Bolt Express

[greenbpakr]

My dad is currently trying to purchase a cargo van. He has a columbia 06 that he wants to trade in because he is sick of repairs and fuel costs. He wants to go to Bolt. Are they any good? They say he will drive 1500 to 2000 miles a weeks is this realistic. Does anybody have experience regarding this company? Any tips would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[RoadTime]

My dad is currently trying to purchase a cargo van. He has a columbia 06 that he wants to trade in because he is sick of repairs and fuel costs. He wants to go to Bolt. Are they any good? They say he will drive 1500 to 2000 miles a weeks is this realistic. Does anybody have experience regarding this company? Any tips would be appreciated. Thanks.

Was with them back in 2008 as a Straight Truck Solo, If i could have got into a cargo van I would have stayed with them. My friend who was there in a cargo van was doing much better then I was. Things may have changed but I would not have a problem going back in a Cargo Van. I liked the company and have nothing bad to say about them.
P.S.- My leaving had nothing to do with the company.

 

[chefdennis]

I was with bolt for 2.5 yrs in a CV, having left last August....I'd go back there in a heartbeat...If your dad is willing to stay out and run, those miles are realistic....Talk to Anne, she will NOT lie to your dad and is a great lady....

 

[BillChaffey]

They are great to work for.............as long as you watch your language.

 

[chefdennis]

LOL!! Yea dispatchers don't take kindly to being cussed at do they Bill!!!

 

[asjssl]

Been w/ bolt for almost 3 yrs in a c/v. No real gripes here....keep me busy rates are always decent.....

Posted with my Droid EO Forum App

 

[OntarioVanMan]

Just don't say yes to them low ball offers...because as much as no one has said it....they do try...once they know you are not stupid. things go better..

 

[fastrod]

Just don't say yes to them low ball offers...because as much as no one has said it....they do try...once they know you are not stupid. things go better..

Yea I read on here about some of those low ball offers, .40 and .50 cpm. Makes you wonder just how great Bolt really is.

 

[BillChaffey]

No one is forcing anyone to take "Low Ball" offers.
If your not going to make a profit, refuse it.

 

[chefdennis]

As was said, you will get those Low ball offers and if you take them its on you...but once you do, they will make note of it and thats what they will try every time, and throw you a bone every once in a while....I don't blame anyone for trying to make as much money as they can...no different then refusing to haul freight for less then a certain amount....

 

[OntarioVanMan]

I wasn't knocking Bolt...just stating that they as most businesses would try to get ya to take a lower rate..it is just business and NOT unique to just Bolt...it is always up to the contractor to weigh every offer to what serves their needs...

 

[ebsprintin]

From time to time I post a snapshot of my miles and rates in the Bolt Express carriers forum. I'll be posting a new update one of these days. Bolt is a good place to start. They are accomodating, but they usually tend to trail in rates. Former boltheads tend to be those who were looking for better rates. They aren't the worst in any areas of consideration.

eb

 

[chefdennis]

I didn't think you were taking a shot at bolt at all OVM...just re-enforcing what you said..

And as EB said, Bolt is a great place to start in the industyr...you will learn how the business works, and learn how to work the business...yes they will try and get freight covered for as cheap as they can, but they are not alone in that aspect.

The "rumor" that all they haul is cheap freigh is just that...they might not be the highest in the industry, but they are far from the cheapest...and as EB said, they are acommodating and work with their contractors to make it easy to deal with them...

As I have said from the day I left, I'd recommend them(and I do all the time) to anyone starting out or even returning to the business after being gone for a while, and I'd go back there in a heartbeat...I'd jus expect to run more miles to make the money I am now...and thats not all bad either, if it works for you...

Anyone considering getting into this business that doesn't contact Anne in bolt recruiting would be doing themselves a dis-service. Anne is honest and will not lie to you, and she is a nice lady too!!

 

[RoadTime]

I agree. Anne is straight up, going to tell you like it is

 

[goslow]

This is not a Bolt Bash... If your dad has some money saved up then I would look for a higher paying carrier with a different kind of freight base. Being a O/O is not about the amount of miles you drive it is about how much of it you keep. Work smarter not harder. I always find that ex-truck drivers have the hardest time understanding this. I drove a big truck for 7 years before doing this and when I began it was all about how many miles I could run. All I was doing was wasting fuel and burning up my van. Now I drive half of what I did in a big truck a week and make about double take home. It is all how you look at it. I am just fine and dandy only running 1300-1800 miles a week. Why work harder then you have to.

If your dad was a O/O truck driver I think Landstar might be a better fit as he know's how to handle brokers and how to command correct pay for the job. Or look for a carrier that allows him to find is own freight to keep him rolling profitably. Panther, Tri-state along with Landstar all allow you this for a % of the load. There may be others but I can't think of anymore right now.

 

[BillChaffey]

I doubt very much his Pop is going to get 1300-1800 a week with Panther. Plus when they get finished with all the with holding he'll really wish he went to Bolt.

 

[ChrisGa23]

I doubt very much his Pop is going to get 1300-1800 a week with Panther. Plus when they get finished with all the with holding he'll really wish he went to Bolt.

I get 1300 + a week on average with panther. About 5 times this month has been 2000 miles or more.



Posted with my Droid EO Forum App

 

[BillChaffey]

That's ten thousand miles in ten days. I expect your the exception to the rule. It was no more then a week ago a Panther driver posted there were nineteen vans in front of him. Think he's averaging a 1000 miles a day?.

 

[ChrisGa23]

That's ten thousand miles in ten days. I expect your the exception to the rule. It was no more then a week ago a Panther driver posted there were nineteen vans in front of him. Think he's averaging a 1000 miles a day?.

well a month I meant Feb and March with it. 40 days days would of been a better word for it. But with 19 vans in line I would say it would be a good bet the driver didnt get good miles that week. Unless I was in a super busy spot I would dh out someplace.

 

[skyraider]

I have been our here for only 2 years. IMHO if u get 1500 miles a week consistently, ur lucky. Since there are not many post in here, there probably wont be enough feed back to confirm or deny the miles per week in a cv. It would take a 1000 responses to come up with an average that made any sense.

IMHO, I have noticed a lot of drivers in cvs are older men and women in the 55-60 range who aren't raising families/kids anymore and many have retirement incomes. This may account for the saturation of more cargo vans then usual and less loads to give them. There seems also now that strks are getting three to six skids at cheap rates thus taking what use to be cv and sprinter runs. Again this is what I here in the lots.

A long time sprinter driver told me recently that in his HO that the sprinter was on its way out due the costly repairs and so on ( I don't know if that's true or not).

Maybe more of u that have been out here for 5 to 10 years have a different outlook. It would be a nice change if all those that did not make it for any reason would give their opinion sometime. I don't believe we will ever get the straight poop in here on success vs failure in the expediting. IMHO

It appears to me that everyone who enters this business thinks its easy, but they are usually not prepared on some basics of survival that u need on ur van so u don't waste time,money, and fuel. One of the biggest gripes I here from cv drivers is idling is eating up their money fast so they can keep warm in the winter or cool in the summer. Many of u in here have addressed the idling summer and winter issue. Many who enter this business do not realize there is start up cost to doing a few basic things that will save u money in the beginning. IM still learning, and no I don't know everything yet, far from it, give a another two weeks and I will know everything. lol