Help Create An Article For Expedite Now!

[ATeam]

Lawrence asked me today to write a piece for the next issue of Expedite Now! entitled, "Ten Things You Should Know About Expediting." The magazine is distributed free at truck stops. The target audience is truck drivers and non-truck drivers that are considering expediting as a career option.

Rather than write about my favorite ten, I thought it better to put the question to our panel of experts here on EO; namely, our EO Open Forum participants. Your responses will form the base of the article.

Some responses may be quoted directly. Private responses are acceptable. Newbies are especially encouraged to respond. You know better than anyone how it feels to begin in today's expediting market.

Believe it or not, a bunch of people read those little magazines you see in the truck stop racks. Some of them make career decisions based on what they read. By responding here, you can help make a positive difference in people's lives. You're the people expediter wannabees want to hear from. You're the ones that can tell them how it is.

Imagine yourself stopped at a truck stop by someone that spotted your expediting truck. He or she says, "I'm thinking about becoming an expediter. What do I need to know?"

How would you reply?

You don't need to come up with ten items. One or two will be helpful too. Thank you in advance for your assistance.

Phil Madsen
Senior Field Editor
ExpeditersOnline

 

[geo]

the hidden cost nobody tells you about, need ins, clink, installed truck plates
what kind of unit over or under 10,001 33,000, signs on the truck
how much money you will need set aside until money starts coming in
how to log if you are required to

 

[Glen Rice]

Great question! I feel a business plan is crucial to get started and then some form of book keeping program to keep you up to date on your earnings and expenses. You don't know what your making until you crunch the numbers! When talking to your banker terms such as "they send me really big checks" ain't gonna cut it for long!
Have fun thinking about this question. Drive safe and be profitable!

 

[chaz]

Glen,
Is there a website or something that you could sort of get a general business plan form - mainly for expediting - Something to give you pointers to put a plan together? Thank you for your time,
Chaz

 

[jimbo van]

I agree with the above posts.I have talk to Glen.I think a business plan is crucial.And the hidden cost nobody tells you about.I need figures to work with.The miles possible in a year.Seems 75,000 to 95,000 is the around numbers?The cost of insurance?Things I and other newbies have not even thought of!I just learned from old post what load dollies are,I could not understand why in the world was a dollie needed to load a truck.Lots to learn.Thanks Jimbo

 

[theoldprof]

I too agree with all the above for a business plan, before entering the profession, and also to keep your business on track. Unfortunately when people answer a question such as how much money can I make, or how many miles will I drive, the answer is usually "it all depends on........" Surely there is an AVERAGE $$ or miles that can be entered into a business plan. One guy is not going to gross $20,000, and another 250,000. Assuming both run their business in a business like manner. We're not talking about the guy who fishes and hunts 10 months and expedites 1 and takes a month vacation. Or the guy who's brother is the dispatcher and gets all the gravy runs. Then there is also the expenses that newbees never think about. Thanks in advance. :+ :+

 

[X1_SRH]

A-team, I've got 2 points to suggest to you that I feel are the most misunderstood about what we do...

1. If you know exactly where you are going to be two days from now, You are probably not an expediter.
(and)
2. If you are lacking patience in your demeanor then expediting is probably not a good choice for you.

Just my 2 cents... Thanks - X

 

[raceman]

I am with you on all the above items as well. Hidden costs would be a biggie in my book. Looking at from my point of view and trying to find good drivers it seems that many folks who call them self truck drivers and say they are used to running over the road, are never prepared for life in an over the road expediting truck. I have lost three that just could not take the split sleeper time and the runs two hours after you get in bed. Sitting for a day and running like mad for the other six. Sitting for a week then going like a madman for the next week. Those type of hours and shorter runs just seems to have been very unexpected. Cost of repairs and the trust factor asociated with those repairs. Just how much you can spend on Pilot Cheeseburger Dogs. Now that blew me away. Much cheaper to stock the truck with some food. How to plan your showers around your fuel. When I first went out I had that all screwed up. If you pay your own fuel Taxes knowing how to manage that so you are not writting big checks or having large sums taken out of your settlement. One of the big items for me was knowing where I could catch the race every Sunday. Where to find the big screen or where to get the satelite for the truck. Gotta have my race!RaceMan

---Why Hug a tree when you can sit on a Diesle---

 

[ATeam]

This is good, folks; keep it comming! You're posting great stuff here; some of which really does get overlooked by carriers and drivers alike as people come on board.

Recruiters (or drivers that know the answer), Open Forum participant responses prompt an additional question that will be helpful if you can answer it. The FedEx CC recruiting flyer that lists average revenues for for the FedEx CC fleet (excluding White Glove) is often cited here in the EO Open Forum as a resource for those doing industry research. Do other carriers have similar documents?

In other words, when someone asks carrier representatives, "How much money can I make?" what do the representatives say, and what documents -if any- do they distribute in that regard?

 

[davekc]

Maybe a Lawrence question?
They need to do an updated poll on here which was a good source.
That is directly from the current drivers. It listed how mant days worked in a year, revenue ect. It didn't however address start up costs.
I don't think publications from carriers is that reliable of a source. That is like asking a home builder if his house is built correctly.
Cost per mile calculations and start up information is available from OOIDA and the Alliance
Davekc

 

[RichM]

I would say the most important item is communication. Always double check that youe carriers dispatchers know exactly where you are and your method of contact. If you are in a motel make sure they have that number and correct room,if on the QC for dispatch make sure it is on and they know where you are. If using a cell phone,call back and verify that this info is in the computer to contact you. If they can't reach you in the appropiate time frame you will miss out on a trip.

 

[FlameMerc]

I have something that has not been mentioned. I got this idea from a long time Epediter, that I first drove for. This will be great for the New and Seasoned Drivers. (My Opiion) Keep a weekly work sheet,that consists of dipatched miles/ actual miles. How much load pays/ bonus miles/ Fuel costs for each run. Pro# and so on. Then you have a record of all that was done each week to fall back on. Hope it works for some of you...Drive Safely..Butch

 

[conwayman]

Been expediting for two and half years now as a driver and do pretty well but was always broke and never know where the money was going but 6 mos ago I learned about the Flying J,s bank card and opened and account with them, got myself a money program with msn, now I carry as little cash with me and use the card for everything that I buy on the road and with all the points I get each month I have enough to eat a good meal every time I layover at one of the J,s.
If I get an advance on my comdate card I just call tab bank and have it transfered over to my bank card. On Friday when the owner of my van calls with my pay and gives me the amount he owes I call tab bank and get a comcheck # and call him back and he just calls comdata with the check number and its on my J card within mins and I know where every penny goes that I spend on the road, and I use the money program to seperate gas from food and etc.

 

[louixo]

Remember that probabably more than half the miles you drive will be done at night.

 

[raceman]

I want to build on what the Flame said. I have told my drivers and anyone else who would listen to keep a map of your freight or a log if you will. If you put all the things that the Flame explains you need on there and times of pick up or even time of dispatch you can build a map that is unigue to your truck that will tell you very quickly what the history of freight in those areas are. It comes in very handy each time you drop off it will help you know where to move to or where to sit if your dispatchers have no recommendations for you. It carries over to some degree if you change companies but while you are with the same company in will help you out in slow times. Folks that have taken that advice from me usally call back and thank me at some point. Build a historical freight map for your truck. It will help you a couple of times a month if not more.


RaceMan

---Why Hug a tree when you can sit on a Diesle---

 

[ATeam]

Ladies and gentlemen, this is fantastic!

You're putting up high-quality info including some that is not commonly told. Outstanding content! We're on our way to an article that will be more than one that simply appears once in a magazine. This article has legs!

By that I mean the piece will likely be picked up by others and passed on. It's happened before with EO content. Carriers sometimes deem EO content to be important enough to pass on to all their drivers and staff. Your input is helping to create another feather in the cap for EO. It's also creating an item that will be of great interest and value to the expediter wannabees and newbies that read it.

Keep it coming folks! You're doing a great job!

 

[raceman]

We just had a problem on Friday that my driver and I were not prepared for. One source of fuel payment. It is a good idea to have a second way to pay for fuel if your your first fails. My drivers have fuel cards. One of them pulled in fueled up and when he went in to pay. REJECTED. Somehow the card was canceled. This was at a Fly n hook where they will not take Com Checks and will not take a credit card over the phone. Took all day to get this taken care of while truck was under load and headed for downtown NY. Needless to say my driver had a bad day. Be sure you have a back up to pay for fuel.
Here is another thing I ran into. Prescrition Drugs. Have a plan to be able to get refills on the road. What a nightmare if you are not prepared.

I also recommend taking some good movies with you or books whatever you like. I found I wasted a lot of money to cure my down time blues.
RaceMan

---Why Hug a tree when you can sit on a Diesle---

 

[geo]

also should add list of discount that places give
if a senior there is discounts at most rest
and some fast food places
ex wendy's, on toll roads they give 15% for meals in rest
hotel's give trucker discount, also sam's club and aaa
and many other's
also napa give's a aaa discount on parts
eo should see if hotel's would give eo member's a discount
call it eo's travel club and for a member ship print out a form
to show memebership

 

[ATeam]

Thanks folks. The article has now been written and submitted. Watch for it in the next edition of Expedite Now!. If you have not yet subscribed (free!), click here to do so:

http://www.expeditersonline.com/eonow