!
Yes, you'll "see the country", but usually from the interstate, looking out the windshield on your way to somewhere else.............

Crazynuff · Nov 23, 2007

>You say your "certified" in everything up to/including a 26'
>straight truck, but don't have your liscense yet.
>If you don't have your "B" CDL, your not certified in
>anything yet!
>You have a ways to go before you even get behind the wheel
>of a truck.
>Take the time to get your liscense, take a deep breath, then
>decide what to do.
>Don't "sugar coat" life on the road.......It can be tough!!
>Yes, you'll "see the country", but usually from the
>interstate, looking out the windshield on your way to
>somewhere else.............
I have to dispute some of this . You can have a vehicle over 10,000 lbs. GVW and under 26,000 lbs. and not have a Class B but be "certified " with DOT physical and hazmat . I'm sure many members here did a lot of sight seeing while waiting a day or 2 (or more ) for a load .

Suds43 · Nov 23, 2007

crazynuff........your right, I totally forgot about the GVW ratings...
When I said not to "sugar coat" it......it's not a picnic out there....dealing with everything life can throw at you "out on the road".
And yes, we've all taken those little side trips to sightsee, but bottom line, at least for me.........I was out there to make a living, not go sightseeing..........
BUT: We did see alot of the country, most from looking out the windshield while passing by headed to somewhere else.
Unless your driving a van.......that's a whole different ball game compared to driving a straight truck, isn't it.

Broompilot · Nov 23, 2007

The circle of friends I have in this business say this "it is slow".

So now for the negativity, people know what they can earn, what they have earned and what they have currently been earning vs what a year or two years ago they were making. Now add in the increase of inflation $105.00 an hour for a Mechanic, and what use to be $400.00 to fill those tanks now takes $575.00, the $ generated is only been increased with Fuel Sir Charge which does not add up to the $175 more it now costs to fill up those tanks.

Use to be going home for 300 miles on a Saturday use to be $60, now its over $100.00.

Corporate America is now asking us do keep our prices down and below what they were 4-5 years ago. If we don't than NEXT Person Please.

For those with Expierence, Street Smarts, they are prospering (my circle of friends) but not nearly as much as they should. Measured by % or $.

Done a Business Plan yet? Have any idea what you might earn, expenses should be what? Income should be? Start working on those two items and maybee come back here with some questions that we can help you determine if it is feasable and profitable for you to enter the Expediting or Trucking Industries.

American1966 · Dec 9, 2007

>I just stumbled on these forums a few days ago. Right now,
>I'm a college student working for a certain small package
>delivery business who shall remain nameless. (Hint: we're
>not Teamsters ;-) ) Ever since my orientation/training and
>learning about Custom Critical, I've been intrigued by the
>expediting business. Now that I'm finishing up my degree, I
>realize that I don't want to spend my time in an office just
>yet, so I've been thinking more and more about getting in
>the business as a way to see the country. I'm fully
>certified on everything up to a 26' truck, but I don't have
>my class B yet.
>
>Reading these forums though, I sort of get the feeling that
>a lot of people are feeling miserable about their job. Is
>this just people upset that they're not making the million
>dollars they thought they were going to, or is the economy
>slowing down to a point where it's just not profitable to be
>in this business anymore?

There are some good people in here that can pass along some great advice. But as for the business in general. It is like any other business, when you get the experience you require and enjoy what you do, the only thing left is finding a good company to work for. What ever you do, do not get sucked in to the so called Owner/Operators catch you clause. There is no such thing as an Owner/Operator anymore.
It is either Subcontractor or Independent Contractor, regardless what the company tells you, you in actuallity still do not 100% control your truck

highway star · Dec 10, 2007

No such thing as an O/O anymore? Not true! You can get your own authority and have no one to answer to but yourself. As an IC, you do have a company to answer to, but you still have the freedom to work when you want and take off when you want.

greg334 · Dec 10, 2007

>No such thing as an O/O anymore? Not true! You can get your
>own authority and have no one to answer to but yourself. As
>an IC, you do have a company to answer to, but you still
>have the freedom to work when you want and take off when you
>want.

Well I got to throw this into the mix;

I think as a contractor I have more freedom than I would if I had my own authority, I don't have to have an audit, I don't have to deal with paperwork for everything - just my truck and me and I don't have to answer to five or ten different groups to keep my truck rolling. I, as a contractor, have to deal with the company I am contracted with and the state - no one else.

x06col · Dec 11, 2007

The easy way, sometimes (very rarely), is the way to go. If you are on vacation. No pain, no gain, is the way i've generally heard it.

upnygimp · Dec 23, 2007

>It is either Subcontractor or Independent Contractor,
>regardless what the company tells you, you in actuallity
>still do not 100% control your truck

Well, as I hinted at before I currently work for FXG, so I know the game.

upnygimp · Feb 6, 2008

Broompilot said:
Done a Business Plan yet? Have any idea what you might earn, expenses should be what? Income should be? Start working on those two items and maybee come back here with some questions that we can help you determine if it is feasable and profitable for you to enter the Expediting or Trucking Industries.

I'm gonna give this thread a bump.

I really have no idea what I would be looking at from the income/expenses side of things. I do know that from the truck side of things I want a class 8, probably with stock sleeper for cost savings with a refrigerated box and live second axle, just for the ability to be available for the most loads possible.

So lets say I find what I'm looking for used @ 100k. Not sure what kind of terms I could get, so lets say I finance it for 10 years. That should bring the payment to around $300/wk, give or take.

Now I'm not sure what the per mile rates are for a straight truck, so lets just say that I can find work for 1.50/mile (optimistic? pessimistic?) Using what seems to be the agreed upon actual time making money of half of the available HOS, I figure I would be actually in the seat for 25 hours a week. Say I average 50mph during those hours (don't know how this compares to real world driving either) I'd figure my settlement to be about $1800/wk for covering 1250 miles

So now to the expenses. I'd be down to $1500 right away with the truck payment. Factoring fuel costs (9mpg gives me 139 gallons @ $3.50 or ~$485) I'd obviously get a chunk of that back in fuel supplement (something around $300 by my reckoning?). Take another $200 off that for misc. food expenses, etc and I figure I'd be bringing home near $1200 on an average week.

Someone care to comment on my figures? Obviously this is just hypothetical for me at this point so I'm not exactly positive what the real world numbers would be. Am I at least on the right track?

upnygimp · Feb 6, 2008

The other question I have- does FXCC offer compensation for truck availibility? I know over at FXG contractors get $45/day just for providing a van.

terryandrene · Feb 6, 2008

Truck availability money at FCC is not available, except in rare circumstances, very rare. Check out the items in the cargo van CPM thread at http://www.expeditersonline.com/forum/general-expediter-forum/29963-cargo-van-owners-cpm.html

You will need to plan for many of the line items therein.