Calling all cargo van drivers..(NOT RECRUITERS)

fbitrucking · Aug 16, 2009

I'm doing a little research for my brother, and need some answers from cargo van drivers in general NOT RECRUITERS. He is considering trying solo in a cargo van, what companies are doing well if any? We have two tractors at panther right now, and are kind of new to expediting. Seems no different that regular freight hauling with the exception the freight seems to be lighter, and you get plenty of sleep time between loads. I need the real deal here guys, It seems freight has picked up somewhat in the last two weeks or so for us. Are you guys rollin, are you making a little money, or are you starving? What companies are best pay/ and have decent amount of freight to haul? I know from reading buy a cheap reliable van first to try it, not a loaded sprinter. Anything you thing will help please post. I have learned one thing here at panther, It doesn't matter what they pay per mile if there is NO FREIGHT !!!! Shoot straight, be honest, Thanks in advance...Joker

greg334 · Aug 16, 2009

I will be very honest with you, stay with the tractors if at all possible. Right now there is a trade off with large trucks and more often than not they will roll during the slow times than any van/box truck.

guido4475 · Aug 16, 2009

Well, to be honest with you, I am with a small n.c. company, in a van,and am starving.I am in the process of looking for another company, but being careful in doing this. It may be just as bad somewhere else. But I feel there is more freight than what I am being led to believe from the company I am leased to.I myself prefer smaller companies,not as many deductions as the bigger companies, but as a tradeoff, bigger companies may have the bigger customer base and freight that the smaller guys dont have. As far as a cheap van, I highly recommend Ryder.Check out their website at Used Trucks for Sale | Trucks, Tractors, Trailers | Ryder - they offer a 30-day nationwide warranty, with full complete maintenance record from day 1 of being new.I bought mine from there, and could not be happier.It looks and runs like brand new.

fbitrucking · Aug 16, 2009

Thanks to all that have replied. We are keeping the semi's, my brother currently does not drive. He was interested in trying cargo vans. Anyone know anything about Bolt or A. Blair? Keep the replies coming, Thanks

BHC1108 · Aug 16, 2009

I just would not recommend cargo van due to the opportunities of fright avalilble.I do not think it reall matters , how ever my frist choice would be Panther. When I ran for them I did very well, however i never tunn down any thing They gave me an knew how and when to relocate my equipment.

guido4475 · Aug 16, 2009

Is anyone leased to All-State with a van give me some input, on this forum, or private? Thanks in advance.

comet_4298 · Aug 16, 2009

Last few times I checked ,they were not putting on vans or sprinters at All-State.

x06col · Aug 16, 2009

Ineresting that you should ask this question (seems it's been read at least 5001 times on this site). Regardless, if all you are ever going to do is TRY with a Carrier, without being one, then you will never KNOW which is the best one. Prolly seems to be a simple and smart assed answer-----but it is not.

fbitrucking · Aug 17, 2009

Not sure how take your reply x6col other than a smert *** answer? I "was" a carrier, just run out of business by brokers being greedy. I'm leased to panther now with two tractors.
I was doing research for my brother who is not in this industry. About a area of this industry I know nothing about. (cargo vans) You can See for yourself on the safer system. (i'm sure you know how to check it?) My MC # is 663144 and my USDOT # is 1828178 It is on hold but I Am a Carrier. Now, if you have info benifical to my brother by all means please share it. I'm sure the question has been ask alot, but you see I'm not interested in what happened last year. I'm not interested in how it was in January, I want to know how it was in the last two or three weeks. Thanks again....

x06col · Aug 17, 2009

Sorry to read you took the easy road and dealt with brokers. You are prolly better off leased to someone if that is your ultimate effort in the transportation business. My point is, why not deal with the source you are inquiring about?? You are ultimately going to have to anyway. Besides, we don't really know what REAL questions you have, or, what effort your bud is going to make to be successful. There is no way of knowing if any Carriers will fit all yabuts you guys may have, a recruiter will offer straight out what crap the company will put up with and how to be successful with them IF YOU LISTEN, after you've asked a straight forward question. I'm sure they also have really current info (except for the next six months), on how their van fleet is running.

Seems i've always gotten better things (not perfect) from a horses mouth than a horses ***!

guido4475 · Aug 17, 2009

x06col said:
Ineresting that you should ask this question (seems it's been read at least 5001 times on this site). Regardless, if all you are ever going to do is TRY with a Carrier, without being one, then you will never KNOW which is the best one. Prolly seems to be a simple and smart assed answer-----but it is not.

So what crawed up your *** to reply to my simple question the way you did.Did someone steal your sheep from your farm in Indiana?

Who said anything about TRYING with a carrier. All I asked was if someone had a van on with All-state,how are they doing? Past threads/posts will be old and inaccurate to what is going on today.

No, I dont want to be a carrier, it just isnt worth it to me,to have to chase my money.I have several freinds who have their own authority who are constantly on the phone trying to get paid for a load from several months ago.There is enough b.s. in this business without having to worry about getting paid, amongst other things. And judging by the tone of your replies, it sounds like it has got the best of you already.

guido4475 · Aug 17, 2009

x06col said:
Sorry to read you took the easy road and dealt with brokers. You are prolly better off leased to someone if that is your ultimate effort in the transportation business. My point is, why not deal with the source you are inquiring about?? You are ultimately going to have to anyway. Besides, we don't really know what REAL questions you have, or, what effort your bud is going to make to be successful. There is no way of knowing if any Carriers will fit all yabuts you guys may have, a recruiter will offer straight out what crap the company will put up with and how to be successful with them IF YOU LISTEN, after you've asked a straight forward question. I'm sure they also have really current info (except for the next six months), on how their van fleet is running.

Seems i've always gotten better things (not perfect) from a horses mouth than a horses ***!

And what is wrong with just being leased to a carrier instead of having your own authority? Look at Expeditor services. He has enough trucks to start his own expediting company, but he chose to just lease his trucks/drivers on with different co's instead.I admire him for that.

And as far as dealing with the source, I had a great 2.5 hour conversation with the owners of a/s, but I just wanted to hear from the drivers. I used to be leased to them several years ago in a s/t, but being new to this industry in a van, this is unchartered waters for me, and there is a difference than what I have been used to the last 20 years in this business.

And as far as recruiters go,Do you actually believe that all of them tell the truth? Wake up.I am not saying they are all liars, and there a few out here that are honest, and are deeply appreciated.But way too often I have been lied to from a recruiter to the point I have walked out of orientation 2 hrs after it started because of the lies that I had been told beforehand.I was actually offered a recruiter job a couple of years ago, but I kindly refused because it was for a company I did not believe in.And I couldnt live with myself seeing drivers go down the tubes financially because it was my job to get drivers in the company at all costs.Please dont be offended,Honest recruiters out there.

fbitrucking · Aug 17, 2009

Looks like my post took a wrong turn somewhere. I guess we got some good info for the most part. Thanks to those who offered help, and to the other one it just shows there is one in every crowd.

guido4475 · Aug 18, 2009

Posts have a strange way of doing that from time to time.I'm just wondering if I am the "one in every crowd". Sorry to go off like that, but enough is enough.Maybe I should of worded it differently or something, and if I offended anyone, I apologize.

fbitrucking · Aug 18, 2009

No it was x06col.

hondaking38 · Aug 18, 2009

two vans with panther...they both average around 750 miles a week right now....Profitable ? You better be frugal.....you have to buy a van from a fleet owner or someone getting out of the biz, to get on with panther...that way it doesnt add to the size...

TSexpediter · Aug 18, 2009

And... going back to the subject:

After being through quite a few companies (don't even ask why) I can tell you that today Pather is the way to go. People will always tell you it depends on this or the other, and in part they are right. But you can do all the right moves and if you're with a company that has no freight, what's the use?
From my own experience Panther has still plenty of loads, and no, they are not only for TT. The downside... if you want to lease a van today they contract at 0.70/mile + 0.02 if you have Hazmat.

OntarioVanMan · Aug 18, 2009

TSexpediter said:
And... going back to the subject:

After being through quite a few companies (don't even ask why) I can tell you that today Pather is the way to go. People will always tell you it depends on this or the other, and in part they are right. But you can do all the right moves and if you're with a company that has no freight, what's the use?
From my own experience Panther has still plenty of loads, and no, they are not only for TT. The downside... if you want to lease a van today they contract at 0.70/mile + 0.02 if you have Hazmat.

And to be locked into that rate is unacceptable...rates will go up again in the future....and to be locked in...nope...not this guy...in my opinion....

guido4475 · Aug 18, 2009

I agree with you, OVM, it isn't right to be locked into a rate.Policies such as this is what is keeping me from going to a big co.Where has our freedom and power gone as a o/o?