Too good to be true??

[STUMPY]

Just was looking over some numbers at Thompson emergency and they seem to good to be true just wondering if anyone knows what the catch is?? I am a canadian looking to get into the business here in Windsor Ontario and would really appreciate any help on this topic anyone can give to shed some light on this ?!?!?!

Thank you

 

[OntarioVanMan]

What kind of unit are you thinking of getting into?

If it's a van..the most common complaint is that there is hardly ever a load over 500lb to get the big bucks.

 

[STUMPY]

I was playing with the idea of going with something largeer around the three ton range like a Freightliner fl60 fl70 but might just give up and get a van how does running a van stack up??

 

[OntarioVanMan]

Stumpy...This is only my opinion and you know what they say about them!*lol* But I love the van...why?

1. No Logs

2. No scaling

3. Low overhead

4. You can run till your dogs fall off ( which is not always a good thing)

5. Low tolls

6. No long lines at customs...( if you do it right )

I could complain about the dispatching, i could complain about company policies, BUT I am making great money sooooo...

 

[STUMPY]

wow that reallty makes a difference all those things sound so good you have really made me lean more along the line of getting a vand the whole reason I wanted to get into expedite was for the independance and you make it sound that getting into a van just might be the way to go for me at least for now I like the I dea off no scales and no log books. Really the biggest reason is I would rather run my own equipment because no one cares for a truck like the owner does if you know what I mean.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

Stumpy..and if your not going to have any passengers you can take out the front seat and have room for your cooler,laptop, BBQ and winter furnace, TV and change of clothes, whew.... Without clogging up the rear!

 

[STUMPY]

been trying to get info on getting my hands on a dodge Sprinter but even with an inside track on it I still can not get my hands on one I have seen them set up with everything I would need (short of a shower and a toilet).This was the way I was planning on going but with no one having one in Ontario I have had to look into Fords and well I do not like the idea of a big V8 digging into my bottom line (I do not pay for my fuel now but go throught about $40 a day just around town) so the sprinter was looking very good but oh well....

Sorry about the long response justy trying to make an educated decision and know all the angles before signing on the dotted line}>

 

[bighuey78]

its true u dont have the logs and everything in a van but you also dont make as much money as the bigger trucks i know the truck im in makes about 4-5 grand a week and i get 40% of that so think about that as well :+

 

[OntarioVanMan]

I had alot more here but was rambling.....
as I think the money is proportional. Even though lately May was a 5 figure month even for a van!!!

P.S. and thats 5 figures with a comma not a decimal point!! *lol*:9

 

[OntarioVanMan]

Stumpy...theres alot of them toys you could do yourself over time..factory installed stuff is real pricey...bare bone-it and build it they way ya like...and as the money comes in. Don't get in over your head before you actually hit the road...Its a tough life out there. But rewarding for the worker type.

 

[STUMPY]

Ya I was planning on putting in all the creature comforts after I was making some money but I need to find a good platform to start with And that seems to be the dilema right now.other than finding a company and financing of course?!?!?!!??
Thank you for all your help !!! But I still have not heard much about Thompson-Emergency and thier claims?? arghh!!}>

 

[STUMPY]

HOLY POOP!!!! that is gross of course right but still worth working your butt off for I guess that makes up for the slow times if you baance things well but that can not be a typical type of monthly income or everybody would be getting rich. Trust me I am not afraid of long hours on the road (used to them actually) bt how much time do you spend away from home in a typical month??

 

[OntarioVanMan]

Stumpy..Nope that is not a typical month.

We have just signed on a Thompson guy Acually I got the credit for recruiting him. As I said before, the pay formula is not in a vans best interests, cuz they seldom give you over 500 lbs to make the better money! And alot of border crossing and wasted time for a couple bucks.

 

[STUMPY]

well at least being from windsor I have ways to at least get to the bridge without getting stuck in the 4 or 5 hour lineups and I guess I am willuing to put in the hours nessecary to make it worth it. I just do not what to be working my butt off for someone else to get rich off of I like the idea of the more you work the more you make. and this isas close as I ever wanna get to an office job as I can stand!!!

 

[OntarioVanMan]

When company makes deals with shippers for "special rates" It ONLY benefits the company...never the O/O.
We have a couple of them "special rates" so I stay away from the Tri-city area. I may lose a biggie trip now and then, BUT I refuse to discount myself.
I think discounting only belittles the fleet and sends a bad message to shippers that we are desparate for their business! When thats not the case.

Buy your own vehicle, van or truck, and try NOT to go too deep in debt.
keep the payments reasonable, especially for the slow times.

Things are alittle different in Canada..We don't have alot of multi-truck owners in the expedite business so driving for one to get a feel for it is hard to do.

 

[STUMPY]

How does that referal bonus work?? Thompson has not yet got back to me but I pretty much have narrowed it dwn to the final few with thompson as a strong contender ( providing that what they say is true ) and I have no problem with some one getting a bonus for some thing I was gonna do any way .