Sprinter Van Dilemma. Help!

[Jordan Delahoussaye]

Hi all,
My name is Jordan, i'm 22 years old and I live in Los Angeles. I've been creating a not so steady source of income for myself for the past 2 years buying, restoring, and selling cars. However due to the recent passing of a family member i'll need a more steady source of income to take care of my household. I was suggested, by an older cousin of mine who is in the box truck expediting business, to look into investing in a Sprinter/Cargo van and become an O/O. I have about $10,000 in car inventory that i'm currently liquidating to go towards start up costs. I've already looked at quite a few threads in the newbies paradise section, as well as spent hours on Youtube and honestly I'm overwhelmed so I have some questions.

1. From what I understand Los Angeles is a crowded market for van drivers, but is it overcrowded? Will I make money?

2. Has anyone had experience with Amazon Logistics? If so, how was it?

3. What Van would you recommend? Year/Make/Model

4. What carrier would you recommend?

5. I know my Insurance is going to be high for someone my age. Fortunately for me my cousin agreed to help me with the insurance costs however I have to pay for my credentials. What can I expect to pay for that?

6. How much should my monthly payment for my van be?

 

[BigStickJr]

Seriously, at 22, needing a steady job I’d suggest you go and get a job.
Jobs equal a steadier income, less risk, and possibly benefits.
I’m on the other coast but as I contemplate coming out of retirement, I’m amazed at the opportunities I’m seeing.
Fedex Ground needs loaders 24 hours per week. They couldn’t keep people until they offered the full timer’s benefit package to the part timers. Now people who aren’t thrilled about loading trucks for 24 hours per week show up and produce because they need the benefits.
My neighbor works in the best paying factory in the area, food production, and they’re hiring but want people who will work seven days per week, as needed.
This industry works best for those that don’t need the money.

 

[DollarSign]

Can't really add anything else. You need to stay local and need to be home when needed it sounds like. The biggest thing you need is Health Insurance and when you expedite it's not furnished.

 

[Andyinchville1]

FWIW - I think benefits are highly overrated....a person can buy benefits for themselves for very little $$ if they know what they are doing...

Due to all the legal write offs a self employed person can get for themselves, it is possible to earn a good living AND STILL qualify for cheap health insurance with government help / aid in terms of the affordable care act.

 

[BigStickJr]

As I said in another thread,

..................................................................................................................smh.......................................................................................................................

 

[LDB]

Find a real job at home and continue to do the cars part time. You'll come out well ahead in the long run.

 

[Solar]

In expedite, if you want to make $, you are to be on the road months at a time. So, while it offends some on the forum, it’s more of a lifestyle than a job. Wake up in different cities, never really known where you’re going next, etc.

You sound like a young person with a family, and you know about cars/working on vehicles. I don’t know you, but from my limited information, this is my advice.

Get you a nice truck, 3/4 ton to 1 ton, and a good flat bed trailer, preferably gooseneck, 25’-30’.

It’s hard until you see it done, after a week, you’ll be ready to do it by yourself. Hauling cars gets some decent $. In a big city it’s almost a perpetual thing. Also, you’ll have the equipment to haul for yourself. You can get paid for hauling, but you can use your knowledge to see any good investments. Use your knowledge to your advantage. YouTube Hot Shot Car Hauling.

 

[BigStickJr]

Are you talking from experience or are you repeating rumors ?
I’ve hauled as many or more cars than anybody I know of on this forum.
10 years at Allied Automotive and a few years at fly by nights.
I’ve never offered this advice.
Haven’t hauled a car for revenue in 10 years.
Is local stuff better now ?
It used to be like vans are now. A rate cutter every where you looked.

 

[dc843]

Look, you'll make more expediting than you will at a regular job, as people are suggesting You do instead.

But, it's a lifestyle and not a job. Do not invest money into it into you are sure you'll be willing to follow through.

Expediting has a fantastic try before you buy program, driving for a fleet owner. Go to the classified ad section you'll find people looking for drivers. Do it until you are sure you wanna do this. Chances are fleet owners won't have a nice van set up and they'll expect you to be on the road 90% of the time. You may get lucky but if not look at it as a learning the ropes. If you decide it's a good career then go buy a van and set it up nice for yourself.

The year I've expediting in a van I've had 1 load that went to San diego, so expect to deadhead to loads and back home. It's not the best place to be in a van.

 

[BigStickJr]

You’ll make more money Expediting than you will at a normal job ?
How much have YOU netted in the last 12 months ? After expenses.
How much hometime ?
Do you have any of those” overrated “ benefits ?
Any workman’s comp ? If so, who paid it ?
Paid holidays or vacation?
Any money paid into social security?
The OP may not have the option of spending time in “the learning curve.”

 

[dc843]

You’ll make more money Expediting than you will at a normal job ?
How much have YOU netted in the last 12 months ? After expenses.
How much hometime ?
Do you have any of those” overrated “ benefits ?
Any workman’s comp ? If so, who paid it ?
Paid holidays or vacation?
Any money paid into social security?
The OP may not have the option of spending time in “the learning curve.”

Since the end of last year I've worked a "regular job". 10 dollars an hour. I make about 300 a week working full time. No benefits. Yes a tiny bit of my taxes are being paid by getting the w2. By the way, unless you have a degree or technical skill, coming across a job with benefits isnt easy.

Expediting I made about an average of about 600 to 700 a week. That was for a fleet owner. That's the weeks where I got 4000 miles and the weeks I got next to none averaged. That's with gas paid for, taxes set aside, and all that good stuff. That's with getting a percent of the money that allowed the van fleet owner to make a living just owning and maintaining the fleet. That's also with a van which is super saturated, let's not even talk about the bigger trucks.

So that's about double my money, I guarantee my employer paying half my social security and all that doesn't add up to 300 dollars a week. If you wanna debate this I can go get a pay stub.

All that aside, what is it you do for a living? Oh is it expediting? Why haven't you quit during the many many years I've assumed you have been doing this? It's a terrible choice for everyone else but here all you nay sayers are still doing it. Nobody has a gun to your head telling you to expedite.

I'll tell you why I think you do it. Because you love it. So do I. I miss it so much. That's why I'm getting back into it but in a straight truck this time. We like to wake up in different states. We love to get paid to see the country. We are so much more free than people working their 9 to 5 jobs. Some times it sucks, you may not get the "benefits" you would elsewhere, but as of right now there's nothing id rather be doing.

Give OP a chance to see if they will feel the same way. I have the up most respect for all of you that have been doing this for decades, a lot of you have helped me a lot with various posts I've made, but you gotta stop cutting down and only bringing up the negatives people considering doing the same thing you have made a career out of. It's not going to stop the unlicensed POS vans from stealing your freight for .50 a mile. It's not going to make a dent in the number of vans on the road.

Have a great day, drive safe.

 

[BigStickJr]

I guess I’m spoiled.
I’ve always lived near enough to a large metro area that I’ve always made good money.
Haven’t made less than $50,000 per year since 1976.
Looking on Glassdoor in my present area found 2 $10 per hour jobs, one $14 per hour job and many $19 per hour jobs.
Neighbor does deliveries in hospital. $20, $30 overtime, 26 paid days off per year, and great benefits. His first year. They have openings often as people move up or move on.
The thing that blows me away is the yarn mill here just called me for $19. 12 hr shifts. But if next shift calls off they expect you to do 18 hrs.
This seems common around here. Charlottesville Va area.
ABF,UPS, Roadway, and Averitt all looking for dockworkers.
In LA he should find decent work.

 

[dc843]

I guess I’m spoiled.
I’ve always lived near enough to a large metro area that I’ve always made good money.
Haven’t made less than $50,000 per year since 1976.
Looking on Glassdoor in my present area found 2 $10 per hour jobs, one $14 per hour job and many $19 per hour jobs.
Neighbor does deliveries in hospital. $20, $30 overtime, 26 paid days off per year, and great benefits. His first year. They have openings often as people move up or move on.
The thing that blows me away is the yarn mill here just called me for $19. 12 hr shifts. But if next shift calls off they expect you to do 18 hrs.
This seems common around here. Charlottesville Va area.
ABF,UPS, Roadway, and Averitt all looking for dockworkers.
In LA he should find decent work.

Yeah. I live in myrtle beach SC so it's all tourism economy here. Not much to earn. Hell local class a deliveries make only like 13 to 17 an hour. So my experiences with a "regular job" are a bit skewed. I still wouldn't wanna do it over expediting.

 

[RoadTime]

Yeah. I live in myrtle beach SC so it's all tourism economy here. Not much to earn. Hell local class a deliveries make only like 13 to 17 an hour. So my experiences with a "regular job" are a bit skewed. I still wouldn't wanna do it over expediting.

Pretty much the same in my area of Port Huron, MI. Mostly $9-$10 jobs, sweat it out in a factory for a while might get you up to $13 eventually. I definitely could stay home and not starve, but not getting a head either. Hell, at this point, even a $21 job (which often temps me) would still result in a pay cut, plus rejoining the rat race. Local class A jobs are about the same range here. So that's not a great option either. Unless I was desperate, which I'm not

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[Ragman]

What's a job?

 

[dc843]

What's a job?

This guy gets it.

 

[dc843]

Yeah. I live in myrtle beach SC so it's all tourism economy here. Not much to earn. Hell local class a deliveries make only like 13 to 17 an hour. So my experiences with a "regular job" are a bit skewed. I still wouldn't wanna do it over expediting.

Pretty much the same in my area of Port Huron, MI. Mostly $9-$10 jobs, sweat it out in a factory for a while might get you up to $13 eventually. I definitely could stay home and not starve, but not getting a head either. Hell, at this point, even a $21 job (which often temps me) would still result in a pay cut, plus rejoining the rat race. Local class A jobs are about the same range here. So that's not a great option either. Unless I was desperate, which I'm not

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First time I went through port huron I remember thinking to myself "this is the myrtle beach of the north" they are very similar layouts....except you have a lake and we have an ocean.

 

[BigStickJr]

What's a job?

This guy gets it.

Are you sure?
He’s retired. And he has two, yep count them, two jobs.

 

[dc843]

What's a job?

This guy gets it.

Are you sure?
He’s retired. And he has two, yep count them, two jobs.

That sucks. He should get back into expediting so he has zero.

 

[Ragman]

What's a job?

This guy gets it.

Are you sure?
He’s retired. And he has two, yep count them, two jobs.

That sucks. He should get back into expediting so he has zero.

Nah.... I'm just driving once a week lately with an occasional 2nd run. As far as job #2, I'm just on call at the local Speedway.

Really wish the truck owner would get off the truck and hire on the guy i recommended.