getting ready to buy
- Thread starter DaveW
- Start date
I would guess you are posting here because you have decided you want to be a freight expediter. Have you spoken to the people who already work at the company you wish to lease with?? I don't mean just a few, selected for you by the recruiter...have you gone to the local truck stops and talked with the expediters sitting there? (There WILL be some sitting there...don't worry about finding them!!)
I just returned, last night, from Akron, where I gave back the "D" unit I have been driving. I had a good truck, the owner was no problem to work for at all...but FedEx CC simply did NOT have enough loads for me, a single driver, to make this a paying proposition. Last I knew FDXCC had about 1200 trucks and we were moving around 400 loads per day. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out this is NOT going to be a money-maker for the average owner/operator.
Reading this board, I am convinced that ALL recruiters, for ALL companies, just flat-out lie to recruit trucks. Look down at the post from Bearcat...I met him on the road and I am sure he did his best to make it work but you CANNOT make money sitting at the truck stop. Some will give you a line of crap about "if you manage your business properly you will prosper"..this too, in these times, is a line of pure bull. There is NO amount of "management" that will allow you to prosper when gross income is smaller than your operating and fixed costs.
If you simply feel you cannot live a full, happy, and satisfying life with becoming a freight expediter, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do NOT enter into any financial commitments that could cost you your house if it fails. If you MUST try this I strongly recommend you risk nothing but the equity you have in the truck. I also recommend you talk to Tri-State if you are determined to give this a whirl...on my way home last night I counted 1 FedEx CC (White Glove), 1 Panther, half a dozen Mom-and-Pops, No TST,No Thompsons, and FIVE Tri-States on I271 and I90 from Akron to Erie.
Last piece of advice: If you are going to buy a Freightliner (and why not...they are dirt cheap now) look until you find one with a Cummins engine and something other than a 7 speed Spicer transmission. You should be able to pick up a good used FL70 with a decent sleeper and relatively low mileage (maybe a 98 or even a 99) somewhere in the low $20,000's. In fact, look at the classifieds here and I bet you will find TONS of owners eager to lease you the truck for nothing down if you want to drive it.
I wish you good fortune and apologize if this post sounds negative..but I have spoken to way too many guys in the last year who said "I can't make a living doing this anymore and now I am going to lose my truck...and my house." This can be a good business but it is sure hard times.
Grif
I just returned, last night, from Akron, where I gave back the "D" unit I have been driving. I had a good truck, the owner was no problem to work for at all...but FedEx CC simply did NOT have enough loads for me, a single driver, to make this a paying proposition. Last I knew FDXCC had about 1200 trucks and we were moving around 400 loads per day. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out this is NOT going to be a money-maker for the average owner/operator.
Reading this board, I am convinced that ALL recruiters, for ALL companies, just flat-out lie to recruit trucks. Look down at the post from Bearcat...I met him on the road and I am sure he did his best to make it work but you CANNOT make money sitting at the truck stop. Some will give you a line of crap about "if you manage your business properly you will prosper"..this too, in these times, is a line of pure bull. There is NO amount of "management" that will allow you to prosper when gross income is smaller than your operating and fixed costs.
If you simply feel you cannot live a full, happy, and satisfying life with becoming a freight expediter, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do NOT enter into any financial commitments that could cost you your house if it fails. If you MUST try this I strongly recommend you risk nothing but the equity you have in the truck. I also recommend you talk to Tri-State if you are determined to give this a whirl...on my way home last night I counted 1 FedEx CC (White Glove), 1 Panther, half a dozen Mom-and-Pops, No TST,No Thompsons, and FIVE Tri-States on I271 and I90 from Akron to Erie.
Last piece of advice: If you are going to buy a Freightliner (and why not...they are dirt cheap now) look until you find one with a Cummins engine and something other than a 7 speed Spicer transmission. You should be able to pick up a good used FL70 with a decent sleeper and relatively low mileage (maybe a 98 or even a 99) somewhere in the low $20,000's. In fact, look at the classifieds here and I bet you will find TONS of owners eager to lease you the truck for nothing down if you want to drive it.
I wish you good fortune and apologize if this post sounds negative..but I have spoken to way too many guys in the last year who said "I can't make a living doing this anymore and now I am going to lose my truck...and my house." This can be a good business but it is sure hard times.
Grif
Ilovechrome
Expert Expediter
I agree with the message above. These guy's are getting on with FedEx CC wont last a year. Im not being negative just speaking from exp. You will not get rich,you will not be home EVER, and you will do a lot of sitting. I know some of you say "oh you just dont know how to run a biz"...yeah right we all know that it is tough,real tough to make any money at this game. I just ran into a single that just hired on w/ fdx and was given the golden first run from MO to NV over good fri. easter wknd. I remember that first one they gave me 1500 miles and paid big money made me think this expediting was the best but after they gave me my first couple of good runs the sitting started and the tps came not long after....Even good team runs are starting to become much more scarce. I would not advise anyone to put money into getting into the expediting biz right now. There is a reason all these six month old trucks are sitting at dealers everywhere.There is a reason every truck stop has ten or more expediter trucks sitting there (sometimes for a week or so). There is reason people like me are telling you this, Im just being honest. There is reason that people are dropping like flies from FedEx etc. There is a reason you will one day say "man I should of listened to the guy's message" and that will be at the moment you fail at the game just like so many have.Enough said. See ya at the freightliner dealer when you give your keys back.
Forerunner
Expert Expediter
I have not yet ventured into expediting for some of the reasons given. The one thing I can tell you is DO YOUR HOMEWORK. I have been researching this venture for almost 2 years and you need to be very careful on who you believe.
The single most important thing I see in todays world is that "TIMES HAVE CHANGED" and the method of doing business has changed. Peoples expectation of this industry must change in order to be successful. This is true of a lot of industry. If you have expectations from what some of the veterans say (things use to be like this and that)then this may not be the thing for you. You have to roll with the changes and reset expectations.
Common sense will tell you that every company will continue to hire because it cost them very little to put you on. They want a truck at every corner so no load is missed. Can you blame them? There in the business to move freight at every opportunity.
Another thing that I have discovered is that some drivers will refuse many loads (for various reasons) but the bottom line is the volume of business overall needs to be there and the truck has to be moving with profitable miles.
Good luck and do your research. There are alot of great people in this industry.
;-) ;-) ;-)
The single most important thing I see in todays world is that "TIMES HAVE CHANGED" and the method of doing business has changed. Peoples expectation of this industry must change in order to be successful. This is true of a lot of industry. If you have expectations from what some of the veterans say (things use to be like this and that)then this may not be the thing for you. You have to roll with the changes and reset expectations.
Common sense will tell you that every company will continue to hire because it cost them very little to put you on. They want a truck at every corner so no load is missed. Can you blame them? There in the business to move freight at every opportunity.
Another thing that I have discovered is that some drivers will refuse many loads (for various reasons) but the bottom line is the volume of business overall needs to be there and the truck has to be moving with profitable miles.
Good luck and do your research. There are alot of great people in this industry.
;-) ;-) ;-)
Fr8 Shaker
Veteran Expediter
Hi Dave, Well you didn't give a whole lot of infomation about how long you have been doing expediting and who you may plan on doing it for. but i agree with a couple of the other guy's. a recruiter's job is to blow sunshine up your @rse. once your signed on he could care less what happens. but to put my 2 cents worth in about your ? if your just planning to get into this on your own and your planning on starting with a company that you haven't run for b4, and not sure of the amount of work available. i suggust you try and find a good used truck with good maintenance records and preferrably from a private owner. and ask him / her what repairs have been done to the truck and how long ago. most companys require a 96-97 or newer. the reason i say this is that although things are just now starting to pick up there will be that slow time again b4 you know it and when that trucks just sitting in the driveway used payments will be a little easier to swallow. you can always upgrade later.
Best of Luck,
Fr8 Shaker
Best of Luck,
Fr8 Shaker
Hi Dave,I think the first question I have for you is, who are you going to ask these questions? I'm sorry to say this,but I wouldn't trust anything the recruiter tells you. I'm sure he'll tell you things have been slow,but they expect them to pick up at any time. If you can keep your truck payment under $500 and stay out 50 weeks a year, you can make a decent living. You will NOT get rich! Fuel prices are rising also. That is one of the biggest expenses you will have,and you have no control over it. 3 years ago I think I was paying about .80 cents per gallon. Now,atleast in the eastern states, its hard to find it for 1.40.To gross $1000 a week, you will probably spend $200,or better in fuel.(rough figures,1250 miles,9MPG plus idling...lots of idling!).Now subtract $125 for truck payment,$25 for insurance,$75 for misc snacks coffee and tolls.Then $25 for qualcom, $30 for workers comp and at least $50 for an account for the inevitable repairs and maintence(I'm sure some will tell you this may not be enough!). IF you can keep your payments this low you have now made $470 for 168 hours of work, not showering near as often as you would like and living like a hermit. Now subtract taxes!! There will be better weeks,but I assure you there will be worse weeks,right now I think thats a reasonable average for a single driver. Make sure not to finance your truck for longer than your company will allow you to keep it leased to them. Plan on living and eating in your truck,make sure to have a microwave,and atleast a cooler. As someone said earlier, they are recruiting trucks in an effort to cover every load, this means sitting in podunk USA for 5 days straight to get an average load,as a single driver, of less than 300miles,often with a dead head of over a hundred miles.Seriously, its nothing to sit for 1 or 2 days,not uncommon to sit 3-5 days. My personal record for authorized, in-service out of town sitting is 11 days. Thats a long time to wander around a truck stop and sit in your truck,believe me!! If someone is telling you what a great job this is, why are there so many openings? Its not the fault of the companies, freight just isnt there. Right now it seems most drivers are just holding on, hoping things get better. I think that after 3 slow years in a row, it may be time to face the fact that this is just the way its going to be. I also tend to think they are recuiting to replace lost trucks,not to cover an increase in freight. Look at the used expediter market. Right now a used expediter is cheaper than a used cab and chassis. Thats because the market is flooded with repo's. Last I knew you could still buy a NEW year 2000 expediter!!(if not a 2000,definitely a 2001) Try finding a new 2000 Pick up or any other vehicle.Well, enough of that. open your eyes and read the signs, Repo'd trucks, new trucks not sold, rising fuel,and the fact that they are recruiting. You can believe your eyes, or what the recruiter is telling you. Its all up to you, and what ever you do... Best of luck!!
Just wondering, Grif< how long did you drive for someone? and what company?
Its been said that driving for someone first, is a good start. Are times so slow that that advise is being questioned?
Also, DaveW, I got a book,B.E.S.T., from, expresstrucking.com. There are some good articles in, Mar/Apr. Landline & Feb. Overdrive.
I am still trying to get info to start also, I do believe some of the best advise I have received is not to rush out there, have plenty of capital and ask quetions.
Good luck
Mouse
Its been said that driving for someone first, is a good start. Are times so slow that that advise is being questioned?
Also, DaveW, I got a book,B.E.S.T., from, expresstrucking.com. There are some good articles in, Mar/Apr. Landline & Feb. Overdrive.
I am still trying to get info to start also, I do believe some of the best advise I have received is not to rush out there, have plenty of capital and ask quetions.
Good luck
Mouse