>Greetings to all the professionals in the expeditor
>industry. I'm looking to get started with fedex custom
>critical, I have been a fedex ground linehaul driver and
>local route driver as well I wanted to get into expediting
>because its something that more and more business are
>looking to get into. I do have a family and would still like
>to have decent home time as well I have heard that if your
>somewhat near major cities and airports you are in good
>shape. Can I get some feed back from the seasoned veterans
>of the business? The does and don'ts in getting started.
>Thanks to all
>
>
>Tony
Hi Tony,
I'm not exactly sure what a ground linehaul driver is. As for a local route driver my suggestion would be to sign w/ a local company & do pretty much what you're doing. As others have said if you want to do well at expediting you're going to have to stay on the road for quite awhile.
I'm not so sure expediting is profitable enough to support a family on. It's more a job for single people or empty nesters, that kind of thing. It's a lifestyle if ya will, but it's not a great paying lifestyle in most cases. There are some exceptions for sure, but I don't think there's any exceptions for people who want to be home a fair amount.
I'm w/ you in that I don't want to be on the road for extended periods. I got a position w/ a local company. Ya might make a lil bit more total money expediting (or ya might not, close call) than ya could at your local route. The per hour basis won't even be close though. Your local job on a per hour basis will be a lot, I mean a LOT more than expediting will be.
If ya do end up getting into expediting, my top suggestion would be to buy a used vehicle. Ya want to work for yourself & not be trapped into a high vehicle payment. As for truck size I'd think a C or D unit would be the best one to get into. They seem to have the most flexability. There seems to be a glut on cargo vans (B units) right now & ya can end up doing a lot of sitting/deadhead when you're in one of those.
My next suggestion to anyone starting out would be to work for a local company because ya can always take a longer run if ya wish where as the regional companies don't have a lot of the local freight if ya wanna just take a short one. So ya have a lot more flexability w/ a local company. In your case though, you're already w/ one, so I'm not sure what benefits you'd get out of getting into this.
Best of wishes to ya,
Danny
