Questions from a Newbie Cargo Van O/O

[RoadSaint]

My Van isn't new enough for Panther. I have an 06. They require an 08 or newer. The year of my van has actually been the biggest hurdle thus far. Most companies I've contacted are still bringing on new Cargo Vans. Only had a couple that said they weren't.

I honestly have trouble believing I need to spend a year plus working for a company with training wheels to figure things out. People keep talking like it's rocket science or something. We're talking about following rules, keeping your records in order, and following directions here. I don't really see why people are thinking it's going to take years to figure out.

As a fleet manager, I've spent years dealing with drivers who have no common sense, who had to be hand-held, and walked through every little thing too. That's part of why I'm here. I got tired of seeing OTR drivers cashing huge paychecks when they had no common sense and didn't want to work half the time, but when they did want to work, they wanted you to facilitate that for them N-O-W. On top of dealing with whatever problems all my drivers had, I was responsible for managing and maintaining our Company's fleet. So, I'd be in the shop with a 3 vehicle crisis on my hands, with 6 drivers calling in with sand in their v-jay jays complaining about problems that they could have solved on their own if they had an ounce of common sense and self-reliance.

Perhaps I'm wrong. Maybe there is more to learning the business than I expect, and the common misconception that drivers are generally dense is just that, a misconception. If that's the case, I'd love to hear what sorts of things it is that takes a bunch of time to figure out. Maybe then, knowing what I need to focus on learning, I can cut my training wheel time down towards the 1 year side rather than the 2 year side.

As an aside, how is Load 1? I actually left their recruiter a message, but haven't heard back from him yet. Are you a driver for them, or do you do something else there?

 

[Turtle]

It's not rocket science, but it ain't anything like general trucking, either. Interestingly, the people who have the most difficult time adjusting to and staying with expediting are truckers from general trucking. They can't deal with the uncertainty or the sitting.

Also keep in mind that this isn't a job driving a van, it's a small business. Of you come into expediting with the mindset of an employee, even that of a manager, you're screwed.

While trucking certainly has it's fair share of morons, and so does expediting, the people you will find in expediting are different. You'll find a disproportionate amount of moron van drivers, particularly those who drive someone else's van, but expediters are mostly made up of people who have already had long and varied careers. There are lawyers out here, people with doctorates out here. And they will all tell you the sane thing, while its not rocket science, it ain't the no-brainer that so many people think it is.

Too many people go with, "Hey, I've been driving all my life. I've got a van, with keys and everything. How hard can it be?" And six months later they're out of the business. People ten years in this business are still learning things not only because there's a lot to learn but because it changes so rapidly. They're are reasons people are told to have at least 5 grand in the bank before starting in this business. One of four emergency repairs, and to get you by the slow times, but also because the learning curve in this business, as with most any business, goes right through the wallet.

How is Load One? They're awesome. They don't take on low-roof cargo vans, tho. Only Sprinters, Sprinter wannabes, and now, Sprinter replacements. I'm an owner/operator leased on and driving my own Sprinter.

 

[Mailer]

"I honestly have trouble believing I need to spend a year plus working for a company with training wheels to figure things out. People keep talking like it's rocket science or something. We're talking about following rules, keeping your records in order, and following directions here. I don't really see why people are thinking it's going to take years to figure out."

That's what I thought too. But I decided to start from the basic because it's a totally different territory. I'm glad I did. Looking back after 3 years and what I've learned from these folks....it's priceless

 

[RoadSaint]

Cool, thanks for the info. I'm sure I'll upgrade to a different van in the future, and it seems like a sprinter might be the way to go. I was originally attracted to the Chevy 2500s because I saw what other owners could get out of them as an auto repair technician. It wasn't uncommon for me to see them with over half a million miles on them, still in great condition. I didn't really see too much of that with Sprinters, but addmittedly, I've seen far fewer Sprinters in my career, in general.

 

[Turtle]

A Sprinter really isn't a very good first vehicle for someone just entering expediting. The learning curve of expediting is bad enough without having the Sprinter maintenance learning curve on top of that. It ain't a Ford or a Chevy, and can't be maintained like one. It's a Mercedes, and needs to be treated like the spoiled little princes it thinks it is.

 

[LDB]

I honestly have trouble believing I need to spend a year plus working for a company with training wheels to figure things out. People keep talking like it's rocket science or something. We're talking about following rules, keeping your records in order, and following directions here. I don't really see why people are thinking it's going to take years to figure out.

Then you already know when is a good time to go to Laredo and when isn't? Which days are good to be in Memphis and which not so much? Indy? Syracuse? When to consider going west and when not? When to wait in place for the next load and when to deliver and move on? In that case where to move on to? How much you need to make in total to afford the run and the immediate move afterward? And a lot of other questions.

Did the guy running around 2000 miles every week show you a few months of settlement sheets to confirm or just tell you about it? Not to disparage anyone but many times, if not mostly, verbal reports are superior to settlement sheets. Why? Maybe people don't want to admit they aren't doing so well. Who knows. The point being, take anything a recruiter tells you and anything another expediter tells you with a shaker of salt.

 

[RoadSaint]

Numbered your questions/comments to make replying easier. I don't -know- the answer to every one of those questions, but I could take a jab at several of them:

1. Then you already know when is a good time to go to Laredo and when isn't?

1. Probably towards the end of the week, since it's a longer trip and finding loads on the weekend might be difficult. A Laredo trip on thursday or friday ensures your weekend isn't spent sitting.

2. Which days are good to be in Memphis and which not so much? Indy? Syracuse?

2. This, obviously, will come with experience and advice from other drivers(hopefully).

3. When to consider going west and when not?

3. If by west you mean west coast, probably never. I've heard it's difficult to get much shipping out from out there.

4. How much you need to make in total to afford the run and the immediate move afterward?

4. I can calculate this pretty well. It's something I've been doing for years in setting up my own employee's runs. Always had tons of expenses to account for when bidding and dispatching jobs.

5. And a lot of other questions.

5. That's why I'm here!

6. Did the guy running around 2000 miles every week show you a few months of settlement sheets to confirm or just tell you about it?

6. No, I didn't ask my customer to "prove it" when he told me how they operate, and how much he generally works/makes. However, he came to us for auto repairs for years, and over that time, there were several times when the bill was 3000+ dollars, and he never once hesitated. It was always, "Ok, well let's fix it.", which is somewhat rare in the auto repair industry. Normally, even when people who have the money hear about a big bill, they're hesitant and indecisive. The fact that this guy always had the money to get expensive repairs done over 10 years speaks for itself, I think. If he wasn't making money, he was really good at saving it.

 

[Unclebob]

So here's some info from a newbie. I've been in this business about a year and a half now. Yes I'm a newbie, an experienced newbie but a newbie none the less.

Before I started in this I spent OVER a year lurking on this forum and reading EVERY post that was related to expediting (I also read a lot of the posts in the soap box, they're addictive). Every question you have has been answered many times in various ways. Almost every question you don't even have yet has also been answered. You literally don't know what you don't know. You need to commit to the time necessary to do the research.

You say you can't find the easy answers to your questions. You have the accumulated knowledge of hundreds of experienced and knowledgable experts at your fingertips. And it's FREE!!! How easy is it to find your answers? Just start reading.

The members of this forum are extremely giving. They will answer any realistic question you have. But they're not going to rehash all the basic questions that you can easily find the answers to with a little time and effort.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[RoadSaint]

So, out of curiousity, how'd I do with my speculation on the questions about going to Texas and going West? Was I right? Partially right? Completely wrong?

 

[jjtdrv4u]

So, out of curiousity, how'd I do with my speculation on the questions about going to Texas and going West? Was I right? Partially right? Completely wrong?

congrats grasshopper, u r ready to join the rest of us in the many parking lots waiting for loads, lol

 

[xiggi]

West is anything west of the Mississippi in this business. Most places mentioned will depend on the company you sign with. It isn't rocket science but at the rate of 2 or 3 loads a week it takes a long time to learn the country. I started at panther, I refer to it as junior college, you learn a little and graduate to the next place, learn it is worse than the first and move again, etc. I only spent six months there, the first thing I learned was I sure as heck didn't want to live out of a van I couldn't stand up in. Four months in I was standing. You've already made the choice to do this and made your first mistake by buying a small light capacity vehicle, don't worry you'll make more we all have. Make sure you have a few bucks in the bank, sign on somewhere, start running and asking questions of any driver who will talk to you. The job isn't hard it's making enough money to survive that is.

 

[Turtle]

So, out of curiousity, how'd I do with my speculation on the questions about going to Texas and going West? Was I right? Partially right? Completely wrong?

Well, a Laredo trip on Thursday or Friday, depending on where you pick it up, is probably going to be delivered on Saturday, Sunday morning at the latest, and then you'll sit there for a few days. Laredo is mostly a crap shoot, beginning of the week, end of the week, or the month, doesn't matter. What matters is 113 degrees and abundant sunshine, with an overnight low of 94 and 90% humidity. I was down there once when the overnight low was 104. It was fun.

As far as out West, yeah, that's mostly west of the Mississippi. But it depends on your carrier as to whether it's good or bad. With my previous carrier (Panther) I would take loads to the Rockies and all points west of there without much hesitation. Several times I'd spend 5-8 weeks west of the Rockies, running more miles and at a higher rate, than I would have of I stayed in the Midwest.

With my current carrier, I don't even like going to Kansas City, 'cause I usually end up deadheading back to St Louis (usually to get a load going right back to Kansas City <snort>).

 

[RoadTime]

It's a Mercedes, and needs to be treated like the spoiled little princes it thinks it is.

How true, how true lol.

 

[2centz]

LMAO! U believe recruiters? Better to talk to Alot of drivers. if more than one says the same thing,consider it gospel. This isn't a job,it's a lifestyle. If u treat it as a job, u will fail.

 

[vandriver2]

A Sprinter really isn't a very good first vehicle for someone just entering expediting. The learning curve of expediting is bad enough without having the Sprinter maintenance learning curve on top of that. It ain't a Ford or a Chevy, and can't be maintained like one. It's a Mercedes, and needs to be treated like the spoiled little princes it thinks it is.

So well put. It sure is a Spoiled Little Princess!

 

[RoadSaint]

Anyone have any experience with Tri State and Prestige, and able to tell me which would be the better choice to start with?

 

[2centz]

Never worked w/ either company. Tri state is the bigger, more established of the 2. Tri State was as big as Panther & FedEx back in the day. Took a huge hit when they went gm exclusive & gm went belly up. Been building back up last couple of years. Prestige is what I call 2nd tier company. Not as big as Panther, express1(sorry, xpo). Would do more research. If I had to pick, Tri State.

 

[RoadTime]

Anyone have any experience with Tri State and Prestige, and able to tell me which would be the better choice to start with?

I've been with Tri-State twice. Good organization, no real complaints, Last time was 4 years ago. Spoke with a TS cargo van driver not very long ago, said he was going to be switching. But I image there are many unhappy drivers right now at many company's, so take it for what it's worth.

 

[2centz]

Hear that! Don't ask my opinion on FedEx right now.

 

[letsdrive]

I took the advice of some here working for a owner for a yr. Still working for a owner but as i reflect on the past year especially the six months in the cargo van which were not easy. Mostly not having a clue what i was doing. Id say getting into this as o/o brand new there is no way I could even imagine trying to do that. Id say the advice of others was truely valuable. Hoping to be a o/o in the near future but still got alot to learn