Expediter

[guest]

I have been exploring and investigating the expediting industry for sometime and have posted here before about starting up. Thanks to all the advise for the people in EO, I have decided that expediting is the avenue that I will follow to get back in to the trucking industry. I have located a financial partner who will handle all of our companies administrative business and I will be the driver of our first truck as a team with my wife. This is a definate career change for me, after being out of the trucking industry for over 20 yrs. My partner is a teacher with a Masters degree in Business Administration who is retiring after this school year.

We have the opportunity to purchash a 2003 Conventional Freightliner from my partners Dad at a VERY good price and we want to convert it in a way that will enable us to enter the expediting industry and support both of our families for the first year. This will be our first truck and have plans to add 3 more units in the first 2 years.
After the first 2 years and depending upon our success we want to add more trucks to our fleet.

The information we are looking for is this:

Is it possible to convert a tractor previosly used for long haul OTR. Streach the frame, add a 24 - 28 foot van, enlarge the sleeper area to make it large enough to add the following:

Washer
Dryer
Sink
Stove
Microwave
Toilet
Double Bunks
Satelite TV
Wireless Computer System
Celular Communication

Start-up Capital is there as well as operating capital for up to 8 months is already in the bank.

Has anyone ever done something similar to this? If so, does anyone know of a company that does this kind of work? What kind of investment are we looking at?

After converting this unit we want to find a company to sign on with and run nationwide. With a unit of this type, staying on the road 3-4 weeks at a time (we have no home responsibilities except normal upkeep and our utilities, one truck payment, and no children)do you think we have an opportunity to make a decent income for my wife and I and my financial partner?

If this is something that is feasable, we would like to find good reliable companies to talk to about their opportunities for O/O's. Any suggestions you might care to share with us will be appreciated, and ALL advice will be utilized in our endeavor, after all you guys are experienced and obviously doing it the right way or you wouldn't be doing it at all.

 

[vernon946]

That is some question! I will attempt to answer parts of it for you. The first part is the part you didn't ask about.

>after being out of the trucking industry for over 20 yrs
Most companies in this field require the lead (or first seat) driver to have recent verifyable experience as a driver. Some will allow the 2nd seat driver to have no experience.

>We have the opportunity to purchash a 2003 Conventional Freightliner >from my partners Dad at a VERY good price and we want to convert it >in a way that will enable us to enter the expediting industry and >support both of our families for the first year.
The conversion can be done, but I don't see you being able to support two families with one truck, especially in the first year when you're trying to learn the business.

After being out of trucking for 20 years, why would you even consider investing in a truck and jumping right into the business, without knowing if you are suitable for the business?

>Is it possible to convert a tractor previosly used for long haul >OTR. Streach the frame, add a 24 - 28 foot van, enlarge the sleeper >area
Sure, as long as you keep the unit under 40 feet long as most states set that as a maximum length for a straight truck. The real question, why would you want (need) to have a washer, dryer, sink, and stove in your sleeper when you consider the weight and space penalties for all this equipment and the water you have to carry to use them, plus the extra generator capacity to run them, plus the fuel needed by the stove?

>Start-up Capital is there as well as operating capital for up to 8 >months is already in the bank.
Does your operating capital include 8 months coverage for the families?

>After converting this unit we want to find a company to sign on with >and run nationwide.
This is putting the cart before the horse. Find your company first and get qualified thru them. I would especially do this without the driving experience, since you may have to be a co-driver in someone else's truck for 6 months.

>With a unit of this type, staying on the road 3-4 weeks at a time
>(we have no home responsibilities except normal upkeep and our >utilities, one truck payment, and no children)do you think we have >an opportunity to make a decent income for my wife and I and my >financial partner?
No. A lot will depend on the company you select, where your home is located, the definition of normal upkeep (homes have a way of redefining this when you are away for awhile) and your definition of a decent income.

Hope this helps.

Vernon in C2197

 

[guest]

After reading my post this morning, I can see that I DID NOT explain myself the right way. For this I appoligize.

I know I need to get at least 6mos experience before anyone will take me on as an O/O/driver.
Both my partner and I realize that the first truck will not support both famlies. We are looking into the future for that.
I am looking at this time for someone to take me on so I can get the 6mos experience before we even think about buying the first truck.
When I asked if our plan was feasable, I meant for the 2 yrs i talked about. Will our having 4 trucks in our fleet within the first 2 yrs, be enough income to support both families after the first 2 yrs?

You did say it was possible to stretch a conventional tractors frame.
At least we found out is it possible. Do you know any companies that do that kind of work?

I do appreciate your replying to my post, and your answers were to the point. I am sorry I didn't explain things better.

 

[twodogsdaddy]

As far as stretching the frame...At the Expo the seminar on Truck maintenance the instructor was freom Middle Georgia Freightliner and they have a lot of experience in stretching the frame. You might want to give them a call. It is a family owned business and he is one of the family...been a mechanic forever..etc. really has some good info..because there are a few ways to stretch a frame and some are good and some not so good. Since you're looking at increasing sleeper size you might want to check with the different sleeper companies because most if not all stretch frames for their trucks. There;s a seminar this Monday in Woodhaven, Mi. a lot of good info will be given there if you can make it. Good luck

 

[davekc]

It would be well advised to drive for a owner to determine if expediting is for you prior to making large investments ect. You will find as most have that buying any number of trucks is not the usual problem. Finding good qualified drivers will be you biggest obstacle. We at one time had 15 trucks and that was always the battle year after year.
Davekc

 

[vernon946]

Regarding enough income from 4 trucks to support all, I would say it is possible, depending on the efforts of your financial partner to manage the day to day contact with the drivers and making sure they get paid on time and have someone who can give advice when and where it is needed and ensure your truck maintenance and repair works smoothly.

We also had the experience of being a driver and trying to manage a driver in another truck. Besides the difficulty in finding drivers who will care for your equipment, your contract with the company you lease with, and your customers, you will probably not enjoy this phase of the business. Generally, you are better off being either a driver or an owner managing drivers and trucks.

Vernon in C2197