So many questions

[On my way]

Hard to figure out if I can make money so maybe i can get some help here...
Got a 75/25 deal with an owner for a 2002 Sprinter Van with 80k miles on it...I get the 75..owner gets the 25..but owner wants min 1500.00/mnth out of his van(whether or not i make my 75% of gross...
He's paying Van payment, general, liab, cargo, and tags..
I pay fuel, Maint, tolls, tires etc.(basically he gets the fixed exp..I get all the variables.
This deal is for a period of 6mnts..I have'nt had a "Real Job" for over 5 years as i have been taking care of my Parents in their final years and then took a 2 year "Mid life Retirement". My credit is Avg and no recent income is scaring off the finance co's a bit..So with this plan I can shore up the credit situation a bit and get some experience in expediting before i go buy my own Sprinter or straight truck depending on what I learn in the coming months..

so here come the questions...
How many miles are you sprinter drivers averageing a month..
Total, Paid, and dead head?
wheres the best co to get insurance
What does everybody think of EagleIIglobal

Thats a start..will be watching this thread and making comments over the next couple weeks...So any advice will be greatly appreciated and look forward to meeting you all on the road in the coming months...
I am also looking very hard at working for EagleIIglobal out of Atlanta GA...

 

[davekc]

I think 25% is too low. And the owner gets 1500 regardless a month? What happens if the van breaks down or is tied up because parts are not available? Do you at that point, owe him money? Sounds like a unestablished owner with limited resources if he "has" to make 1500.
I would run the other way. Too many other deals out there that are set up better.

 

[terryandrene]

OMW - Concur with Davekc in that you should be On Your Way from this deal. This seems more like a real headache than a real job since all the variable are on you. The tires, particularly, will probably need replacement the day before you turn in your notice.

Your questions are too vague to give a black and white response.
Drivers' Sprinter miles vary with their individual work ethic, the company to which leased, and the time of year.
A typical month with a typical company is about $4000 gross to the truck and ranges from about $2500 to $8500; the later being a great month, but not a frequent one. A ball park guess on total miles to have a $4000 month would be, typically again, 4500 miles plus 1000-1500 miles deadhead.
I can't say if there is a best co. for insurance, but most will offer bobtail ins on a group plan.
EagleIIglobal: don't know a thing.

You'll be able to get a better handle on the answers you seek by visiting all of us at the Expedite Expo at the Detroiter Truck stop next month. It'll be worth your time.

Good Luck and if you come up with some good stuff on Eagle, let us in on it.
Terry

 

[On my way]

Guess i'll fess up a bit here....The Owner of the sprint van is my brother...the 1500/mth min didnt raise too many flags in my mind as i have his spreadsheet on costs and his fixed costs with insurances(liability, general, cargo, comp), tags come out to 53$ shy of the 1500 min he is asking..so...seemed to me my fixed costs would be the same if i were buying...

The maint thing worries me a bit with the comments I'm reading on the sprinter vans...Main complaint seems to be the EGR valves and i know he has replaced 2 so far...I mention the problems on the valves to him and he gafaws me and reminds me how long he's been in the trucking business(which is a considerable time)...and I do know he maintains his vehicles well...I also read on timing chains and got to thinking that I was gonna get hit with a timing chain replacement in my 6 mth time...also pretty sure i gonna get hit with a set of tires...

Of all the recruiters i've spoken with they to a man say go with the sprinter for the flexible cargo abilities and eagle pays straight truck price for all pallets over 48"

4000 miles/mnth scary #...shows basically break even on the spread sheet...

EagleIIGlobal seems to have location in Atlanta and Ohio..Pay 65%/load which recruiter tells me works out to .84/mi + fuel surcharge and 1.80 for straight truck runs. I plan on being out 3 wks at a time but liked them as they seem to have runs to tallahassee and pensacola to get me home every now and again(wife will appreciate that)...

Yes brother is on a tight budget and is known to take care of #1..Not sure why he not driving himself but know he has daughter of 10 and wants to be home more with her...but keeps talking he gonna drive a big rig...

...like i said..hard to figure if i gonna make money doing this...seems to work pretty good with current figures and 5 to 6k miles a month....

OMW

 

[On my way]

would love to talk with anybody who's willing by email or by phone...
my email [email protected] and will give ph to anyone who emails...


thanks again

OMW

 

[davekc]

Many of the posts on here have indicated a trend towards some mechanical problems with the Sprinter. Remember that your income stops when broke down or waiting for service or parts. Many of their parts have to be ordered from Germany.(information from related posts)
As the same as Terry, I know nothing of EagleGlobal. There is a poster on here named Geo who I believe currently drives for them. He might be able to provide some insight to how they operate.
Lastly, I personally would always have reservations about mixing any business relationship with family members. Some have been successful, but the vast majority usually end on a sour note. Watch daytime court TV and it is filled with these types of stories.
If you decide to proceed, I would tread very slowly and with caution.
Just my personal opinion of course.
Davekc

 

[On my way]

DaveKC...Your comment on working with family will not go un-noticed as I have many concerns in this arena...and I am carefully considering all the other great advice i am getting from all responders...

I have answered an ad in the classified section for a driver and have come up with yet another option for my entry into expediting..

This owner is offering a 65/35 deal and he is providing the van and maint and works thru panther II...The owner is in Ohio and started expediting on a shostring budget november of last year...His uncle is impressed with how he has done and has provided him with a second van and he looking for a driver for it...he sent me some settlement sheets from panther and we reviewed them and discussed what i would pay and what he would pay...We hit it off pretty good over the phone...

I will continue to review the ads in classified and am headed to atlanta and charlotte NC to meet with Eagle and my brother...I believe i will be telling my brother if he wants me we will go with the more standard 60/40 deal..May be a deal breaker but life will go on...

Thanks so much guys and keep the comments coming. I cant tell you all what a help you've been in my decision process and comfort level


Thanks again...

OMW

 

[terryandrene]

Your Panther deal sounds better on the surface. Check out a lot of great comments in the General Expediter Forum titled Lease agreements for drivers of O/O. You'll find some good discussion points.

Terry

 

[BigBusBob]

Ok, crunching numbers that would be realistic in my mind... though I don't know about Sprinter runs, I do know what realistic weekly solo miles would/could be...

at your .84 CPM, lets say you get 5 loads a week at 500 miles each, that's $2,100 per week roughly. Now Subtract 20% and that's $420.00 in fuel, so now you did not make 2,100, you made $1,680 in a week.

Monthly numbers... 2,500 miles a week x 4 weeks in a month is 10,000 miles for the month... $8,400 for the month, - 1,500 = 6,900, - 20 % for fuel (1,380) and that's $5,520 in a month... I don't think you're going to get 5 loads a week at 500 miles a pop. Infact, I would say that's highly unlikely -

You might get one 150 mile load, a 300 miler, and a 500 miler and one 700 mile load. Maybe a 200 miler for the weekend? or more perhaps.
That's 1,850 miles per week, and alot more realistic in my opinion (talkin' solo #'s), $3,773 a month - after fuel and that 1,500 outa there.

Again though, I don't know what kind of miles a Sprinter gets, that's straight truck solo driver numbers... but those numbers are on the high side.
I only put those numbers out because I would think Sprinters would get higher mileage runs because they're not regulated and therefore can run more miles "freely". I use that term "Freely" loosely though.

Smile! BigBusBob

 

[davekc]

The Panther deal seems alittle more stable. You may want to consider after you have gained some experience to request a 60/40 deal. If you look in the EO classifieds, that seems to be the going numbers.
In the event things go sour, parting of the ways would be easier with a non-relative. You would also have more options if you at a later time decided to drive a staight truck or tractor.