I SEE A PATTERN

[BigDiesel]

Below are my observations about his business:

1) There are thousands of people in this business and they always tell you not to get invloved but yet they are still invloved?
2) No one ever really tells you how much they are making?
3) Everybody tells you which companies not to drive for but never tells you which ones too drive for?
4) Everybody is broke and looking to leave but they are still drivng?


These are my observations as a newbie

 

[SouthernGuy60]

Strange huh? I noticed the same thing. Anyway, I'm on my way to purchase a new Sprinter. Lots of work here in the southern Louisiana area.

Y'all have a good one!

 

[Glen Rice]

Boy you hit that one dead on! I know more expeditors that are exhausted from working and they don't have the time to post on this forum? I think a lot of this is due to a few with a strong work ethic and not the differences of a good and bad company.

 

[raceman]

Well here is my input.

I have always told people to "Come on in the water is fine" check my past posts. I think it is a great business. I only warn people to have the money to back up breakdowns and slow times.

I run a deticated route and have for some time. It appears I will make about $80,000 this year. This is not as good as I have done and it is not as bad as I have done.

I have always said Express-1 is the best group of people I have ever been involved with. I trust them and liked almost everyone there. I only left because I found something somewhat local and dedicated. I also dropped my role of Fleet Owner.

I think Tri State is a good outfit. I highly recommend them for Teams. I was not overly happy with them as solo trucks. Express-1 was great for solo straights.

If you know how to save for slow times and vehicle upkeep and you do not buy a truck outside of your means, come on in it is a great business and pretty cool lifestyle.

Hope you find this helpful.


Raceman
OTR O/O

 

[BigDiesel]

I think maybe its like a guy that finds a good fishing bait he really doesnt want anybody to know what it is.....................lol

PS: Raceman, you are correct you are one of the exceptions, thanks for your valuable input.

 

[Tennesseahawk]

What I see are ppl warning which companies will burn you. Other than those companies, it's all a matter of fit. Express-1 was a great company for me, as a single driver, until they got me out of their freight zone... then I was on my own. Panther is a great company for teams, if you don't mind the qualcomm as a big brother. You have to weigh out what is most important to you.

I'm sure anyone here would be willing to tell you the good points of their company. Money, on the other hand, is more personal. Some will talk to you about it, but usually in an email or on the phone.

 

[LDB]

I tell some people they should go for it and some to find something else. It depends on the individual situation. As stated, one must have enough reserve to carry them through slow times and/or breakdowns. Lots of people come to the forum wanting to get started and to use an old saying "don't have a pot to piss in" much less the reserves to get into this business. Others have family issues that make this a poor fit. Others are in a situation that makes this a very good opportunity.

Express-1 is a good company to work for if you want a small town atmosphere. The people are great. There isn't anyone there you would turn the other way to avoid contact with. Conversely, they are a small company. Where some pay deadhead anywhere they dispatch you that has qualifying d/h miles Express-1 pays only in certain zones. They also don't have as broad a customer base so to get moving out of a slow area may require taking a discounted load. In return for the compromises they will know you by name whenever they see you and treat you like part of the family.

Panther is a good company to work for if you don't mind being part of a big company. For the most part they won't have a clue who you are when they see you other than to maybe remember your face. They'll pay you qualifying d/h miles anywhere in the country though. It all depends on what you're looking for.

People don't talk about money because it's a personal thing for one but moreso because one person's work ethic won't match another's and one person won't get the same runs and miles another gets. A better question would be how many paid and how many deadhead miles a week. That too won't match from person to person but is more likely to be shared and can give good information as well.

Expediting is a good business and anyone interested in a business should look into it. Many visitors aren't looking for a business career, they are looking for a job. This isn't the best job in the world and perhaps isn't a good idea for those people.

Hope that helps at least a little. Good luck.

Leo Bricker
OOIDA 677319
truck 4958
73's K5LDB
Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you like.

 

[BigDiesel]

Thanks LDB!

 

[davekc]

We are with Panther as well. As well as the mentioned comments, Panther gives us the opportunity to seek and book our own loads.
They collect 15 percent, to cover authority, insurance, and collections. Very reasonable. They also have, if not the best, fuel surcharge program. Very important item with the current high fuel costs.

Davekc
owner
21 years

 

[guest]

As noted above, be aware that if a person is posting here they are not driving. Thus, the posts here may tip toward the negative because the people who would say very positive things are too busy driving to read the forums.

As for how much money people make, I think this depends on two things: luck and how long you want to stay out. Based upon these two variables it is hard to really say how much a given truck and driver will make because different people have different comfort levels with how long they want to stay out and how lucky they are.

As for the best companies, the question is "best for what?" Again, different people have different ideas of what a good company is, which means different people will say different companies are the best. I am leased to Con Way Now and I am very pleased with the way they do business. One practice in particular that I like is that they will work to set up relays on long loads so that a solo like me can get a piece of it rather than having to wait for something that can be done in 11 hours. A team wouldn't give an oink about this practice.

The ideal company also depends on where you live. If you live outside a company's freight lanes, it probably won'y be a good fit for you.

As for advising people not to get into the business, I think this is a pretty neat way to make a living and a pretty neat way to spend your time on this earth. A lot more challenging than a person might imagine.

Also a lot more frustrating at times. Just wait until you decide to take your straight truck off road "just to see what it's like" and get stuck and have to spend several hours digging it out and enlisting mutliple 4 wheel drives to pull you free. I had a "friend" that this happened to.

 

[LDB]

>Also a lot more frustrating at times. Just wait until you
>decide to take your straight truck off road "just to see
>what it's like" and get stuck and have to spend several
>hours digging it out and enlisting mutliple 4 wheel drives
>to pull you free. I had a "friend" that this happened to.
>

So how long ago was it that you, I mean your friend, got stuck? :+

Leo Bricker
OOIDA 677319
truck 4958
73's K5LDB
Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you like.

 

[ATeam]

>Below are my observations about his business:
>
>snip<
>3) Everybody tells you which companies not to drive for but
>never tells you which ones too drive for?
>snip<

It is not unusual for expediters to change carriers. If after making your first choice, you find a carrier that can better meet your needs later on, it's easy to change; if you have developed a good record.

Note that time is lost when you change carriers. Orientation must be attended (in most cases), trucks need to be re-lettered, paperwork must be processed, etc. Time spent changing carriers is revenue-producing time lost from the road.

If you are starting out not as an owner/operator but as a driver for a fleet owner, note that some fleet owners run trucks with more than one carrier. Those people have great insight into how carriers work and the pros and cons of the ones they run with. Choosing such a fleet owner gives you the ability to change carriers without changing fleet owners, if such a move makes sense at the time.

Do the best you can selecting your first carrier, but don't worry too much about making the wrong choice. Carrier changes can be made down the road.

 

[guest]

Well, my friend was driving on some sand dunes and was attempting to turn around when things got kind of hectic. When the air cleared there was a lot of sand on everything, including my friend, and the truck's wheels were pretty deep in the sand. For a long time after, sand was being swept out of the nooks and crannies of my friend's truck. Why was my friend driving on sand dunes? He gets very agitated when anyone asks him this question.:7

 

[bryan]

HI
I totally disagree with you.I find most people in this business are more than happy to share thier trials and tribulations. Much more so than in any other business including otr trucking.
I sure wish this site would of existed in 1994 when I was buying my first van.The info that has showed up on this forum is mind boggling considering we are all competing against each other for the same customers $'s.
Most people say good things about the carrier thier leased to.I think we just notice the negative post more, because this is not a negative business, it's full of positive people.Also the carriers read this forum so when they see alot of people complaining about the same thing and can see several different opinions, then they can make changes.Before the loudest whiners got what they wanted and everybody else had to deal with it.This put alot of good people out of business; carriers and owner/operators alike.
Of course I'm never satified , there is always room for improvement.I want to be the best or atleast as good as my ego.
Thanks have a good one.

 

[raceman]

friscomike, your statement about people posting not driving is wrong. I drive everyday and many others do as well. Many have computers in the truck and the internet is part of the downtime.

I am very positive about this business. I was lucky or unlucky depending on when you ask me, to get a dedicted gig. I am in my truck between 10 and 14 hours a day. Many days more than that due to dock time and movie time.

My truck has a computer, tow types of Satelite radio, CB, TV/VCR and so on. I can be positive and be on the computer.

This business is like any other. People and their attitude makes or breaks you most of the time. Positive attitude, good work ethic equals good money. Work hard, work smart, count your money.



Raceman
OTR O/O

 

[Broompilot]

The only negative comment I can make is I miss my family. The challenge of doing a great job is to me very rewarding. To be the best though wow the competition is stiff one of the best yes. As for competing for $ we all survive on the competition, out on West Coast we are not that well known so were not utilized but the trend is moving. If it were not for so many carriers and drivers customers could not depend on us and would have to do without. Like cable TV. If you never had it you wouldnt need it.

I am amazed at myself how I am not concentrating on the $, there is always enough and than some. I should but, do not care to concentrate on it right now, I am more intrested in getting rest and preparing for the next load. I know where I stand just not down to the pennies like I imiagned before I got into this, and nothing I am gona do except say no to a load is gona change that and I do not say no unless its to somewhere like Boise ID.

My carrier does a great job at keeping me moving, it does not always work that way but they are back in the office reading E mails and bidding on loads when ever I am sitting I never have to worry about finding my own loads. I have though but they do a better job than I do, and its much easier to just take there instructions than me be the middle man. To sum it up, I enjoy what I am doing and do not care to be doing anything else right now, the $ is rewarding for what I put into it. The rules of hos stinks and the DMV also has a smell at times. I go weeks without visiting the site because I am out here unless I know I want some down time in a hotel or Fly J to hook into the site.