I need some help with this decision. I am suppose to go to US Xpress for orientation Monday in Colton, Ca. But I am suppose to hear back from the recruiter who does Panther and FedEx Custom Critical. I am suppose to be getting teamed up with a guy who drives for a fleet owner with Panther II. But I don't know much difference in expediting and OTR. Which company should I go with? I know US Xpress is not the best OTR and like I said don't know much about with expediting. Any advice would be helpful.
Help Please, Need Advice
- Thread starter et1231
- Start date
My advice to you would be to delay a decision for a week or so until you can read back at least one year in the general, newbies and recruiter segments of these forums. You don't have to read every word but read all the threads that catch your eye.
To my knowledge there isn't a recruiter who does both Panther and FX so I presume you are waiting on two recruiters to call you back. You'll do far more miles with USX but at much lower rates. Some people can't cope with the sitting and waiting in expediting. Be sure you're aware of that along with everything else.
To my knowledge there isn't a recruiter who does both Panther and FX so I presume you are waiting on two recruiters to call you back. You'll do far more miles with USX but at much lower rates. Some people can't cope with the sitting and waiting in expediting. Be sure you're aware of that along with everything else.
Thanks LDB, But I can't wait a week and decided thats my problem. But seems like expediting you wait alot. I thought being hot frieght you would always be running. Plus I don't know the guy I am being teamed with and I do know that he is a little older than me. The recruiter I am talking with at first she says she is looking for me to team with for we can drive with them driving for fedex and now she says she found me someone that is driving for panther. Just waiting on my DAC to come thru. But US Xpress already called me and I have orientation set up for Monday already. So I don't have time to decided. I need the money. Like always. And didn't know if I would make more OTR or Expediting. I would be second seat with this guy at Panther. Anyways, any more advice and I will be reading up on the other forums.. Thanks for that.
Well something isn't right with your posts. Fedxcc and Panther are fierce competitors in all aspects of the expediting industry. Recruiters work for one or the other not both. Sounds like you might be dealing with a large fleet owner that has trucks leased to both companies.
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Hot freight in expediting means no stopping for donuts every 100 miles when loaded. You stop for pit stops as needed and pretty much press on the rest of the time. It doesn't mean being loaded 24/7. I have no idea what the fleet recruiter has told you as far as their pay system nor what USX pays. Most that I talk to find they drive a lot less but make a lot more so it evens out overall. I prefer more sitting time so expediting is good for me.
You may want to take a paper and down the side list factors like hometime, pay, benefits, equipment and all the other factors that apply. Then make columns for USX, FX and P2 and rank them 1, 2 and 3. When you're done add their points up and the one with the least points wins.
You may want to take a paper and down the side list factors like hometime, pay, benefits, equipment and all the other factors that apply. Then make columns for USX, FX and P2 and rank them 1, 2 and 3. When you're done add their points up and the one with the least points wins.
alborada
Seasoned Expediter
LDB You may want to take a paper and down the side list factors like hometime, pay, benefits, equipment and all the other factors that apply. Then make columns for USX, FX and P2 and rank them 1, 2 and 3. When you're done add their points up and the one with the least points wins.
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this is very good advaice :
I like this very muche...........If you never do befor expediid like us will be hard time for you to but you can deal or you can stop not more oppsions...........Usx are not so bad company but it is hard to make the desition I know but like LDB said to you and I will take this advace from him make a list and find the good way. Good Luck and I wish the all best for your new job..........
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this is very good advaice :
I like this very muche...........If you never do befor expediid like us will be hard time for you to but you can deal or you can stop not more oppsions...........Usx are not so bad company but it is hard to make the desition I know but like LDB said to you and I will take this advace from him make a list and find the good way. Good Luck and I wish the all best for your new job..........
Thanks guys for your advice. I just hear bad things about each company. But that is one persons opinion. Some people to better than the other guy. I don't mind sitting sometimes. But I also want to get paid. Hometime is important to me because I do have a family they do support me on this. Either way I still have a major decision to make. The recruiter did say we get paid something about split pay. 60/40 One goes to the truck and the other to me and team driver.
The most common pay method is 60/40 split with the side paying fuel getting 60% plus 100% of the fsc. Drivers should get 100% of any hands on fees like hand load, inside delivery etc. since they're doing 100% of the work. Some owners will lump all accessorials into the 60/40 split and keep part of what I term "people pay", i.e. hand load etc.. That's wrong in my opinion.
If you can keep deadhead to a reasonable level you usually make more with the 60% plus fsc side. Whichever side you are on you'll have to confirm the division of that between you and the other driver. Whichever side you are on you should get 50% of "time pay" i.e. detention and layover. An hour of detention is an hour of your time and an hour of the truck owner's time. Each side should get half of whatever it pays.
"I don't mind sitting sometimes. But I also want to get paid." You need to figure out, as best you can, how much you'll make per mile with each company. If you make 50cpm expediting and 35cpm at USX (made up numbers since I don't know what they'll be) you have to drive 1.43 times as many miles for USX to make the same money you'd make expediting, all else being equal. The extra time not driving could be used for online courses or other things to help you perhaps move into management one day or into another field.
You'll hear bad things about any company. The larger it is the more negatives you'll hear since there are more people involved.
If you can keep deadhead to a reasonable level you usually make more with the 60% plus fsc side. Whichever side you are on you'll have to confirm the division of that between you and the other driver. Whichever side you are on you should get 50% of "time pay" i.e. detention and layover. An hour of detention is an hour of your time and an hour of the truck owner's time. Each side should get half of whatever it pays.
"I don't mind sitting sometimes. But I also want to get paid." You need to figure out, as best you can, how much you'll make per mile with each company. If you make 50cpm expediting and 35cpm at USX (made up numbers since I don't know what they'll be) you have to drive 1.43 times as many miles for USX to make the same money you'd make expediting, all else being equal. The extra time not driving could be used for online courses or other things to help you perhaps move into management one day or into another field.
You'll hear bad things about any company. The larger it is the more negatives you'll hear since there are more people involved.
Et, this is just my opinion, but if I'm not misunderstanding you, it sounds like otr would work better for you, for now. You say you need the money: otr is far more reliable, as to weekly mileage. You say hometime is important, and the big carriers, like US Express, have a policy to get you home every other weekend, and enough freight to do it easily. (Whether you have any energy to enjoy the hometime is another matter, lol, but they WILL get you there!)
Expediting cannot offer reliable freight, consistently, or hometime when you want it. You may be ready to go home after 2 weeks out, and then get a great load offer that takes you in the opposite direction - accepting it may mean another week or two on the road, but turning loads down isn't the road to success, in expediting.
Like LDB, I enjoy some downtime - but if you NEED the steady mileage & regular hometime, expediting will probably be frustrating for you and your family. Best of luck, whichever you choose.
Expediting cannot offer reliable freight, consistently, or hometime when you want it. You may be ready to go home after 2 weeks out, and then get a great load offer that takes you in the opposite direction - accepting it may mean another week or two on the road, but turning loads down isn't the road to success, in expediting.
Like LDB, I enjoy some downtime - but if you NEED the steady mileage & regular hometime, expediting will probably be frustrating for you and your family. Best of luck, whichever you choose.
Everybody all you help is really helping. LOL, Anyways, it does seem like I need to go OTR. I have done OTR for like six months and I teamed when I did it. Actually liked teaming with someone. So, I guess I might be going with USX. So keep up the advice I keep checking. But I think I am getting to the point of making a descion on what everybody is saying. These forums are really helpful. Thanks everybody.
greg334
Veteran Expediter
Advice?
OK, here is a bit of advice and it is pessimistic advice.
First thing is, you seem to be in a big hurry, that will means you are not looking at options or getting a real feel for this business, slow down and remember if you can't take 3 months to set goals and make decisions, your success rate goes down exponentially with the shorting of the research and decision time from that 3 months (sorry #1 - this goes for many businesses, not just expediting).
If you have only 6 months of experience in OTR, stay right where you are at in OTR and get at least a year's experience. 6 Months is nothing in the bigger scheme of things and you will understand that after your 5th year of driving. Don't bother trying to figure our how much money you will make here or when, there are really and truthfully no guarantees that you will even make 20 cents a mile when you are running in this business.
With US express, I don't know what their treatment is for their drivers, I would say it is not as bad as other companies are but I would think that they would keep you moving more than Panther or FedEx and this may be better for you to build up a savings to enter this niche market and drive for an owner for a little bit with a goal of getting your own truck. This goes back to the 3 months decision time and the not to be in a hurry.
Right now, it is too slow to enter this market (sorry #2, it is a fact), realistically the people who are saying it is fine are either well establish people or are not the typical expediter. I would not buy into this from any recruiter and some will say how rosie it is but realistically, it is not for many of us.
That's my advice.
OK, here is a bit of advice and it is pessimistic advice.
First thing is, you seem to be in a big hurry, that will means you are not looking at options or getting a real feel for this business, slow down and remember if you can't take 3 months to set goals and make decisions, your success rate goes down exponentially with the shorting of the research and decision time from that 3 months (sorry #1 - this goes for many businesses, not just expediting).
If you have only 6 months of experience in OTR, stay right where you are at in OTR and get at least a year's experience. 6 Months is nothing in the bigger scheme of things and you will understand that after your 5th year of driving. Don't bother trying to figure our how much money you will make here or when, there are really and truthfully no guarantees that you will even make 20 cents a mile when you are running in this business.
With US express, I don't know what their treatment is for their drivers, I would say it is not as bad as other companies are but I would think that they would keep you moving more than Panther or FedEx and this may be better for you to build up a savings to enter this niche market and drive for an owner for a little bit with a goal of getting your own truck. This goes back to the 3 months decision time and the not to be in a hurry.
Right now, it is too slow to enter this market (sorry #2, it is a fact), realistically the people who are saying it is fine are either well establish people or are not the typical expediter. I would not buy into this from any recruiter and some will say how rosie it is but realistically, it is not for many of us.
That's my advice.
Jefferson3000
Expert Expediter
Sounds like your in a real hurry, because you need money? If you need the money that bad, I would slow down quite a bit. I never make wise decisions when I'm rushed. You'll always need money, but you won't always be able to undo a bad decision that you made in a hurry.
Take a deep breath.......
Take a deep breath.......
Fr8 Shaker
Veteran Expediter
I'll be short, sweet and to the point. Start with US Express because I can't see driving for a fleet owner and teaming with someone who is not your spouse generating enough for 2 incomes. Not to mention you maybe having to have hometime different from your co-driver.
We have done both USX and now at FedEx Custom Critical. As a solo I would sure do USX first learn as much as you can from them and make all the newbie's mistakes driving their trucks. Then if you really like driving but do not like the forced dispatch, the being treated worse then a number, and being on hold for hours and you want to move on to being treated like a human and can appreciate it look at becoming an O/O in Expediting or OTR. I think from what you have said here you will make steadier money with USX and learn more of what you want your future to look like!
Good Luck to you. USX really is not that bad and they teach you a lot!
Good Luck to you. USX really is not that bad and they teach you a lot!
I've watched U.S. Xpress trucks closely since their president , Pat Quinn lied through his teeth as an ATA chairman trying to push the speed limiter petition . In an article in "Road Star " magazine Quinn was quoted as saying "Responsible carriers know speed is the number 1 killer " That was a crock and I fired off an e-mail to the editor . In the next issue the editor's page quoted me "Taking Quinn to task" and agreed with me . But while Quinn was preaching on the perils of speeding EVERY U.S. Xpress truck seen on I-75 in MI and OH was running out in the left lane doing 65 m.p.h.+ in a 55 m.p.h. zone . With Quinn trying to force drivers to run under the speed limit in 70 m.p.h. zones , his trucks speeding in 55 m.p.h. zones would not be tolerated . The Highway Patrols in MI and OH were notified and U.S. Xpress was audited by FMCSA . The audit resulted in a defecit safestat driver SEA and U.S. Xpress was fined $10,000 for fraudulent log books . (If you log driving 300 miles in 5 hours through a 55 m.p.h. state or 2 the auditor's software says lied ) Now almost all U.S. Xpress trucks prudently obey speed limits .
bludragon13
Seasoned Expediter
I'm suprised no one has reminded you of the old saying," A bird in hand is worthy two in the bush", you may be waiting along time for the so called recruiter- not much of a decison here for some one in a hurry!
When you run for a big carrier as a Driver you get paid by the mile and could care less about fuel. Those trucks are governed so you run with your foot pushed to the floor from morning to night. As for log books.....
He'd be rather disappointed to find out how wrong that is, I think. As we all are, but at least we knew it going in, lol.