Best time of year to start expediting??
- Thread starter teri606
- Start date
The answer is it depends....
If you want to hit the road running hard then early fall is the best bet and if you want to start at a slower time and east into expediting I would suggest January.
We had never driven team till we started expediting and we knew it would take some time to adjust so we started in January so there would be breathing time between loads.
This past year has been a little different as there really has not been a down time and the freight has stayed steady.
Another rule of thought is to start in May if you are new to trucking so that you will have time to learn the truck, learn expediting, and learn more about driving at night before winter hits.
There are plusses and minuses to starting at any time of the year and you will have to decide for yourself what is important and then weight out the pro's and con's.
If you want to hit the road running hard then early fall is the best bet and if you want to start at a slower time and east into expediting I would suggest January.
We had never driven team till we started expediting and we knew it would take some time to adjust so we started in January so there would be breathing time between loads.
This past year has been a little different as there really has not been a down time and the freight has stayed steady.
Another rule of thought is to start in May if you are new to trucking so that you will have time to learn the truck, learn expediting, and learn more about driving at night before winter hits.
There are plusses and minuses to starting at any time of the year and you will have to decide for yourself what is important and then weight out the pro's and con's.
The last few years there has been no traditional slow time...CVing depends on positioning and a little luck..as TeamC said,,,start when you feel comfortable.
Weather-wise, it is easier to start well ahead of winter. That gives you time to learn the road and learn your truck before winter challenges rise. Still, it is not that big of a deal. You can learn the road and learn your truck in the winter too. If it makes job sense for you to start in January, do so.
Money-wise, whatever month you enter the business, be sure to have a financial cushion (money in the bank) to sustain you through slow periods, unanticipated breakdowns, unplanned trips home, periods of illness, etc. Your financial cushion will be more of a factor in your success than the weather.
Money-wise, whatever month you enter the business, be sure to have a financial cushion (money in the bank) to sustain you through slow periods, unanticipated breakdowns, unplanned trips home, periods of illness, etc. Your financial cushion will be more of a factor in your success than the weather.
nightcreacher
Veteran Expediter
is there really a good time for a cargo van
There a a few times a year that are better over others. I think the next best "window" would be next February. This allows you to get the worst of the winter season and slow down behind you, get your feet wet moving freight, schedules, layover locations and ready for the pick up freight in the spring. IMHO.
mcavoy33
Seasoned Expediter
I started in a sprinter in May and I found July & August pretty slow but I just treated the extra downtime as a vacation, I went to a lot of state parks, beaches & general site seeing.
In September I started driving a ST & I'm glad to have a few months to adjust driving the bigger truck before winter. I am glad I'll be driving a heavier vehicle for the winter & I like the increased visibility of being in a truck though.
Many good answers, but I would say any time is probably good.
If you are going to a company that is heavy on the auto freight, then I would adjust your schedule accordingly if it is revenue driven. Vans are the first to feel an impact if things slow down.
If you are going to a company that is heavy on the auto freight, then I would adjust your schedule accordingly if it is revenue driven. Vans are the first to feel an impact if things slow down.
chefdennis
Veteran Expediter
Things can be good one week and dead the next...I never had a complete bad "month"....
As has been said, the company you lease to has a big impact. In a CV you have to put yourself in the best place to get loaded..and that can be an issue as freight lanes change...I have done this for almost 5 yrs, and this month has been my worse in all that time as far as the number of loads, but i have made very good money....
I wouldn't say wait or jump in based on anyones passed experience...find a company that you feel works for you , learn their system and work it to your advantage, plan on staying on the road a minimum of 21 days at a time and go for it whenever YOU are ready.....
As has been said, the company you lease to has a big impact. In a CV you have to put yourself in the best place to get loaded..and that can be an issue as freight lanes change...I have done this for almost 5 yrs, and this month has been my worse in all that time as far as the number of loads, but i have made very good money....
I wouldn't say wait or jump in based on anyones passed experience...find a company that you feel works for you , learn their system and work it to your advantage, plan on staying on the road a minimum of 21 days at a time and go for it whenever YOU are ready.....
