Brewster1958

w8tamin

Expert Expediter
Man

I've been reading a lot of the old posts and came across about two weeks of back & forth from Brewster1958.....I got as far as when he posted pics of his inventory and would love to know how that all turned out?

This is really some good reading.....I'm getting a littel worried about this business though when I read things like "Anybody who thinks they should be in this business to make money is crazy or something like that" Seems like the guy's opinion was it was more about travel than bucks?????

So that begs a ? Do you folks think a nwwbie can expect to make a decent living at expediting in 04?

One of the other reasons I ask is I received a email from Dan @ Alumabunk in which he said they only have 2 new E350 D Vans and they are the only two left in the country becase they have looked for more and can't find any until end of FEB or March. One of the things that says to me is that a lot of people must be buying these vans if they can't keep them in stock....I'm worried the market might be a little saturated with drivers at the present??
 

w8tamin

Expert Expediter
Lawrence

I haven't learned enough about the business yet to make any kind of a informed decision ie I don't even know what you mean by H/W? So far it looks like working for a O/O driving a van is the best step to take if I get in right away. I'm also running the numbers on buying a van, and then hiring out to a O/O and also buying a van and getting my own authority although again I don't know enough to do any of it yet. I looked at the O/O site and the different kinds of insurance, permits, etc etc is overwhelming as well as the costs to go out on your own at any level. From the old post I found new companies I never heard of like Alumi-bunk, Unicell, love their stuff especially that new Aerocell or whatever it was but I like Harleys and Four Winns too but I can't just run out and buy them.

I got a hold of a Boston phonebook...Boston is less than an hour from me and is I hope a major hub for freight and expediting and I noticed that out of all the expediting companies listed here in EO Landstar was the only one I could find so I' went to their site to fill out an app but there app is the same as those others I mentioned to you so I didn't fill it out although I contacted them by email told about what I though was a potential problem for them and asked them to send me a app by snail mail.

I contacted Panther also but when I look at their service area it's just the heartland ie nothing west or northeast or nothwest and I want the longhauls at least with what I know so far

I run my own Handyman Business so I know all about Feast or Famine income, dealing with the public, calls at three am etc and what I like about expediting is I only have to interact with "the public" for brief periods at a time and then I get to drive and relax...build up some dealing with the public reserves and the cycle repeats itself....I like that.

I don't want to drive OTR because the decent money if that's what you wanna call it.... is with the mega carriers and there your just a number and it takes too long to build a rep and prove your ability and demonstrate your level of hunger

The End
 

w8tamin

Expert Expediter
Just read some more old posts and figured out the H/W....Husband Wife....DUH!

No my wife has a great job and we have 3 teenagers still at home so I may team but it won't be with my wife,,,she hates driving even to the grocery store
 

vernon946

Veteran Expediter
Charter Member
OK, I'll take a shot at your questions. Hope you like it straight.

>I'm getting a littel worried about this business though when I read things like "Anybody who thinks they should be in this business to make money is crazy or something like that" Seems like the guy's opinion was it was more about travel than bucks?????
This business is not as easy to make the big bucks as it was years ago. Things like diesel fuel/gasoline, insurance, tolls and repairs are higher than inflation would cause, so it is more difficult to have money left over. Add to this the continuing slow economy that Bush the Second believes is really booming, and it is easy to see how anyone jumping into this with a new truck might be a little crazy.


>So that begs a ? Do you folks think a nwwbie can expect to make a decent living at expediting in 04?
Looking at my crystal ball and making a guess because it is still cloudy, keep in mind that small business failures are still running over 50% on a good day. Factor in your lack of experience in this business, your wanting to jump in at the absolute worst time of the year to earn money (do you have some deep pockets to make the payments in slow months?), still rising diesel/gasoline prices during this very cold snap and your desire to buy a new van to start out, my ball says no.


>One of the other reasons I ask is I received a email from Dan @ Alumabunk in which he said they only have 2 new E350 D Vans and they are the only two left in the country becase they have looked for more and can't find any until end of FEB or March. One of the things that says to me is that a lot of people must be buying these vans if they can't keep them in stock....I'm worried the market might be a little saturated with drivers at the present??
Do you think that is the only possibility? What about the possibility that many fewer new expeditor trucks are available because the demand is way down, so Alumnabunk didn't order as many? I hope you don't leap because he says there are only 2 vans in the whole country. I know where a bunch of NEW 2000 FL70 expeditor trucks still sit.
I will agree that there are many former drivers out there, the ones who lost their truck along with a piece of their anatomy.

Vernon
 
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