solo//team

[beachbum20714]

hi,i talked to a lady at FED EX CC yesterday,she told me that i could not make any money being a solo,and that all the o/o's were looking for teams.is this so?i've been doing alot of reading on here,and it seem's to me that solo's can make money.i had a o/o call me today and he wanted me to drive for him after reading my OE ad.he went on,on and i had to stop him and say i do not team,well..that put an end to that phone call quick.i know teaming is where the money is,but you do not know who the person you might team with will turn out to be.i trust 1 person ,that's ME.i do not want to lay in my bunk thinking,can i trust is person,not to kill me ,hit me,steal from me.i just want to know if i can make money driving a str trk solo?i read all the time on here,yes you can,no you can't,witch is it?if you can't then why do we have solo driver's?i thought 2 week's out was the norm?home 2-3 day's.the lady i talked to at FED EX said 3 week's out 1 week at home.blew my mind when she said that.she said all of the o/o's where doing this,is this right?i have been that o/o's don't make any money with solo driver's.i have also been told that when driving a van the company's don't like to run you over 400 mile's a day,is this so?i can do 400 mile's in my sleep.if you run 400 mile's ,you can get some rest and then keep going,as long as that state let's you,and not running a log book.can someone clear this up for me.what would be a good company to start out working for?for i'm a newbi,want to be.i don't mind driving,i love it.just want to be sure i can make money doing this before i jump in.i have a class b,haz,air,tanker,endor.one other thing//why do i hear about people sitting all the time?are they waiting for a load,not enought work,don't want to work what?every company i have talked to say's there is alot of work no one should be sitting for any lenght of time,cpl hour's maybe ,but not for a day ,or day's.

 

[davekc]

You have asked alot of questions.
As to how well you would do as a solo depends on many things. You said you have read many posts so with that knowledge, you can determine the good and bad points with companies. You can make money as a solo but you can't be over financed and have alot of bills.
Hours of service has limited the ability of the single driver (14 hour rule). This seriously cuts your availability to do a run. Even more so when you factor deadhead milage and wait or dock time in.
If going solo, take the time to understand how the HOS changes this year might effect you.

As to hometime? Depends on where you live. Every two weeks with some carriers and your home location, and it is doable. If you live out of the freight zones, then 3 weeks is more realistic. Or, you cut your revenue deadheading home. If you live in AZ and want to be home every two weeks, you better look for another line of work.

There have been alot of recent posts with trucks sitting. What I have noticed as others have is that the company may be more team oriented, in a van, or auto exclusive.

Many companies rely heavily or exclusively on NLM freight, and currently they are doing 5 to 600 loads a day. Last year at this same time it was closer to 2000 loads. That by itself will slow some of the carriers.








Davekc
owner
21 years
PantherII
EO moderator

 

[phatTweaker]

I can't answer many of your questions because I am new myself, but I'm sure there are O/O out there that will give a solo newbie a shot in a van or straight truck. Now I don't know anything about sitting or pay because I'm not out there yet (I should be going out in June in a d-unit). My advise from one newbie to the other, if you haven't already done so, is to call all the carriers that advertise here and ask if they have any fleet owners looking for a solo driver. Also your ad should provide some leads. It may take a little time for everything to come together, but you should find something.

good luck

 

[terryandrene]

Earl:

One thing is for certain 99+% of the time, you can't feed three people (an owner and two drivers) on the revenue produced by a van operating as an expedite truck.

The same three people can potentially earn a meager living in a straight truck or tractor, but I believe you'll have to stay out on the road as long as necessary to meet the financial goals of the owner and each of the drivers. That will often mean staying out longer, or occasionaly less than, the two or three weeks you mention.

I suspect that the reason that FedEx lady told you the owners are looking for teams before solos is because she's aware of the equipment investment owners make and the need to maximize the truck's use in order to get a fair return on investment. It's quite inappropriate for drivers to give anything but maximum effort for an owner in exchange for the use of his vehicle.

Some companys don't restrict a van's daily mileage and others, in cluding FedEx Custom Critical limit a solo driver's runs to 700 miles

 

[beachbum20714]

thank's for the info from everybody.i live in MARYLAND.i see FED EX CC truck's all the time on the beltway.i know o/o's are making big investments in truck's.i also see in the oe ad's o/o's looking for driver's solo,and team's.more solo than team.question;on an aveg week how much do you guy's spend on fuel(str trk)(van)? money wise,what is a avge week?good week?bad week?and does everybody work 7 day's a week?i know there is the 60/70 hr rule,but for some i know they don't follow?i work hard,play hard,so i know i can run and do a good job.can i make good money being a o/o running my own van?i know that there is alot of van's out there.i know FED EX CC is not taking on any van o/o at this time.is there any other's that are?i know ...call the carrier's.just thought i would ask the people in the know first.

 

[snowbird74365]

hi, since you live in maryland then you should do ok with a van,but you cannot limit the places you will go. you also have to be willing to take most of the loads that come across. but there is another company that puts on vans and that is con-way now and they do ok. there pay is 77 cents a mile. you can check with them.

 

[Broompilot]

Call this person (Lady) back up and thank her. She saved you a ton of aggrivation. She is 100% correct in what you quoted. I am a solo and proabably considered to be somewhat successfull, its all in the company you run with and how hard you are willing to work and how long you can stay out.

2 weeks just is not gona make it 3 min and probably more than that. I plan on staying out 4 when I leave, if I get by the house great I will take a short time out otherwise I am back out there in three days tops and than extened myself for one week longer than I originaly planned on.

When the freight is hot, you better be also. This business is alot like a card game your not gona do anything if the chips are not on the table, and than a little strategy, plus a whole lot of LUCK.

 

[beachbum20714]

thank's for the info.i still want to know how much fuel you guy's are spending in a week?i'm willing to stay out 2-3 week's at a time.

 

[Broompilot]

22-24% of gross revenue to the truck underload with consistant loads. As for long layovers its gona increase ALOT..

So 10K in a month fuel bill is close to $2,300.00. 2 weeks aint gona get it. I do not care if you live in the Chicago suburbs. Gotta let the bread rise before you can bake it....