Apply Now!

Is it time to get out of expediting.....

H

Hightech_Hobo

Expert Expediter
....As a vanner....It's been another ruff year...I have tried many different stratagies to keep work some where near regular and it just ain't happening....

For the first time I've been feeling trapped in my job and It's just not fun anymore...For at least two years now I have been "chasing Freight..." My dead head to the next job has been increasing year after year, to the point now where I am running for under 85 cents a mile and after waiting 3 to 5 days and having to drive 150 mile or more to move to an active market or dead heading home..

Without the expenses of the van....I truly might make more money working at Micky D;s...

I made the statement to a new aquaintence yesterday that if I could get enuf money out of the van to pay it off and by a decent used car I would probably sell it....

The statement has been haunting me since I made it....because it is true...

Any of you interested in a 2010 sprinter in good shape...Ask around and you will find this van is one of the "Luxury Sprinters..." It is a 3 pallet setup that utilizes the full van for both cargo and living. Has all the conveniences and is set up to be "re-modeled" easily with 80-20 slotted aluminum.

Edmunds values the van from 17,500 to 20,500 from whole sale to dealer price...It needs some maint...so I would consider any offer near the low end of this spread...

Not officially on the market yet but if its time for an upgrade, and you can do the deal...it would not be hard to convince me...I will NOT finance in any way....be able to pay...or go away...

It's a hell of a van..well set up..and if it's gonna get sold it should go to an expeditor...
 
runrunner

runrunner

Veteran Expediter
You know it's kind of funny in a sad kind of way. I don't remember where I was picking up,I think it was Ohio somewhere,but it was 1993,when I was brand new to Expediting,I was talking to a gentleman on the dock,and he said"your getting into Expediting a bit late,the peak was in the 1980's".
I though he was full of it of course. As the years went by,seeing all the changes now I realize he new what he was talking about.
Also,I remember there was a bunch of us stuck at the Fifth Wheel in Mississauga Ontario over the weekend and in one of the many conversations that went on between drivers one said "I don't tell people exactly what we do,or how good it is,because that will just bring more people in,and ruin everything." He to was so right. I think there was 5 Roberts trucks sitting that weekend,one of them was an A unit which I had never seen before,he was the first one dispatched Monday morning. I got out also, I was third out,and I bet the others got out as well. Not any more!
 
Lawrence

Lawrence

Founder
Staff member
South Florida has got to be VERY difficult to get out of. I remember a time most expediters wouldn't put on a CV/SV anywhere below Macon without a very clear understanding that you won't get loaded out of FL.

With that said - hopefully other SV wannabes think about what you've said and at least consider moving up to Straight Truck or Tractor to have more access to more freight opportunities.

BTW You should be able to sell your Sprinter pretty quickly in the EO Classifieds...and as always it's FREE!
 
H

Hightech_Hobo

Expert Expediter
Lawrence said:
South Florida has got to be VERY difficult to get out of. I remember a time most expediters wouldn't put on a CV/SV anywhere below Macon without a very clear understanding that you won't get loaded out of FL.

With that said - hopefully other SV wannabes think about what you've said and at least consider moving up to Straight Truck or Tractor to have more access to more freight opportunities.

BTW You should be able to sell your Sprinter pretty quickly in the EO Classifieds...and as always it's FREE!
Click to expand...

....Shhhhheeeeeeeet......I hav'nt been to florida for over a year....Been doing this for 10 years now...Florida is just where the mail goes....I set up "bases" around the country...about 7 or eight of them to lay over at...The main one being a MotorHome in Columbia, SC...Other than that theres Altoona, PA, Charlotte, NC, Harding, IL and Flower mound, TX...I made many GOOD friends over the years and lived by..."after 3 days..guests like fish ....stink."

...as to the straight truck...I had one...I got into this business to get away from authority and regulations.....the new laws changed that, so I dropped to under 10K to get away from all that crap...It worked..but it seems many others had the same idea along with the failing economy and Vanning being a fairly easy entry business I suppose the current saturation could have been anticipated...

If I do finally jump off the fence I'm on ....EO classifieds will be one of my first stops....
 
H

Hightech_Hobo

Expert Expediter
runrunner said:
You know it's kind of funny in a sad kind of way. I don't remember where I was picking up,I think it was Ohio somewhere,but it was 1993,when I was brand new to Expediting,I was talking to a gentleman on the dock,and he said"your getting into Expediting a bit late,the peak was in the 1980's".
I though he was full of it of course. As the years went by,seeing all the changes now I realize he new what he was talking about.
Also,I remember there was a bunch of us stuck at the Fifth Wheel in Mississauga Ontario over the weekend and in one of the many conversations that went on between drivers one said "I don't tell people exactly what we do,or how good it is,because that will just bring more people in,and ruin everything." He to was so right. I think there was 5 Roberts trucks sitting that weekend,one of them was an A unit which I had never seen before,he was the first one dispatched Monday morning. I got out also, I was third out,and I bet the others got out as well. Not any more!
Click to expand...

...."No canons to thunder, Nothing to plunder, Guess I was born bout a hundred years to late..."

Jimmy and I agree with you.....
 
layoutshooter

layoutshooter

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
There should never be a time in anyone's expediting career that there is NOT constant evaluation of the business and your goals/realities in it.
 
xiggi

xiggi

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
There is money to be made out here in a sprinter. Maybe not 80's or 90's money but many are still doing so sucesfully. The bigger problem might be burn out, when you hit that point in any proffesion it can be tuff to find the willpower to even want to succeed.

Sent from my - Fisher Price ABC - 123
 
skyraider

skyraider

Veteran Expediter
US Navy
The happiest folks I met in vans and Sprinters had a pension or some kind of retirement income and expediting was an adventure to see the states. Less stress that way and there are many out here doing just that....
 
Ragman

Ragman

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
Tennesseahawk said:
That's right. The captain must go down with the van. :p
Click to expand...
Sinking_Titanic_Van.jpg
 
zorry

zorry

Veteran Expediter
Moot said:
Straight trucks and tractor/trailers are a good starting point before moving up to a van.
Click to expand...

Hey Moot, you're a cat.
Hey Moot, you're a cat.
Hey Moot, .........

Tell yourself something long enough and you'll start to believe it.. :)
 
Jamin_Joe

Jamin_Joe

Seasoned Expediter
xiggi said:
There is money to be made out here in a sprinter. Maybe not 80's or 90's money but many are still doing so sucesfully. The bigger problem might be burn out, when you hit that point in any proffesion it can be tuff to find the willpower to even want to succeed.

Sent from my - Fisher Price ABC - 123
Click to expand...

Yea, that burnout and loss of drive really sucks.

when ever I get that way I remember some of the really crappy jobs that I had.
The time replacing sewer lines in that trailer park during the hottest part of the summer was the sh&/est job quite litterally. The guy I was working with kept saying "welcome to plumming," and thought it was funny to rub it in. The best revenge another guy I worked with flushed when he was showing me how ti connect the pipe. You can guess how funny that was and I just couldn't help but say, Welome to plumming. I left the last part of what I wanted to say to him....Sh&% face.
 
KickStarter6

KickStarter6

Veteran Expediter
Jamin_Joe said:
Yea, that burnout and loss of drive really sucks.

when ever I get that way I remember some of the really crappy jobs that I had.
The time replacing sewer lines in that trailer park during the hottest part of the summer was the sh&/est job quite litterally. The guy I was working with kept saying "welcome to plumming," and thought it was funny to rub it in. The best revenge another guy I worked with flushed when he was showing me how ti connect the pipe. You can guess how funny that was and I just couldn't help but say, Welome to plumming. I left the last part of what I wanted to say to him....Sh&% face.
Click to expand...

That's the best story I've heard in a while!! Thank you for painting that picture with your words lol
 
Bruno

Bruno

Veteran Expediter
Fleet Owner
US Marines
Lawrence said:
South Florida has got to be VERY difficult to get out of. I remember a time most expediters wouldn't put on a CV/SV anywhere below Macon without a very clear understanding that you won't get loaded out of FL.

With that said - hopefully other SV wannabes think about what you've said and at least consider moving up to Straight Truck or Tractor to have more access to more freight opportunities.

BTW You should be able to sell your Sprinter pretty quickly in the EO Classifieds...and as always it's FREE!
Click to expand...

Lawrence is 100% right on that both statements. Back 20 years ago the load had to pay very well for a driver to go to Florida. The free Classifieds do work. I sold one of our trucks on EO in less than 24 hours.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top