Needing Advice

[bulldog77]

I live near Birmingham, Al. and I am seriously considering going
into this business. My question is, is it a good idea to do this
in my area or not. I don't see many of the outfits like Panther
or Bolt trucks around much so I'm wondering if there is much
expedited freight here. Also is this a bad time to do this?
Any advice is appreciated.

 

[BillChaffey]

You haven't said what size Truck, if your going to drive your own Truck or someone else's. It might be best to talk to some one like Anne M. @ Bolt Express.

 

[Jack_Berry]

i've been to b'ham twice this year in the strt trk. once out near talledega and once to a hosp in town.

 

[chefdennis]

My home is in toledo, ohio, 5 miles from Bolts office, but, when i get home tomorrow it will have been 24 days since I left there. This business isn't about where you live, its about where te frieght is and where it is going.

I do get home for a night here and there, but only if a load wasdropped with 75 miles of my front door, then i'll go home and sleep in my own bed for the night. Other then that, We go where the freight is.

If you want to be home every weekend, look into something else, this isn;t the business for you.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

Plain and simple....regardless what you drive ...it's a bad time right now...First the biz is in the tank already for some, whilst others are treading water and some by good fortune are in the right place right time mode...With Christmas holidays and the plant shutdowns.....coupled with the traditional January slowness of the biz...(this is where at least 2 members will chime in with" Januarys are my best month)...Believe me Bulldog thats not the norm for the majority of drivers....Read the archives here, ask questions at the truck stops ..find out as much as you can...watch the business...and wait till spring to see how this economy is playing out....Good Luck

 

[bulldog77]

Thanks for the advice. This deal is in the planning stages and
right now I am getting all the information I can. If I do this I
plan to buy either a straight truck or a van, maybe someone
here would like to chip in their preferences. I grew up in the
trucking business, been in the corporate world for 25 years
and now at 57 years old I find myself looking for a job without
success so far. Thanks again and any advice is appreciated.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

Thanks for the advice. This deal is in the planning stages and
right now I am getting all the information I can. If I do this I
plan to buy either a straight truck or a van, maybe someone
here would like to chip in their preferences. I grew up in the
trucking business, been in the corporate world for 25 years
and now at 57 years old I find myself looking for a job without
success so far. Thanks again and any advice is appreciated.

I am a van driver...but the pundits here will tell you go with a straight to get a feel for it..and drive for an owner so you have no personal stake finacially at first other then driving it...if it feels right then buy one...
Even though I am a van owner I'd have to say go with the straight....

 

[TJ959]

I lurked on here for many years and read everthing I could before I took the plunge. I drove for an owner for about 8 months and then bought my own class 7 "D" truck. I now own a Sprinter and I am semi-retired but considering a return to the business. The "D" truck is a better choice for a team but it didn't work out very well for me as a single driver. I"m a stickler for rules and I found it nearly impossible to run legal and make a living as a single driver. I made a good living but I found I was looking over my shoulder way too much and it's possible the rules may have been bruised a little bit. The Sprinter was a better match for me once I found a company that would run me the way I liked. You don't have to log in a Sprinter so you can take the long runs and make some money.

What is all this blathering all about?? ... I come from much the same background as you. I spent 30+ years in corporate sales and management and found myself in the spot you're in. It worked for me but you need to take a long hard look at it. You will be gone from home for long periods of time or you won't make money; Driving a Straight truck is the best choice but it's much better if you team; Sprinters and vans give you flexibility but they are not as busy; Give a thought to how it would be to live in a tin can fo 2 to 4 weeks at a time; Right now is a very bad time to get in this business; Now is a bad time to sell a commercial vehicle should you buy one; You could end up like me and get addicted to this business regardless of the monetary return. Good luck, If you are stupid like me you could end up loving this business.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

TJ...well said....bravo....

 

[LDB]

Money can be made as a solo but it is more challenging, as mentioned. A d unit is going to give you many more opportunities than a van, as mentioned. Driving for an owner for a while is good advice. Your investment is minimal and you learn the business and make the newbie mistakes without truck payments etc. hanging over your head. If/when you do buy a truck, I would strongly suggest a class 8 not a class 7. The initial cost will be 10-20% higher and the useful lifespan of the truck (with proper care and maintenance) will be 100-150% higher. Resale value should recoup most of the higher purchase price as well if it just had to be sold.

Now for my contribution that isn't just reaffirming prior good advice, read back at least one full year in the general, newbies and recruiter forums. That doesn't mean every single word there. That means read all of the threads that look interesting or educational for you. There are a lot of gems scattered about and you will learn a lot. Good luck.

 

[bulldog77]

I am very glad I found this forum, the advice is extremely
helpful. Would someone explain the differences between a
"D" unit and class 8. Also a "B" unit and cube van and the
differences between any other truck classes you would care to.
My experience is solely with tractor trailers.

 

[Tennesseahawk]

A class 8 is a heavier tractor, bigger engine. Class 7 trucks are more of what you see in box trucks. FL70s and 80s, KW's T300s, Pete 330s, Hinos, and M2-106s and lower are the main ones you'll see.

A D-unit is one of the classifications expediters use to describe their truck by length and carrying capacity. Mostly, they generalize D-units to be able to carry at least 10,000 and have a box at least 18'. Some companies want more, some less; but those are typical guidelines.

E-units would be your tractor/trailers. C-units are generally smaller straights and cube vans. A and B-units are cargo vans and sprinters.

 

[pjjjjj]

You will be gone from home for long periods of time or you won't make money;

No offence to the husbands here but, if you are married, and newly retired, (or even not newly), your wife just may appreciate your absences
It' sure isn't a great time to be choosing this as a career move, but if you've got a pension or some other money coming in, could turn out to be a nice retirement job. Not that those doing it as their sole source of income would appreciate it tho

 

[FIS53]

Thhat's why there are so many white haired guys in this business, it's a retirement job!! Well now I know!

Read and read and if you still want then look into the vehicle level you'd feel most comfy with. Right now vans have it tough but I've found this does seem to vary a little from company to company. But up to you so explore.
Rob

 

[bulldog77]

Thanks guys for the replys and the advice, it has helped immeasurably. I will keep digging into this and find out if it
is the right thing for me to do and hopefully it will be, I would
like to be on the road again.

 

[x06col]

Also, when considering your options, consider the fact that it seems you are accustomed to logging. I'm not sure where these folks get the idea that going extra innings in a cargo van is OK. Seems suspect to me.

 

[TJ959]

I know lots of guys who can't possibly be running legal in "D" trucks and "TT"s because of the amount of paid miles they run. The only difference in vans is that we don't have to put it in writing and then sign it. I always felt that falsifying a federal document and then signing it was asking for trouble. Vans do not have to log. I don't necessarily condone running excessive hours or other unsafe practices but we have much more flexibility in using our time. If I end up running a little long I don't have to lie about it and the load gets delivered. In a "D" truck, if you get up and wash the inside of your windshield your day has legally started. I always enjoyed puttering around on my old truck and I found it relaxing. Technically I should have logged every minute of that time as in service not driving. You should log yourself in service not driving if you are in the drivers seat reading a book or the newspaper. I don't wish to have the government tell me when to pick my nose and where to sit in my truck. So I drive a less profitable truck. There are trade offs for everything.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

Also, when considering your options, consider the fact that it seems you are accustomed to logging. I'm not sure where these folks get the idea that going extra innings in a cargo van is OK. Seems suspect to me.

Understand what your saying Col....it just comes down to personal individual choice....we may or may not take a hit...but I don't whine about my choice....I like it at the end of the food chain......actually theres one below me now....I can pass off to a lowly cargo van...*LOL*

 

[TeamCozumel]

A class 8 is a heavier tractor, bigger engine. ... FL70s and 80s, KW's T300s, Pete 330s, Hinos, and M2-106s and lower are the main ones you'll see.

So are these trucks class 7 or class 8?

 

[highway star]

If you look at the cab of a str8 truck and it looks big enough that you'd see it pulling a 53 foot trailer, it's probably a class 8. If it looks like you'd see it delivering beer to your local Quik Stop, it's probably a class 7.