looking to get started
- Thread starter tday
- Start date
What kind of vehicle are you looking to start out in? I would strongly advise against a cargo van as there is a bit of a glut of vans and anything but a glut of freight to fill them. Need more info before I can make a suggestion for you. I am from the Detroit area myself and got into this for the same reasons that you are.
tday:
Welcome to the Expedited Freight Information Center
DO you have a CDL?
Do you have comm'l driving experience?
Do you own a truck?
Do you need to be home every night?, every weekend?
Do you have any working capital to invest in a business?
Are you just looking for a job driving or do you want to be an Owner/Operator?
If you've been lurking on EO for a while then you'll understand why I ask these questions. If you just found us today, then I suggest you read about a months worth of Forum entries and come back with some specific questions. There are lots of folks on this site that ould be pleased to guide you along the way, but to help you get where you're going, we'd need to know where you've been.
Welcome to the Expedited Freight Information Center
DO you have a CDL?
Do you have comm'l driving experience?
Do you own a truck?
Do you need to be home every night?, every weekend?
Do you have any working capital to invest in a business?
Are you just looking for a job driving or do you want to be an Owner/Operator?
If you've been lurking on EO for a while then you'll understand why I ask these questions. If you just found us today, then I suggest you read about a months worth of Forum entries and come back with some specific questions. There are lots of folks on this site that ould be pleased to guide you along the way, but to help you get where you're going, we'd need to know where you've been.
No i dont have a CDL But i do have a Chauffeur license and am willing to get a CDL if needed.
No i Dont have commerical driving experince but have drove trucks with air brakes(Fire trucks and farm trucks)
I dont needed to be home everyday or every weekend
Yes i have some captial to get started.
No i Dont have commerical driving experince but have drove trucks with air brakes(Fire trucks and farm trucks)
I dont needed to be home everyday or every weekend
Yes i have some captial to get started.
The place to start is with reading the last year or so of the general, newbies and recuiter forums right here. That doesn't mean read every post or even every topic. Go back through at least a year and read the topics that address questions or issues you relate to. You will get a huge amount of information and knowledge which you can then use to ask more specific questions. Right now you are at a point similar to meeting a doctor and saying "I don't feel good, what do I do?" with the doctor not having a chart or any details to work with. You need more of the basics you'll pick up in that reading so you'll be able to ask specific questions that will get you the right answers to help you. Good luck.
Leo Bricker, 73's K5LDB, OOIDA Life Member 677319
Owner, Panther trucks 5508, 5509, 5641
Highway Watch Participant, Truckerbuddy
EO Forum Moderator
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Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you like.
Leo Bricker, 73's K5LDB, OOIDA Life Member 677319
Owner, Panther trucks 5508, 5509, 5641
Highway Watch Participant, Truckerbuddy
EO Forum Moderator
----------
Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you like.
DannyD
Veteran Expediter
I'm going to chime in w/ my usual here. I'm gonna respectfully disagree w/ the opinion of not to work in a van though. I'd say go to work in a van & give EGL a call. If you don't have a van yet, make sure ya get a white one. I'd also suggest you get a used one about 2-3 years old. A new one will depreciate to fast & you'll be upside down on what ya owe/value of van. You'll have to come out of pocket when ya wanna sell it or trade it in.
Call them first about the details. They'll more than likely want ya to get a Sprinter. Do NOT get one of those. That is very important. Again, do NOT get a Sprinter. Most of the guys I've talked to who have one will ride out their contract in their Sprinter, but will not get another one when their model year is up for renewal. If they need drivers bad enough they'll let ya work in a Ford or GMC.
EGL will let ya run for other companies. I did that for a little bit (payment problems w/ this other company, nothing to do w/ EGL though). So if ya find EGL isn't giving you enough work ya can find someone else to run for while still being signed on w/ EGL. You'll have mostly local runs unless you want to go over the road. If ya go over the road you'll have 3 offices calling ya for runs. Detroit, Grand Rapids, & South Bend.
I'd say give EGL a call. With one thing to keep in mind. Watch your paychecks closely. They're not out to steal from ya & Michael Eades will make sure you get your settlement. But they do make a lot of mistakes in payroll. It's not like they don't pay ya anything on a given week. It's more like they miss a run here, pay ya the wrong amount for a run there. That kinda thing. Obviously ya'd rather have it right the first time, but you will get some work & get paid.
Thats my 2 cents. Good luck to ya.
Call them first about the details. They'll more than likely want ya to get a Sprinter. Do NOT get one of those. That is very important. Again, do NOT get a Sprinter. Most of the guys I've talked to who have one will ride out their contract in their Sprinter, but will not get another one when their model year is up for renewal. If they need drivers bad enough they'll let ya work in a Ford or GMC.
EGL will let ya run for other companies. I did that for a little bit (payment problems w/ this other company, nothing to do w/ EGL though). So if ya find EGL isn't giving you enough work ya can find someone else to run for while still being signed on w/ EGL. You'll have mostly local runs unless you want to go over the road. If ya go over the road you'll have 3 offices calling ya for runs. Detroit, Grand Rapids, & South Bend.
I'd say give EGL a call. With one thing to keep in mind. Watch your paychecks closely. They're not out to steal from ya & Michael Eades will make sure you get your settlement. But they do make a lot of mistakes in payroll. It's not like they don't pay ya anything on a given week. It's more like they miss a run here, pay ya the wrong amount for a run there. That kinda thing. Obviously ya'd rather have it right the first time, but you will get some work & get paid.
Thats my 2 cents. Good luck to ya.
Tennesseahawk
Veteran Expediter
I'd find another 5 to 10 van drivers to get opinions from. I suggest talking to Highway Star, as he's a van driver thinking of going straight truck. Everyone will probably give you straight scoop on their own experiences. The more experiences, the more data to weigh out.
"If I claim to be a wise man, it surely means that I don't know." - Kansas
"If I claim to be a wise man, it surely means that I don't know." - Kansas
There's a lot of van freight out there and more vans than that to haul it. I wouldn't recommend someone get a van. I would agree on spending time reading back in the forums. It's a good overview.
Dog_House2691
Seasoned Expediter
Delevered on Sun. morning 12/30/2006 in Sumpter,SC. still sitting on Columbia,SC. board 1st out in my cargo van.The year is starting off slow.:'(
nighttrain
Seasoned Expediter
unless your willing to buy your own van i say dont go the van route
was with fe ex in a straight truck went with a different owner in a van in the week i worked only got 4 loads
spent more on fuel than i made
so was offered to driv back for owner back in the straight an i took it
and i turned done 1 load to canada because i was taing the van back
so thats my expericance in cargo van
not saying everyone was like that but it seemed i made more and was offered more runs in a straight truck
but good luck anyways
was with fe ex in a straight truck went with a different owner in a van in the week i worked only got 4 loads
spent more on fuel than i made
so was offered to driv back for owner back in the straight an i took it
and i turned done 1 load to canada because i was taing the van back
so thats my expericance in cargo van
not saying everyone was like that but it seemed i made more and was offered more runs in a straight truck
but good luck anyways
nighttrain
Seasoned Expediter
plus i know fedex isnt putting on anymore vans right now
try either panther or tri-state
try either panther or tri-state
Dog_House2691
Seasoned Expediter
I agree it isn't a good time to go into Expediting with a Cargo Van,it wouldn't make a difference what company you hire on with all the companys are competing for cargo van freight.Straight truck or tractor would be a better decision,Panther needs Flatbed Drivers.
Dog_House2691
Seasoned Expediter
Tractor Trailers...
slfisher45
Expert Expediter
If you are out of work because of your prior company downsizing you might be qualified for state or federal funds for traning in a new profession. Cost of school for a CDL A license might be part of the coverage. Check with your state unemployment office or the Human Resource office of your prior employer, if they have one.