Expediting in the West
- Thread starter FlameMerc
- Start date
There certainly loads out there but not at the numbers you would find east of the Mississippi. Most of the expedite loads are covered by the big three.
If your company allows you to obtain your own freight, that is a big plus.
And of course the obvious, the greater capacity you have for freight the better. Most eastbound freight from the west is for tractor trailers or straight trucks.
Davekc
owner
21 years
If your company allows you to obtain your own freight, that is a big plus.
And of course the obvious, the greater capacity you have for freight the better. Most eastbound freight from the west is for tractor trailers or straight trucks.
Davekc
owner
21 years
Tennesseahawk
Veteran Expediter
Hey Flame... how've you been? Haven't seen ya hangin around for awhile.
To answer your question, I've seen a good share of expedite freight running between CA and TX. Alot goes to AZ, but not much out of there. Also have seen some going from WA to AZ or NM, more to CA. And, a bit of traffic going both ways in NV and CO. If you suppliment loads with LTL, you'd do well. Only time will tell you when the best freight comes out of what area. In your situation, I wouldn't go with A company. My opinion is that any one company won't keep you busy enough. I recommend finding an independant and sign on with them. Just make sure you find someone with credentials, and have a good chunk of cash to start out with. If you need some clarification, send me a msg.
Good luck!
One other thing... count on dh being HUGE compared to what you're used to. And with the cost of fuel out there, it can test your mettle. Patience will be tested, but the paybacks can be good if you play your cards right.
To answer your question, I've seen a good share of expedite freight running between CA and TX. Alot goes to AZ, but not much out of there. Also have seen some going from WA to AZ or NM, more to CA. And, a bit of traffic going both ways in NV and CO. If you suppliment loads with LTL, you'd do well. Only time will tell you when the best freight comes out of what area. In your situation, I wouldn't go with A company. My opinion is that any one company won't keep you busy enough. I recommend finding an independant and sign on with them. Just make sure you find someone with credentials, and have a good chunk of cash to start out with. If you need some clarification, send me a msg.
Good luck!
One other thing... count on dh being HUGE compared to what you're used to. And with the cost of fuel out there, it can test your mettle. Patience will be tested, but the paybacks can be good if you play your cards right.
Grasshopper
Expert Expediter
Since I live in Los Angeles, I am very interested in this discussion. I would like to know who are the "big three" companies. I have been talking with Panter and Tri-State, with Tri-State being the most encouraging about having west coast freight. I believe it would be best to have a 24' class 8 truck in order to haul the heavier loads and have the horsepower to drive over the western mountains. The 250 HP Freightliner FL series truck probably won't have the power to get up some of the mountain very well.
Grasshopper, you are very right about the Bigger Motor. a 250 CAT or any other 250 is just not enough. I have a 315HP Cummins with a Super 10 speed. I've had 11 to 13K on it,going through the Applations (not sure on spelling) LOL and the Smokies. Had to Downshift one gear only on the highest mountains. It does a great job for me. Good Luck...Butch 
raceman
Veteran Expediter
Flame, you should run your question past Dwain and Scott at E1. Explain to them what you want to do and how long you are willing to stay out. They used to be willing to work with you to load you in to home and out.
Doubtful they could get you in there and out once a week but a good company will always help a good driver. Good luck!
Raceman
OTR O/O
Doubtful they could get you in there and out once a week but a good company will always help a good driver. Good luck!
Raceman
OTR O/O
Hi,
I was a team driver for an O/O that leased to FedEx Custom Critical
until a hernia took me down for the past 2 1/2 months.
We drove a "Heavy C" 9600lb capacity with a 24ft box truck is a 2005
International 4300 with DT466 and a automatic trans, a single coffin
sized sleeper which allowed us to nap while the other was driving but
forced us to use motels for layovers.
As for loads out west it was basically hit or miss and more often
it was "miss".
Our first trip out west was to Calexico California in mid december
of 2004, we dropped and rented a motel room and waited for a run,
think after 2 days FedEX told us to DH to the LA area, by this time
it was the weekend so we took our time and ended up staying around
Long beach, needless to say we took a bunch of crappy runs up and down
Calfifornia and ended up in Reno on I believe a thursday or friday,
got a couple of Phizer runs out of Reno into California driving thru
that rubble trail in the mountains and then a run from the Bay area
to Las Vegas delivering one roll of carpet to a retail store.
By this time it was getting close to Christmas and we were quite
a ways from our home in the Detroit area, FedEx had nothing for us
so we ended up deadheading home using what money we had left for fuel
to make it home late Christmas eve, and yes we stayed in service the
whole way back hoping for some little run to offset the cost of fuel.
We made 4 more trips to California all to San Diego area and got 2
good runs coming out of there and 2 more times we were left to rot
for days with nothing and had to deadhead some bigtime miles to get
far enough east to where FedEx had some business. By bigtime I mean
over 500-750 miles and a lot of times much more than that.
FedEx will not listen to your pleas for any type of "directional"
dispatching, so if you are stuck somewhere you don't want to be, you
can't ask for runs going in any particular direction, and it seems
like they would go out of there way to avoid giving you anything close
to your request, and that really sucks when you've been out on the
road for a good long while and would like to start heading home.
I've never seen anything coming out of Arizona from FedEx CC
and they don't seem to have a lot of business anywhere in the west.
I can't comment on other carriers or for other sized trucks, just
know our Heavy C truck sure did a lot of deadheading out that way.
I was a team driver for an O/O that leased to FedEx Custom Critical
until a hernia took me down for the past 2 1/2 months.
We drove a "Heavy C" 9600lb capacity with a 24ft box truck is a 2005
International 4300 with DT466 and a automatic trans, a single coffin
sized sleeper which allowed us to nap while the other was driving but
forced us to use motels for layovers.
As for loads out west it was basically hit or miss and more often
it was "miss".
Our first trip out west was to Calexico California in mid december
of 2004, we dropped and rented a motel room and waited for a run,
think after 2 days FedEX told us to DH to the LA area, by this time
it was the weekend so we took our time and ended up staying around
Long beach, needless to say we took a bunch of crappy runs up and down
Calfifornia and ended up in Reno on I believe a thursday or friday,
got a couple of Phizer runs out of Reno into California driving thru
that rubble trail in the mountains and then a run from the Bay area
to Las Vegas delivering one roll of carpet to a retail store.
By this time it was getting close to Christmas and we were quite
a ways from our home in the Detroit area, FedEx had nothing for us
so we ended up deadheading home using what money we had left for fuel
to make it home late Christmas eve, and yes we stayed in service the
whole way back hoping for some little run to offset the cost of fuel.
We made 4 more trips to California all to San Diego area and got 2
good runs coming out of there and 2 more times we were left to rot
for days with nothing and had to deadhead some bigtime miles to get
far enough east to where FedEx had some business. By bigtime I mean
over 500-750 miles and a lot of times much more than that.
FedEx will not listen to your pleas for any type of "directional"
dispatching, so if you are stuck somewhere you don't want to be, you
can't ask for runs going in any particular direction, and it seems
like they would go out of there way to avoid giving you anything close
to your request, and that really sucks when you've been out on the
road for a good long while and would like to start heading home.
I've never seen anything coming out of Arizona from FedEx CC
and they don't seem to have a lot of business anywhere in the west.
I can't comment on other carriers or for other sized trucks, just
know our Heavy C truck sure did a lot of deadheading out that way.
Broompilot
Veteran Expediter
I am writing this right now from Vegas, left Phoenix with a load and here I sit. I would feel much more confident if I were in Indy. Your a solo time is against you and me right now.
You live in the most desierable Expediting place to move to 0. You should'nt have any trouble selling that good looking T-300.
My obvious vote is this area would not be wise for a solo Expeditor unless you do not have to be home but once every three months.
You live in the most desierable Expediting place to move to 0. You should'nt have any trouble selling that good looking T-300.
My obvious vote is this area would not be wise for a solo Expeditor unless you do not have to be home but once every three months.
Hey Thanks for all the information. I really want to move out there and live, but I'm not able to talk The Wife into the Big move. Her Roots go to China. LOL. I Guess it will have to remain a dream. Who knows maybe she will change her mind. (You Know Women)Thanks again and Happy Holidays to all....Butch
davebeckym
Expert Expediter
U know what they say! "Where there's a will...there's a woman!"