I am a pre-newbie...I know nothing....please help!

[TCturles]

I am a partner of a tropical plant wholsale business in the midwest. I just turned 40, I'm having a mid life crisis, I'm ready to shoot my partner, and the only thing I like about my work is when I'm driving one of our box trucks out on the open highways in between sales calls. I ran into a FEDex Custom Critical driver last week and he recommended this website. I've been buying used Ryder Topkicks with the Cat diesel engines and have been very pleased. They sell them when they get 150,000 miles on them(with a 24 foot box.) Is this too old of a truck to buy to break into the expedited freight industry as an owner operator? And do I have to have a sleeper cab to be considered for employment?


I'd appreciate any advice.

 

[Wild Bill]

Usually most companies want a truck to be 5 years old or younger. Check with the companies you are intrested to see their individual criteria.

As for the sleepers, Yes most companies require them. It makes sense to have one. If you are on the road several weeks at a time hotels will get expensive every night. And according to D.O.T. regulations if you drive 10 hours you will need to show 8 hours sleeper berth in your log book or 8 hours in a hotel room to be able to legally drive again. And if you don't have a sleeper they may ask to see your hotel receipt.

The only expedited company I know of that accepts older trucks (Up to 7 years old) and no sleeper is AutoQuick. That might be right up your alley if you live in the midwest.

 

[geo]

i first started with out a sleeper in 92 and had to stop and add a sleeper and took 2 weeks to or 10 working days to get road ready, and stopping and starting like that cost more money in start up, so what you want is to go with everything need to go to work so you don't have to start and stop and go it's hard.

also look on expediters online they have people who want to get out of a truck and my get a good deal to,
also tsi in north jackson oh has some new and old trucks
new are 24ft d units western star with proheat gen set on them
and couple of used d units all ready to go there phone no is
800 388 3850 and ask for bill moore, great person
also a go place to add equitment to truck .
also to save money would add a genset to the truck
save on engine when not running on down the road

 

[guest]

Thanks for visiting our site, there
are a lot of expediting veterans
here and they can give you the straight
info!

For an overview of general info on
this business, take a look at our
"Getting Started" section found on
the front page of EO. It uses a
Frequently Asked Questions format
and is fairly comprehensive in
answering the common questions about
this business.

Hope this helps.

Jeff Jensen - Editor