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Post Expedite 2016 Experience

T

traacker

Seasoned Expediter
Researching
Wow!
Didn't know what to expect, almost didn't go. Glad that I did!

Never heard of Expediting before, to sheltered a life me thinks... I have been trying life out on the roads to see if I like it before buying a van and outfitting it for RV. Started noticing at truck stops & Walmarts these vans that just seemed to be a little bit different, parked over on the sides looking like they've been there more than the uusual taking a 20 minutes stop.

Finally went up to one and asked what was the deal? Boy did I get an earful. That was last fall and I've been researching it ever since. I have yet to find anything to disinterest me. In fact it just seemed to get better and better.

Attending Lexington pretty much sealed the deal, and I think Caroline, my partner, is also entregued enough to give it a shot. YES!

I have met a full spectrum of interesting folks and am impressed with the whole culture thing. Simply great folks all around.

Thinking of giving it a shot and buying a new Sprinter high top longest body to try it out.

Learned enough to know that is not the smartest way to start out, but am going to buy one anyway to do a conversion. So, should it not turn out so well I shall default to original plan. Sprinter is largest van available which is what is driving my decision for expediter or rv.

Thanks to all the men and women who have been ever so generous with their time and knowledge and sharing it with me. It has been just too cool to be forgotten...

Sharing is Caring
KOPIMI
 
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Ragman

Ragman

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
traacker said:
Wow!
Didn't know what to expect, almost didn't go. Glad that I did!

Never heard of Expediting before, to sheltered a life me thinks... I have been trying life out on the roads to see if I like it before buying a van and outfitting it for RV. Started noticing at truck stops & Walmarts these vans that just seemed to be a little bit different, parked over on the sides looking like they've been there more than the uusual taking a 20 minutes stop.

Finally went up to one and asked what was the deal? Boy did I get an earful. That was last fall and I've been researching it ever since. I have yet to find anything to disinterest me. In fact it just seemed to get better and better.

Attending Lexington pretty much sealed the deal, and I think Caroline, my partner, is also entregued enough to give it a shot. YES!

I have met a full spectrum of interesting folks and am impressed with the whole culture thing. Simply great folks all around.

Thinking of giving it a shot and buying a new Sprinter high top longest body to try it out.

Learned enough to know that is not the smartest way to start out, but am going to buy one anyway to do a conversion. So, should it not turn out so well I shall default to original plan. Sprinter is largest van available which is what is driving my decision for expediter or rv.

Thanks to all the men and women who have been ever so generous with their time and knowledge and sharing it with me. It has been just too cool to be forgotten...

Sharing is Caring
KOPIMI
Click to expand...
You are more than welcome.

With that said, the best advice any expediter would give is, go drive for an owner for 6 months or so before investing in a vechile. That way you can decide if you even like the lifestyle.
 
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Yowpuggy

Yowpuggy

Expert Expediter
Owner/Operator
Learned enough to know that is not the smartest way to start out, but am going to buy one anyway to do a conversion. So, should it not turn out so well I shall default to original plan. Sprinter is largest van available which is what is driving my decision for expediter or rv.
 
MikeDamone

MikeDamone

Not a Member
Researching
e3e603a374086bb065194551f6.jpg
 
Moot

Moot

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
traacker said:
Thinking of giving it a shot and buying a new Sprinter high top longest body to try it out.

Learned enough to know that is not the smartest way to start out, but am going to buy one anyway to do a conversion. So, should it not turn out so well I shall default to original plan. Sprinter is largest van available which is what is driving my decision for expediter or rv.
Click to expand...

Plan A was to buy a Sprinter and convert it into an RV. With the recent discovery of expediting, the OP came up with plan B. If expediting doesn't work for them, they just revert back to plan A. It's easier and cheaper to convert a cargo van into an expediter than it is to convert an RV into an expediter. I say go for it and keep us posted on your progress.
.
kopimi-logo.gif
 
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T

traacker

Seasoned Expediter
Researching
Thanks for the thumbs up. Working on how to set up the van and currently looking at how to insulate it and heating and cooling load re:energy and types of fuel for them.
 
MikeDamone

MikeDamone

Not a Member
Researching
It just seems like there have been a massive amount of newbie posts, like 10-15 in the last week. Many of which were obvious trolls. If you are legit then I apologize.
 
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Turtle

Turtle

Administrator
Staff member
Retired Expediter
After every Expo we get massive amounts of newbie posters, many of them asking ignorant questions (just shocking, I know) with very few of them being trolls. So far since this year's Expo, I haven't seen a single person be accurately publicly labeled as a troll.
 
MikeDamone

MikeDamone

Not a Member
Researching
Well that just makes too much sense. It wasn't so much the type of questions, god knows ive asked plenty of them, but the massive influx of them at one time. But yeah, the expo would explain that.
 
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Lawrence

Lawrence

Founder
Staff member
traacker said:
Wow!
Didn't know what to expect, almost didn't go. Glad that I did!

Never heard of Expediting before, to sheltered a life me thinks... I have been trying life out on the roads to see if I like it before buying a van and outfitting it for RV. Started noticing at truck stops & Walmarts these vans that just seemed to be a little bit different, parked over on the sides looking like they've been there more than the uusual taking a 20 minutes stop.

Finally went up to one and asked what was the deal? Boy did I get an earful. That was last fall and I've been researching it ever since. I have yet to find anything to disinterest me. In fact it just seemed to get better and better.

Attending Lexington pretty much sealed the deal, and I think Caroline, my partner, is also entregued enough to give it a shot. YES!

I have met a full spectrum of interesting folks and am impressed with the whole culture thing. Simply great folks all around.

Thinking of giving it a shot and buying a new Sprinter high top longest body to try it out.

Learned enough to know that is not the smartest way to start out, but am going to buy one anyway to do a conversion. So, should it not turn out so well I shall default to original plan. Sprinter is largest van available which is what is driving my decision for expediter or rv.

Thanks to all the men and women who have been ever so generous with their time and knowledge and sharing it with me. It has been just too cool to be forgotten...

Sharing is Caring
KOPIMI
Click to expand...


Thanks for coming! Planning as begun on the 2017 event already. :smug:
 
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T

traacker

Seasoned Expediter
Researching
Ragman, Lawrence, MikeDamone, Moot, Turtle, Livingthedream, Yowpuggy, thanks for the guidance and interest in my postings. I am on my way, weird way to be sure, but making it happen.

I am finishing up some rather large loose ends but have begun a very convoluted process of joining this Expediter Community on the road, in real time, in a Sprinter.

Today, I finally had the time to actually begin getting into the design of what I shall be taking on the road. I have also continued using the back processor in my head, working on the advice so often given of trying it on for six months, with someone else's vehicle. Too many folks saying it to just not keeping thinking about it.

Not sure that shall be my choice, driving for someone else, since the Sprinter conversion has been a goal of mine for a rather long time. Seems like my desire for "stealth camping", political advocacy and work, plus the desire to be on the road randomly all comes together in the Expediting world. Kinda like the stars aligning thing.

Van is first, design with two options guiding it (expediting & stealth camping), political work and business plan for expediting are the tasks ahead.

Today I started the design thing for the van. Built a "story pole" to get a handle on the dimensions of the biggest Sprinter available, 2500 model. Shall be doing a mock up of it then build it out modularly so upon purchase I can just slip in the modules in and take to the road, not much sense having money tied up during the design build aspect of this project/adventure. Bare minimum is that I shall be the owner of a conversion van, Expediting or not.

Thinking that it might be fun to offer a window into a weirdo convoluted process of making this happen. Open sourcing kinda thing, but not sure how or where to post that on this forum, or even if it would be appropriate.... could be fun to have others laughing with ( hopefully not at) me as I stumble along doing this design build thing. There is a ton of content on this site for doing the design/build thing. I have been working my way through it all, but there is a ton of it, and not much with in the past year or two that I have seen so far. Fact is that the van basic hasn't changed a lot, except the new Transit, so I may be just be trying to reinvent the wheel. I can do that, ugh..... , and way too easily stay stubborn about it. :rolleyes::dash1:

Thoughts?

thanks again,
traacker

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KOPIMI
 
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brokcanadian

brokcanadian

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
We all like getting a window into other's builds, gives ideas...please post away

Youre right about the sprinter being the biggest, but do some research on weight capacity and DEF/DPF issues. A lot have gone the route of the Transit due to the random 4000$ wallet flushes from malfunctioning diesel emissions. AFIK transits hold more weight as well, being mostly gas models...the diesel is prone to the same issues as sprinter...

Every single thing you put in for comfort takes away from your ability to haul freight, I personally use a foam mattress only that I tie to the wall while delivering...
 
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