I am looking to be a fleet owner, and am looking to get as much information as possible from current fleet owners. Which carrier(s) would you recommend? How do you do the split with your driver(s)? What kind of agreements do you make with your driver(s) as far as paperwork, equipment, etc? Any info you can provide would be greatly appreciated!
New Fleet Owner
- Thread starter dadacro
- Start date
My wife and I team drove for a fleet owner (for the big black cat) for about 6 months, then got out of it because the owner sold our vehicle (and we were unable to buy it at the time, or find another fleet owner that would allow our dogs in the vehicle). I now do vehicle drive away (delivering RV's, box trucks, etc) and RV tow away, but would like to get back into expediting. I am actually hoping to operate as a fleet owner in both venues, as the overall atmosphere is the same in either field.
Welcome to EO! Now, before you request the info that members have been contributing for years, please do some research - every question you typed has been asked & answered ad infinitum, and few are willing to do it all again.
I know it's a lot to sift through, but it's a lot to ask of those who have been contributing that very info for years now, as well.
If it's something you can't find, we'd be happy to help.
paullud
Veteran Expediter
I'm not a fleet owner but due to the limited experience you and your potential driver may have I would go with FedEx. You will be paid by FedEx and then you will pay the driver the agreed upon percentage, typically a 60/40 split with 60 and 100% of FSC going to whoever pays for fuel. I would make sure the agreement includes who is paying for what including fuel, OCC, QC, the different deposits that are required, or any other charges. I would also include an address where the truck must be returned to in the event they leave and any deposits you will charge for things like damage or pets and when that money would be returned. Keep in mind any deposits you require need to be put in an interest bearing account.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using EO Forums mobile app
Sent from my SCH-I535 using EO Forums mobile app
Welcome to EO! Now, before you request the info that members have been contributing for years, please do some research - every question you typed has been asked & answered ad infinitum, and few are willing to do it all again.
I know it's a lot to sift through, but it's a lot to ask of those who have been contributing that very info for years now, as well.
If it's something you can't find, we'd be happy to help.
Cheri - I have looked for several days, and either I'm not looking in the right place, or that "infinite number of replies" you mention is actually a considerably smaller number, and possibly hidden inside of a reply to a completely different question? You end your comment by saying that you'd be happy to help, but all I got from your post is that if I can't find it already, nobody will do anything to actually answer my questions.
To me, that doesn't sound very helpful...in fact, in the time it took you to type your response telling me that nobody will help me in the entire forum, unless I want to read each and every post and find out if the answers are hidden in them "Where's Waldo"-style, you could have either 1) answered my questions, or 2) directed me to WHERE I would find those infinite answers.
I do want to thank you for informing me that the forum members won't be any help...that WILL save me time from further research in this forum and contacting people who clearly don't (or won't) practice what they preach.
Further research? It doesn't appear that you've done any, which was my point. If I thought you are wasting my time, I wouldn't have replied at all - like most everyone else. It was kind of Paullud to take the time, but you want more than one person's views, right? So I was telling you how to get what you want. You're welcome.
Sometimes the answer is what you should hear, not what you wanted to hear.
Slacktide
Seasoned Expediter
In all fairness Cheri, I LMAO every time I read a post from a senior member that tells a new member to read back two to three years on here before asking what seem like simple questions to those that have been around the block more than once. In just the past 6 months to a year, how many changes have happened in this industry that would make answers OLD and inaccurate that would be found in the archives. How many members have come and gone in just the past couple of years that have been able to provide new and updated info, but before they could they either got fed up with snarky comments or run off by the bullies that don't want any more people on their playground.
Dadacro: Your best bet is to search out people in expedite, owners and drivers alike. The best place to find them is at the truck stops ie. Petro/ TA, Pilot/Flying J. Talking to both drivers and finding some owners that drive one of there own trucks will give you a view from both sides of the coin. You will be able to get likes and dislikes from the drivers about differences in contracts and tailor yours accordingly, from the owners you will be able to glean the specifics about their contracts with a specific carrier and make comparisons with what you will hear from recruiters you will be talking to.
One bit of advice when approaching someone in hopes of picking their brain. Ask if they are busy and would they mind answering a few questions for you. Be aware of how the conversation goes from there and cut it short if they seem to be tiring from the barrage of questions. Most drivers will be willing to talk a little longer if there is an offer of coffee or dessert offered.
Best of luck in your research, Pauls' advice is sound in my opinion, being with one of the larger carriers will likely be your best bet starting out, they will have more resources for you to use to your advantage while learning the ropes of fleet ownership.
moose
Veteran Expediter
Dadacro, did you used the "..." in the search box?
like, if you would like to find the future type in "the future"
that way the system will know to look for any kind of "the future" not only an exact item.
here are just a few examples:
http://www.expeditersonline.com/forum/search.php?searchid=1768473
http://www.expeditersonline.com/forum/search.php?searchid=1768474
http://www.expeditersonline.com/forum/search.php?searchid=1768476
http://www.expeditersonline.com/forum/search.php?searchid=1768480
& welcome to the Expediting information HWY. hold on tight it's going to be a wild ride!
like, if you would like to find the future type in "the future"
that way the system will know to look for any kind of "the future" not only an exact item.
here are just a few examples:
http://www.expeditersonline.com/forum/search.php?searchid=1768473
http://www.expeditersonline.com/forum/search.php?searchid=1768474
http://www.expeditersonline.com/forum/search.php?searchid=1768476
http://www.expeditersonline.com/forum/search.php?searchid=1768480
& welcome to the Expediting information HWY. hold on tight it's going to be a wild ride!
Ummm, moose, your examples all showed no matches.
21cExp
Veteran Expediter
Dadacro - I can't help with fleet ownership Q's, as I personally have none.
But you are asking on a holiday, and less than a whole day ago. A lot of people may be home but are taking their time off to picnic, spend time with family, catch up on vehicle chores, etc.
Have a bit of patience before giving up on others contributing their experience and advice. It may happen yet. You've already received a couple good sound replies. If there are one or two that get under your skin, let 'em slide, man. Reacting and responding to them takes your thread off track and discourages others from contributing in a positive manner.
Good luck with whatever you find out and whatever you decide to do with that info. Let us know how things develop.
But you are asking on a holiday, and less than a whole day ago. A lot of people may be home but are taking their time off to picnic, spend time with family, catch up on vehicle chores, etc.
Have a bit of patience before giving up on others contributing their experience and advice. It may happen yet. You've already received a couple good sound replies. If there are one or two that get under your skin, let 'em slide, man. Reacting and responding to them takes your thread off track and discourages others from contributing in a positive manner.
Good luck with whatever you find out and whatever you decide to do with that info. Let us know how things develop.
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Murraycroexp
Veteran Expediter
I'll go ahead and apologize NOW for the past and future questions I have and will ask on here. Although not all, but many people actually LIKE helping newbies. I am not too proud to ask "the helpful" to help me. I also have had issues finding specific info in searches.
So when I ask for an answer to a question that might have been a answered plenty of times.........
If you WANT to help me with my question or problem, PLEASE DO.
But if you don't want to help me, please IGNORE ME. I will NOT be offended if you do dot reply. Trust me. I'll be okay.
But THANK YOU to all the extremely helpful people on EO that don't get "a thanks" every response. Really.
So when I ask for an answer to a question that might have been a answered plenty of times.........
If you WANT to help me with my question or problem, PLEASE DO.
But if you don't want to help me, please IGNORE ME. I will NOT be offended if you do dot reply. Trust me. I'll be okay.
But THANK YOU to all the extremely helpful people on EO that don't get "a thanks" every response. Really.
Dadacro: please forgive my attempt at explaining why, out of 10,000 members, 9,999 had no response to your questions. I thought it better to try to explain the lack of response than simply ignore you. [In my book, ignoring people is rude.]
The questions you asked are simply impossible to answer "in a nutshell". How to divide income between fleet owners & drivers, and what to cover in a contract between parties, could easily take pages of info to cover adequately, and as for which carrier? We've been arguing that subject for years without arriving at a consensus, except that the best carrier is the one that works for you. [My personal choice is in my sigline, so that goes without saying.]
It was not my intention to "point out your flaws", but to explain why no one [except Paullud] was answering your questions. And it's because those who have the answers have typed them numerous times before, and contrary to Slacktide's reply, not much has changed in the fundamentals of fleet ownership lately.
You said you've been a driver, so you know what needs to be done, right? The contract simply spells out which party does what [and when, if applicable], and the consequences of failure to do so. But you already knew that.
Maybe you'll get better responses with less broad and more specific questions - and maybe next time, those who didn't like my reply will step up and answer the questions.
The questions you asked are simply impossible to answer "in a nutshell". How to divide income between fleet owners & drivers, and what to cover in a contract between parties, could easily take pages of info to cover adequately, and as for which carrier? We've been arguing that subject for years without arriving at a consensus, except that the best carrier is the one that works for you. [My personal choice is in my sigline, so that goes without saying.]
It was not my intention to "point out your flaws", but to explain why no one [except Paullud] was answering your questions. And it's because those who have the answers have typed them numerous times before, and contrary to Slacktide's reply, not much has changed in the fundamentals of fleet ownership lately.
You said you've been a driver, so you know what needs to be done, right? The contract simply spells out which party does what [and when, if applicable], and the consequences of failure to do so. But you already knew that.
Maybe you'll get better responses with less broad and more specific questions - and maybe next time, those who didn't like my reply will step up and answer the questions.
your initial request for information was at 1;58 am....the morning of July 4th....you think we don't have lives to live?....we sit here at YOUR beckon call to answer questions?....We are NOT a 24 hour helpline.....A little patience would go a long way....sir.
With your rude responses I doubt you'll get much help now...
My response, which you deemed rude, was a reply to the "senior member" who DID answer by telling me what I was doing wrong, spending several posts defending herself without ever attempting to help in any positive way. I did not, in any way, mean to imply that everyone on the forum had to answer today. I understand that this is a holiday, and as such, was not really expecting a large amount of answers immediately. I posted for help, and was rudely shut down by one of the types of people that in the "newbies" sections claim to want to be helpful and answer questions - but instead, only worked diligently to build her post count by pointing out that if I don't know it already, SHE certainly wasn't going to do anything to help.
I'm sorry that you feel my response(s) was/were rude. They were pointedly directed at the person who made her negative views on helping people with questions known as a matter of introduction.