triadcowboy
Rookie Expediter
I've been doing the cargo van thing for about 3 months now ( I a newbie) and only recently ( within days) found this site while researching some concerns. So far i have found it to be quite the source of answers for many questions. The company I work (contract)for is also new to the business even though the broker and a few of the other drivers have done this for quite some time.
The company owns and maintains the equipment pays for all fuel, tolls and other expenses and gives us a 65/35 split which seems to be about the average. I also get a few extra thrown in on the deal. Like the occassion hotel stay when I have been sitting more than a few days. With the company being new...... sitting and waiting is to be expected but the extended periods (days) have greatly decrease as we get our name out there. We seem to have to do a lot of deadheading to get loads and I;m currently pushing to get at least a portion of the deadhead miles paid. (wish me luck)
Coming from 25 years of running heavy equipment and being home everynight... this is quite the lifestyle change for me. The loniness is a killer alone with the boredom. I have learned quite alot in the few shorts months i have done this and so far have marked off 27 states that i have atleast been through a small portion of...... and some I dont care to go back to. LOL But that just me!
Suggestion to those coming into the bus is learn to eat cheap quickly.... as in eat before you stop at the truck stops... buy snacks and stuff at wal marts or other. Prepared to be bored.... bring your favorite book or game or something to help occupied your idle time...... If you drive a cargo van go buy yourself a camper cot.... they fold up and easily stored out of the way and fold up. It greatly improves your sleep....... I also carry a fold up chair. Sometimes it just to hot to sit in the van and to expensive to let it idle and run the AC....
Plans for the future....
Well timidly thinking about becomng a owner operator after a few more months of doing this in either a cargo van/ sprinter or maybe a light duty straight truck... and leasing to a larger well know company. Might even consider doing a team deal.
The company owns and maintains the equipment pays for all fuel, tolls and other expenses and gives us a 65/35 split which seems to be about the average. I also get a few extra thrown in on the deal. Like the occassion hotel stay when I have been sitting more than a few days. With the company being new...... sitting and waiting is to be expected but the extended periods (days) have greatly decrease as we get our name out there. We seem to have to do a lot of deadheading to get loads and I;m currently pushing to get at least a portion of the deadhead miles paid. (wish me luck)
Coming from 25 years of running heavy equipment and being home everynight... this is quite the lifestyle change for me. The loniness is a killer alone with the boredom. I have learned quite alot in the few shorts months i have done this and so far have marked off 27 states that i have atleast been through a small portion of...... and some I dont care to go back to. LOL But that just me!
Suggestion to those coming into the bus is learn to eat cheap quickly.... as in eat before you stop at the truck stops... buy snacks and stuff at wal marts or other. Prepared to be bored.... bring your favorite book or game or something to help occupied your idle time...... If you drive a cargo van go buy yourself a camper cot.... they fold up and easily stored out of the way and fold up. It greatly improves your sleep....... I also carry a fold up chair. Sometimes it just to hot to sit in the van and to expensive to let it idle and run the AC....
Plans for the future....
Well timidly thinking about becomng a owner operator after a few more months of doing this in either a cargo van/ sprinter or maybe a light duty straight truck... and leasing to a larger well know company. Might even consider doing a team deal.
