Some insight for a potential new team

gunnerside · Sep 19, 2012

Good evening all- I have been reading plenty here and have found great info but I'd like some real opinions from some real expediters. My buddy and I are looking into getting into all this and we are starting to research lots of stuff but here is the bottom line. We have the capital to buy a used straight truck, something like we have seen on the classified and other sites. I've been reading about cpm etc and the issues getting regular loads etc....but in your opinions, is this something a couple of old war dogs can get into and do half decent at? We are not looking to get rich, for me it would be second income to help my pension and for my buddy it would keep him going and hopefully find him a new career. If we took the plunge and became o/o, would we get loads if we have no experience at this point? We have no issue working our butts off and we both have backgrounds that involved high risk and secret clearances so any checks on us would be very clean. I continue to read all the posts and we are both putting together as much info as possible together but the real info comes from guys and gals doing the work. Any thoughts?is it best to drive for someone first or can we make it with our own truck from day one? Thanks for any info all and stay safe

Lawrence · Sep 19, 2012

Gunnerside,

Welcome to EO!

Right out of the gate - I can't recommend enough this Expediter Workshop Event here:
Expediters Online Workshop Series - Preparing for the Long Haul

Knowledge is power...and can save you a few bucks too.

paullud · Sep 19, 2012

Have you guys decided how the driving and unloading duties will be split? Are you buying the truck together 50/50? Living in a metal box smaller than a prison cell can take a toll on any relationship. Have you considered what will happen if you guys decide it will not work?

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gunnerside · Sep 20, 2012

Lawrence thanks I will check that out. Paul, we have both lived in much worse conditions for over a year in Afghanistan so sitting in a comfy truck driving across this great country will be a piece of cake. Its things like you just brought up that I am trying to nail down. unloading duties etc...The truck will be a 50/50 split but that is why we are looking at a used truck that we might be able to sell or buy out if the partnership doesn't work out to well. Either way I am sure we can at least get started and take it from there as many of you seem to do day by day.

TeamCaffee · Sep 20, 2012

Check out the workshop as that will give you two a great place to ask questions and gain a lot of knowledge.

My suggestion would be for you guys to drive for an owner and make sure you are compatible for days on end with each other in a small box.... It will be much easier on you to learn the ins and outs of Expediting as drivers with guidance from an experience owner instead of making newbies mistakes while making a truck payment.

As drivers you will learn freight lanes, where to buy fuel, have the chance to talk with other drivers and figure out what type of truck you want, what creature comforts you want, and what accessories the truck must have.

Once all of that is figured out you will become O/O with a solid base of knowledge and start out running and making money.

ATeam · Sep 20, 2012

Husband/wife teams are highly desired by carriers and fleet owners. So too are same-household teams (man and woman living together). That is because they are seen as a single economic unit in a stable relationship.

Teams where the revenue is split among team members tend to be less stable because, quite often, one or both of them decide to go their separate way. Often (note that I said often), teams start together but fall out quickly because their work values differ, opinions about how the money should be handled change (I work harder so I should get more, I have to put up with his bad gas so I should get paid more), one team member wants to go home more often than the other, or other such reasons.

With the business stability issue in mind, the two of you would be wise to think together and write down on paper an agreement that describes who owns what and what each team member's obligations are to the other if one or both decide to move on to something else. Even if the two of you get along great and work well together, the end of the team should be worked out before you start, so when that day comes, it too will go well.

Since you are the one looking to augment a pension and the other guy is looking to get a start, you might think about buying the truck yourself and paying him as a co-driver. When he leaves, that leaves you with the truck, which you can then sell, and him with the freedom to move on when a better opportunity is found.

Everything I have read and heard about teams that are not same-household suggests that your team will bump up against the same challenges that end team relationships. You will not be immune, no matter how uncomfortable you were in the military. This is different. Your business venture and team endeavor will work best if the end of it is thought through and agreed on ahead of time.

gunnerside · Sep 21, 2012

Thanks guys for all the insight in just a few posts. I have been reading a ton on this site and on others and am already picking up on alot of info. This obviously is not as straight forward as I thought it would be. I will keep digging and plotting a plan but thanks again for the insight. Stay safe

x06col · Sep 21, 2012

gunnerside said:
Good evening all- I have been reading plenty here and have found great info but I'd like some real opinions from some real expediters. My buddy and I are looking into getting into all this and we are starting to research lots of stuff but here is the bottom line. We have the capital to buy a used straight truck, something like we have seen on the classified and other sites. I've been reading about cpm etc and the issues getting regular loads etc....but in your opinions, is this something a couple of old war dogs can get into and do half decent at? We are not looking to get rich, for me it would be second income to help my pension and for my buddy it would keep him going and hopefully find him a new career. If we took the plunge and became o/o, would we get loads if we have no experience at this point? We have no issue working our butts off and we both have backgrounds that involved high risk and secret clearances so any checks on us would be very clean. I continue to read all the posts and we are both putting together as much info as possible together but the real info comes from guys and gals doing the work. Any thoughts?is it best to drive for someone first or can we make it with our own truck from day one? Thanks for any info all and stay safe

Gunner, There are many ways to enter this business, all the means entered by have a failure rate of equal proportions. Safest and less lucrative would be to drive for an owner untill you get a fix on what type of equipment you really want. Most enter the biz with a cookie cutter single axle straight truck which will loose you a lot of freight over the long haul IF you choose a Carrier with some dispatch talent that would truly, fully use you to mutual advantage. Most wont/can't because of dispatcher knowledge and attention to detail. There is waaayyy too much to cover by typing, so.......I attended one of these workshops a long time ago with intentions of growing my fleet with some of the attendees. After listening to, and watching the presenters polish their rose colored glasses I decided I didn't have any empty seats available for any of the attendees listening to that crap. Having typed that...I understand the workshops have changed their venues and could be worthwhile. As with any Recruiting workshop tho, you need to take along a saltshaker and some hot sauce for the stuff they put on your plate. The responders to your thread have either forgotten, or, never knew and don't have a clue what it is like to work and live in austere conditions with someone you don't particularly like, and many that type here would not make that type of distastefull sacrifice to better themselves because they are generally already "roasted goose" hunters, and the apparent success rate, or, lack thereof directly reflects they have no intention to earn it......it's an entitlement thing. If, I had not sold my Company and retired [again], I would be more than happy to help you out. Don't know where you are based at but i'd suggest whatever you do, you'd be well served to take an afternoon and sit on the porch with an old War Horse like myself, or, a couple others I can think of and cuss and discuss your future. Good luck to you, and, thanks for your service!! Sent you a pm

paullud · Sep 21, 2012

gunnerside said:
Lawrence thanks I will check that out. Paul, we have both lived in much worse conditions for over a year in Afghanistan so sitting in a comfy truck driving across this great country will be a piece of cake. Its things like you just brought up that I am trying to nail down. unloading duties etc...The truck will be a 50/50 split but that is why we are looking at a used truck that we might be able to sell or buy out if the partnership doesn't work out to well. Either way I am sure we can at least get started and take it from there as many of you seem to do day by day.

Some of the choices can certainly be made day by day but in your situation you can create potential problems. You really have to plan for the "what if" scenario. Other than you guys deciding it won't work another idea you will want to consider is insurance. If you both own the truck and the other driver has an accident you can be held liable together even though you were sleeping. I would contact a professional insurance agent like CIS that specializes in commercial insurance and see if there is some extra coverage you can get. There are plenty of decisions that may come up in the future like deciding where to deadhead that can be solved with a coin flip but you just want to make sure your legal and insurance bases are covered first, kind of like a pre-nup.

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Jumbuck · Sep 22, 2012

gunnerside said:
Thanks guys for all the insight in just a few posts. I have been reading a ton on this site and on others and am already picking up on alot of info. This obviously is not as straight forward as I thought it would be. I will keep digging and plotting a plan but thanks again for the insight. Stay safe

Please re-read what A-team said many, many, times. I lost a friend that I was closer to than my own brother! Over Money! If you would have told me that we would let money interfere with our friend-ship when we started, I would have told you No Way! BUT IT DID! If you spend enough time with ANYONE, especially in those types of conditions, you WILL have conflicts!
GOOD LUCK!