Not new to trucking, but considering Expedited services

porkchop1981 · May 27, 2008

I've been driving for 9 years so far. I'm 27 and have no wife/gf or any kids. I'm back locally right now in a dump truck and want to get back on the road.

With the fuel going crazy lately....is this a BAD time to get into this line of trucking? I don't mind being on the road...in fact I freakin love it. I'm considering a Cargo van, but haven't talked to anyone on the streets as not much comes through VA.

My goal is to gross $1,000 per week. I understand that one week maybe $300 and the next might be $1,200 and the 3rd week could be $$600 or even $0. I understand this as I've always worked off %. I have experience in dumps, flats, boxes, towing, and refers.

Just looking for any advice on weither or not this (in the next 60 days) would be a good thing to get into.

Thanks,

Chop

OntarioVanMan · May 27, 2008

This can be a rewarding business....BUT a cargo van now under these conditions? I think I'd stay with your dump truck at least until after the Pres election and see which way things are going to go......If you crunch the numbers a fleet driver is lucky to make a buck an hour...I wouldn't even consider going with a fleet owner but only for the experience only....

porkchop1981 · May 28, 2008

Yeah, we all keep trying to hold out to see what the election will bring us....hopefully something good!!!

I would be a rookie to expedite, but not to the road or trucking. Qualcoms I already know about (have used them before), and a map is my best friend.

I mean........expedite can't be much different, its just a quicker load drop usally right, and Im sure you gotta pay attention to hot spots or where your loading to, to make sure your going to get back out in a decent time period.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a slouch......expedite is just a faster service of trucking from what I see. You get dispatched, faster you get loaded and drop, the quicker you make money, get paid.....and wait for another load.

I'm not trying to sound ****y or whatever, but.....I don't think that I would have a hard time getting used to this business. As far as van/straight truck goes.....if there is a huge difference in pay to me as the driver, then I have no problems running a truck. I just figure'd if I'm only going to be making between 500-1000 a week, why not have a van and less worries/hassles to go with the job, right?

Ok, I'm headed out for the day, keep save everyone and hope to see more replies tonight!

CHop

OntarioVanMan · May 28, 2008

I was hoping some of the C' and D guys would chime in...I can only speak for vans.....vanning is a tough gig right now...and sooo many variables to list......But solo in a straight is also a tough way to go with the HOS as they are now...especially if your on with a carrier that babysits too much...

greg334 · May 28, 2008

Expediting is a lot different, it is sometimes frustrating and other times rewarding with the balance in favor of frustrating.

You will undoubtedly hear some terrific points from others but I way on the negative side because this is not the time to get into this at all unless you have a bunch of money to sustain you and you become fully independent where you can find your own freight without too much hassle (Panther is one exception).

As for making money, well it all depends you can make money or pay the bills........

Turtle · May 28, 2008

porkchop81 said:
I mean........expedite can't be much different,...

Oh, but it is. That right there is the biggest mistake people from other trucking sectors make when coming into expediting. There are people with 10, 20 years of genaraly trucking experience that come to expediting and suddenly find themselves utterly clueless.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a slouch......expedite is just a faster service of trucking from what I see. You get dispatched, faster you get loaded and drop, the quicker you make money, get paid.....and wait for another load....

The last line is key - and wait for another load. The job of an expediter, particularly a solo, is largely sitting. It consumes the vast majority of your week.

Someone on here, I think it was Terry, once came up with nearly a perfect analogy. Expediting is like fishing. You bait the hook and drop it into the water, waiting for the bobber to bob. You wait, and wait, and wait. And you wait some more. Eventually, you move to another spot where you hope the fishing is better.

Finally, you get a bite and everything goes crazy - you go into full-tilt mode, land the fish, admire it, then things settle down just as quickly and you bait another hook and drop it into the water, waiting for the bobber to bob. And you wait, and wait, and wait. You might get lucky and land another one where you just caught one, but you might have to move again. When you move, you're doing nothing more than moving to wait some more.

If you expect to get loads daily and expect to drive loaded a lot, expediting will eat you alive. If you don't mind sitting, sometimes for days on end, are comfortable while waiting and have something to occupy your idle time, expediting can be worth it.