over the road vrs Expedite frieght
- Thread starter Chip
- Start date
Ex-editers run otr we just do it differently.Most of the time we have very little notice as too when and where we are dispatched to. Just about every day is different. You might get called at 0700 and maybe not until 1900 or (lately) not at all. Your personal agenda means nothing,income and your operations are 100% irregular. Some people like the uncertainly and others hate it and drop out.
I started out as an OTR driver working for Covenant and have seen my fair share of the market nich that they cater too.Expediting is a different nich in the trucking industry. We are the guys companies call when they needed something yesterday. There are many reasons why I like expediting vs. being an O/O for one of the big transport companies. First there's the freedom of being able to choose where you want to go and how much you'll work for. Second is the enormous amount of money that can be made granted other factors are working in your favor. Third, every load you haul is important and not something that your told to sit on over the weekend, and if you do sit then you can bet your lucky marble that you'll be getting paid for your time. Now don't get me wrong the life of the expediter isn't all peaches and cream but I like it because it's exciting and rewarding.
I've teamed up with several co-drivers that couldn't stand sitting and waiting for a load. These idiots would rather be a company driver taking a load going 500 miles paying .29 cents per mile than wait 24 hours (as a sub contracter) for a load going 1000 miles paying $1.25 a mile. Those drivers usually quit after a few weeks to a month and went to Prime, Swift, or JB. Need I say more? You move a lot more hauling general commodities but you get paid less and are usually treated worse at loading docks.
I've teamed up with several co-drivers that couldn't stand sitting and waiting for a load. These idiots would rather be a company driver taking a load going 500 miles paying .29 cents per mile than wait 24 hours (as a sub contracter) for a load going 1000 miles paying $1.25 a mile. Those drivers usually quit after a few weeks to a month and went to Prime, Swift, or JB. Need I say more? You move a lot more hauling general commodities but you get paid less and are usually treated worse at loading docks.
I don't know about the others out there, but I like the freedom that I have to go where I want and when. As an owner op driving for Landstar Express, I can take time off when I want and for how long, we can also refuse loads without penalty.
A couple of comments about straight trucks over t/t, less maintance, easier to get in and out of places. With a ST we don't have to worry about the trailer, we do all live unloads, and "usually" the emergency freight gets loaded or unloaded upon arrival no waiting. Having just 6 wheels we can drive in that left lane instead of being stuck behind slow moving T/Ts, and with the price of fuel, 8 to 10 MPG is better than 4-6 MPG.
We make about a $1.30 loaded mile, we average with deadhead $1.00 per mile, operating expenses are 30%, that's $.70 per mile, and as a team we do about 4,000 miles per week.
Thats some of why I drive a straight truck
A couple of comments about straight trucks over t/t, less maintance, easier to get in and out of places. With a ST we don't have to worry about the trailer, we do all live unloads, and "usually" the emergency freight gets loaded or unloaded upon arrival no waiting. Having just 6 wheels we can drive in that left lane instead of being stuck behind slow moving T/Ts, and with the price of fuel, 8 to 10 MPG is better than 4-6 MPG.
We make about a $1.30 loaded mile, we average with deadhead $1.00 per mile, operating expenses are 30%, that's $.70 per mile, and as a team we do about 4,000 miles per week.
Thats some of why I drive a straight truck
We are currently running both.
It is to hard to tell as they are so different.
Doing dedicated freight lanes and expedite are just too different to compare.
Different breed of people in both as well.
What is gravy to one, is sand to another.
Davekc
owner
20 years
It is to hard to tell as they are so different.
Doing dedicated freight lanes and expedite are just too different to compare.
Different breed of people in both as well.
What is gravy to one, is sand to another.
Davekc
owner
20 years
have done both otr and expedited frieght. otr you have dispatchers or driver supervisors who tell you where your next load is, when it needs delivered and so on. expedited frieght is "offered" to you and it is pretty much always hot frieght. expediters are like problem fixers. we fix the screw-up some shipping manager made when he didnt order enough windshield-washer pumps for a 2005 chevy impala to keep the assembly line going till thursday when the otr truck will be there with a load of them. we will deliver enough to hold them over till the otr driver gets there. this way they dont have to shut down the assembly line. sometimes its simpler than that. delivered 2 "special" lightbulbs once on a 400 mile trip. they sat in the seat next to me the whole time. you have the freedom of declining any load you dont want or like. can often work with dispatch and get extras like dh pay sometimes. then there are times when you havent been offered anything all day and your dead tired from sitt'n all day and ready to call it quits for the day and...."beep" there goes the qc. can you pick up 75 miles from present position and deliver 400 miles by 08:00? this is what sucks, but it is also whats fun? call me crazy i deserve it for that. its simillar to otr but completely different at the same time. if that makes any sense? i for one will never go back to otr. too much bs beyond my own control. drive safe.
sam
sam
BillandSher
Expert Expediter
I have never done traditional OTR, but I chose expedite because of the pay. I go home when I want, I take what loads I want, etc.
I drive for Panther II as a team with my wife. We could not be happier. I looked into traditional long haul, but every company I looked into had a reason why my wife needed to complete their school and not let me train her. I have 3 years tractor trailer experience so it made little sense to me. I like to get to a shipper, be loaded right away and then go to the consignee and be unloaded right away. I have been to places that accept no trucks on Saturday and while the TL guys wait until Monday, I was accepted and unloaded promtly. I like that.
Also, with most TL carriers, the trucks are governed. I don't like someone telling me how fast I can go. If I am going through Texas and New Mexico, I want to be able to run 70-75, not 62 or 65.
To eaqch thier own I suppose, but I prefer expediting.
I drive for Panther II as a team with my wife. We could not be happier. I looked into traditional long haul, but every company I looked into had a reason why my wife needed to complete their school and not let me train her. I have 3 years tractor trailer experience so it made little sense to me. I like to get to a shipper, be loaded right away and then go to the consignee and be unloaded right away. I have been to places that accept no trucks on Saturday and while the TL guys wait until Monday, I was accepted and unloaded promtly. I like that.
Also, with most TL carriers, the trucks are governed. I don't like someone telling me how fast I can go. If I am going through Texas and New Mexico, I want to be able to run 70-75, not 62 or 65.
To eaqch thier own I suppose, but I prefer expediting.