...with down payment, lease payments, and buyout I ended up paying 32000 and it came with over 400,000 miles, i thought it was in kms...man was I ever green 
I contract with a small carrier...and NOT allowed to bid on the loads....BUT we have great communication between us....they know my monetary figure and my running restrictions and we again communicate.....It's not a change that happened in the industry, it's just about who is responding in this thread. The people you see talking about bids are likely either:
#1: Running under their own authority, and are both the driver and the dispatcher for their own company.
-or-
#2: Working with an extremely rare small carrier that allows the driver to help bid their own loads.
I did the latter for 2 companies that have asked to remain unidentified, one of which I helped get their authority set up. So basically, most people talking about bidding are owners, or very close with the owners of the carriers, I suspect.
Most carriers won't allow drivers to bid loads for many reasons, but chiefly because they don't want the drivers to know exactly how much they're being paid on the loads, in my opinion. That reason might not be primary for ALL carriers. I'm not trying to make them all look bad or throw anyone under the bus. The truth of the matter is, it takes more money to run a business than a lot of people think, and if people saw what they made, most people would have a negative kneejerk reaction that simply isn't worth the hassle for a larger company that has to keep up morale on a macro scale.
That said, the type of dishonesty required to maintain that facade, and avoid said hassle is distasteful to me, and so I will sadly be unlikely to get rich running my own carrier any time soon. But I -might- be able to make a comfortable living doing it. Time will tell.
and that's what works for you..That's awesome that you've found a good one. I've heard nothing but good things about crossroads express. They were actually my first choice for carriers when I initially got into this business, but they weren't bringing any cargo vans on at the time.
As for the factoring fees, there are factoring companies that will give you your money weekly for 2-5%. I would absolutely agree with you at 10-15%, but for 4% I'll take my money 30-90 days earlier please.
There is a lot I can do with that money in that amount of time to make up the 4% lost on the front end.
..there are quite a few business models that can be applied...not just the old suit way of doing things....that is what makes this business challenging and unique...
I'm also running a cargo van and have been doing it for a while. My vans have always had the carrier's name, logo, DOT/MC numbers etc. I have been pulled over twice. Once in Wisconsin because I had the audacity to display flammable placards while carrying 2500 pounds of flammable material in a cargo van. This resulted in an escort to a nearby weigh station. The second time was on a turnpike for having only one headlight. The guy that pulled me over had decals on his doors that resemble your avatar.I'm running a cargo van with no external decals for DOT or MC #'s, no ifta, under 10k GVW, and I've been stopped for various things several times now. I've shown them my BOLs, license, and insurance information, and I've been let go without a citation every time.
Correct. You must have a CDL with a HAZMAT endorsement to haul hazardous material which requires placarding, and if you are placarded, even in a Prius or a Smart Car, you are a genuine CMV with all the rights, privileges and hassles thereof.
Why? You have stated: "I'm running a cargo van with no external decals for DOT or MC #'s, no ifta, under 10k GVW, and I've been stopped for various things several times now."
In the general scheme of things, it doesn't make a difference. Even in the specific context of this thread it doesn't make a difference. I was just curious as to why you have been stopped several times.
Yes, that is part of the reason. Mostly it was because this Wisconsin State Trooper didn't think a cargo van could haul hazmat.
