Team Member Lacking The Experience

[TeamPaul]

My wife and I left day 1 of the Expo riding on "cloud 9". We talked at length with the Panther Reps and then captivated a lot of time with Wade from Expediters services. So here is the issue; I have verifiable driving experience, but my wife, although holding a class A, does not. When we are able to enter the flow, we are considering using Expedited Services as a portal. They offer an option that will allow my wife to team with me for 6-months to get her much needed driving [straight truck] experience, and from there we can branch to tractor/trailer if we so desire. We do not plan to drive as owner/operator, we are looking to just contract and drive through an owner.

Does this sound like the best option for us? With zero experience for the both of us in the expedite industry, we want to make sure that we are moving in the right direction.

 

[ATeam]

Does this sound like the best option for us? With zero experience for the both of us in the expedite industry, we want to make sure that we are moving in the right direction.

I don't know about "the best" option but it sounds like a good option. It is widely stated by expediters to start with a fleet owner first.

Don't let the experience thing bother you too much. After you have hauled your first ten loads you will know 90 percent of what you need to know to make a go of the business. The final 10 percent remains illusive to expediters who have a decade of experience or more because the world continually changes. What worked last year may not work next year but the essential components of the business remain the same (be on time, be safe, manage your money well, maintain good relations with your fleet owner and motor carrier).

 

[jcochristoph]

Most trucking companies will not consider straight truck driving as adequate experience... Just saying.

 

[TeamPaul]

Fleet owner first, got it! My wife is worried about not having the experience, but the time can fly by, assuming she is enjoying what she is doing. Right now she is my co-pilot when I pull for the local high school band, chomping at the bit to drive... especially when I get a retal from the local Penske center.

 

[TeamPaul]

So my wife spent the better part of this afternoon researching over the road jobs, and come to realize that expediting is where she feels she fits in best. We spent the rest of the afternoon researching more on the trucking industry in general. A lot has happened since I last kept a log book...

 

[TeamHutch]

I think this is a great plan. I've heard ES offers a lot of support for folks new to expediting. Learning to live on the road and crafting your skills as an expediter are your biggest challenges.

 

[tknight]

Most trucking companies will not consider straight truck driving as adequate experience... Just saying.

Are you saying tt companies ?

 

[TeamPaul]

I think this is a great plan. I've heard ES offers a lot of support for folks new to expediting. Learning to live on the road and crafting your skills as an expediter are your biggest challenges.

Hello Heather & Jason - My wife and I have been doing a lot of research since returning from the Expo... interestingly enough, your youtube channel was the first thing we looked at after returning home. The wonder & spectacle and truck eye candy of the Expo is fading a bit now (but not in a bad way), as we begin to learn more about the industry... We have been conversing with many people, both here on the forum, and by phone, and have come to realise that we have much to learn. Our time frame is 10-months. In that time we hope to be more financially stable, and will have our youngest child graduated from high school. I figure that by the time the next Expo opens, we will be forging a new path.

 

[jcochristoph]

Yes, tknight, from my own experience tractor/trailer companies of any good repute won't accept straight truck experience for their application requirements

 

[tknight]

Yes, tknight, from my own experience tractor/trailer companies of any good repute won't accept straight truck experience for their application requirements

Well that makes sense, would you hire a burger flipper at an alignment shop?

 

[TeamPaul]

According to Panther and Expedite Services, after 6-months in the straight truck, we could go through a week of testing with Panther to qualify for tractor trailer, if we so desired. I do not know if this is more of a sell tactic, but definitely worth looking into.

 

[TeamCaffee]

According to Panther and Expedite Services, after 6-months in the straight truck, we could go through a week of testing with Panther to qualify for tractor trailer, if we so desired. I do not know if this is more of a sell tactic, but definitely worth looking into.

I have never heard of straight truck experience crossing over to T/T ... Verify that for sure. Once in a straight truck though it is hard to go back to T/T and the stress that comes with parking and maneuvering around.

I found that the more I backed the trucking into parking spaces at the truck stop the better I was at going forward and making tight turns.

 

[TeamPaul]

I have never heard of straight truck experience crossing over to T/T ... Verify that for sure. Once in a straight truck though it is hard to go back to T/T and the stress that comes with parking and maneuvering around.

I found that the more I backed the trucking into parking spaces at the truck stop the better I was at going forward and making tight turns.

That may be, as it sounded to good to be...

On a side note, my wife still talks about your truck, especially when she runs across a pic of it online... The doily on the porta-potty was anice touch she thought.

The more we research, the more we are inclined to want to stay with the straight truck & sleeper units.

 

[xmudman]

The more we research, the more we are inclined to want to stay with the straight truck & sleeper units.

I would do just that if I could; there's too many vans out here. Your being willing and able to wait is a good thing.

 

[TeamPaul]

Assuming you are referring to sprinter vans, there in no interest. The first question we heard asked at the Expo dealt with the issues surrounding expediting in a van... we knew right away that was not for us. My wife and I have been waiting to team for 25-years now, and in ten to eleven months, we will come to realize that dream.

 

[TeamCaffee]

Taking your time and getting as much knowledge as possible before you start will help a lot. We spent a long time researching this industry before we started and the one thing we were not prepared for was how hard it is to sleep in a moving vehicle and that about did us in. I wonder now if we had not burnt our bridges... meaning we owned our truck if we would have survived that. What we did learn though by not giving up is that in time we did learn to sleep and we also learned there are times when it is best to sleep and regroup then to take that next load. Safety is a priority and the bases to making good decisions.

Over the years looking back we have done some funny things to make our lives out here as normal as possible or to appear as normal as possible to the non trucker friends.

 

[TeamPaul]

Thank you TeamCaffee, I had not considered sleeping in a moving vehicle as an issue before... but I bet my wife will suffer most until she finds a rhythm. As for me, I can sleep anywhere anytime.

In doing our research, we ran across the Truckers Report forums... what a depressing forum! Granted there is good information to be had there, but it would seem that the forum is full of bad juju from unhappy drivers. Almost too much negativity to be able to be of use.

I did get my wife a driving job of sorts. I have pulled for my kids High School Marching band for eight seasons, this upcoming to be my ninth. Generally we use a tack trailer combination, with a 26' box truck as a back up. This season, I have nominated my wife as the back up driver, and she will be driving the overflow vehicle to and from games and competitions. This should help her to get some of the experience she needs...