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Vans and what are they?

greg334

greg334

Veteran Expediter
simdog20 said:
greg never said i could not buy. never said could not buy a straight truck or a sprinter. U assume i could not pay the 5000 for a van. no u dont know the situation but from your experiences how would u start out and why? not go back and read for years posts is a good idea. but looking for real life how would u start and why. how much would u save up what would u buy how would u start?
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I have to assume you can't afford a McChicken sandwich let alone a van/truck/chicken coop because you didn't detail your information out in the open and don't want to know (not being rude but it is your business not mine). AND I don't expect you to go back two years and read everything, instead I gave you a general but specific outline of how you need or should look at this situation and as usual I repeat if often in different forms through out this site. I don't think the fluff or the enduring prose is needed, I want people to succeed, not run to my website(s) and read my adventures - so my approach is to come across truthfully.

The key I think many newbies are missing is it is not important to buy a new vehicle, but something that works for you and your situation. If you can afford three months worth the bills, a van payment and have 5 to 7 thousand in the bank after you equip the van, then you don't have to worry. BUT seeing you asked about real life, it is there for you to read - a realistic startup guide to expediting in that post.

http://www.expeditersonline.com/forum/general-expediter-forum/44896-vans-what-they.html#post407517

OH and I think that the mods need to move this thread too - off to the newbie section.
 
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simdog20

Seasoned Expediter
why would i want to make the question more detailed. the more detailed the question the less room you have to answer the question. By leaving a broad question that can be answered with details I get a complete answer. It cant be to broad of a question to not cover the topic but i think the questions cover the topic at hand. As far as what i can afford. Well i assume i make more than u now so i figure if u can afford it well so can i. SO how would u get started and why? what would u get and what about mainteneance cost?


Mike.
 
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blizzard2014

Veteran Expediter
Driver
ChrisGa23 said:
like Panther:mad:
Out of the load offers sent in the past 2 months around 80% were short ones under 200 miles. Starting to get old. I like the 300-500 mile runs. Wish I could get one everyday and a big long 1000 mile run for the weekend but that will never happen.
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I used to run really good with Panther before they started swapping loads. But I used to do a lot of deadheading/repositioning in order to get into better areas away from the pack. I made 15k in 12 weeks with Panther back in 06.

It was a really good start, but I abruptly quit after they made me swap a load with a driver who had delivered after an all nighter and still sat up all day and had to take a nap before he rolled. It showed me that the swap crap was not based on carrier safety but based on favoritism. I was also forced to swap a 1000k mile load with a fleet owner driver who had been sitting in Effingham for almost a week simply because her owner called in and complained. I only took that load with a 10 cent fuel surcharge out of Shrevport LA because it had miles on it to make up for the bad FSC.

Well, they still swapped it on me even though I had more than enough time to deliver it safe and legal. That is when I drove down to my friends house and broke out the heat gun and laquer thinner!! lol!
 
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greg334

greg334

Veteran Expediter
Well a lot of this business end stuff, which it more important, is about details and those details are just driven by the individuals situation.

BUT with that said, if you make more than me, I would offer this advice - don't stop doing it.
 
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simdog20

Seasoned Expediter
Its good advise but i dont like it. I make over 50k a year with good benefits but its not worth it if u dont enjoy it. U can only live once. Yes details are what make us who we are. I just want u to answer what u would do if u started over as detailed as u can. I can sort through it so hopefully i dont have to make some of those same mistakes.
 
ChrisGa23

ChrisGa23

Expert Expediter
blizzard said:
I used to run really good with Panther before they started swapping loads. But I used to do a lot of deadheading/repositioning in order to get into better areas away from the pack. I made 15k in 12 weeks with Panther back in 06.

It was a really good start, but I abruptly quit after they made me swap a load with a driver who had delivered after an all nighter and still sat up all day and had to take a nap before he rolled. It showed me that the swap crap was not based on carrier safety but based on favoritism. I was also forced to swap a 1000k mile load with a fleet owner driver who had been sitting in Effingham for almost a week simply because her owner called in and complained. I only took that load with a 10 cent fuel surcharge out of Shrevport LA because it had miles on it to make up for the bad FSC.

Well, they still swapped it on me even though I had more than enough time to deliver it safe and legal. That is when I drove down to my friends house and broke out the heat gun and laquer thinner!! lol!
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I agree. The swaps are non sense sometimes. I have been swapped out many times with having alot of time to spare enough to where I can take a 5 hour nap or more. They send load offers with ridiculous amounts of DH and short miles and get mad at us when we decline it. I dont mind taking a short run when im near by but im not gonna dh 81 miles to have a 114 mile run like they just sent over a little bit ago. I dont see why they even take these loads or bid on them ? I drive for a fleet owner but if I was him I would look into moving. But maybe its just me maybe its my luck im getting crap load offers :D
 
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simdog20

Seasoned Expediter
u just dont want me to save money buy avoiding the same mistakes u made when u started. come on there gotta be something u can save me from.
 
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jj214

Veteran Expediter
Charter Member
Having been a van O/O for 21 years I can speak with experience when I say running a van is not for those who expect to support a family. I and many others that have been doing this for many years have another income to make the house payment, etc. You can stay out for a month at a time and survive on PB&J but why? I retired at 44 and make a moderate profit each year. I do not stay out on weekends more than a couple of times a year. Being based in the Midwest keeps me from being too far from home on Thursday or Friday. I love to travel and with my XM at my side the miles fly by. When the weather is inclement I am off the board. Running a van is the ideal retirement job if you enjoy travel. If you are trying to raise a young family, I suggest something else.
 
sluggo

sluggo

Seasoned Expediter
jj214 said:
Having been a van O/O for 21 years I can speak with experience when I say running a van is not for those who expect to support a family. I and many others that have been doing this for many years have another income to make the house payment, etc. You can stay out for a month at a time and survive on PB&J but why? I retired at 44 and make a moderate profit each year. I do not stay out on weekends more than a couple of times a year. Being based in the Midwest keeps me from being too far from home on Thursday or Friday. I love to travel and with my XM at my side the miles fly by. When the weather is inclement I am off the board. Running a van is the ideal retirement job if you enjoy travel. If you are trying to raise a young family, I suggest something else.
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My kids are 24 and 9... My wife makes decent money at lowe's and I'll still have my VA benefits. The money will be plenty for our lifestyle. I just want to put a little extra away for a few years as I will be 45 this year.
 
Jack_Berry

Jack_Berry

Moderator Emeritus
so you want to miss the 9 yo growing up?

how many days are you planning to stay out at a time?

do you wnat to be home weekends?

how much do you think you can add to your families benefit?

fuel is the biggest bogey in this biz. fuel is going up so profit is going down.


have you read the truck forum van/sprinter threads?
 
Brisco

Brisco

Expert Expediter
ChrisGa23 said:
They send load offers with ridiculous amounts of DH and short miles and get mad at us when we decline it. I dont mind taking a short run when im near by but im not gonna dh 81 miles to have a 114 mile run like they just sent over a little bit ago.
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???

I don't get this..........

Doesn't PII pay for all DH miles if the DH is over 50 miles? This run would have payed you for all miles, wouldn't it have? I'm looking at an hour and 1/2 to get there, another hour to load, and then 2 more hours to deliver. What?? 5-6 hours of your day total. Now let's say they did pay you a little for the DH, and the load itself paid .80 cents a mile. (probably more if it had a FSC) Your pay would've been paid in the $100-$120 range probably. You're looking at $20 an hour for this 5-6 hour commitment.

Now, if they had wanted you to DH 378 miles for this 114 mile run, that denial and complaint would be understandable. But this I just don't get.
 
ChrisGa23

ChrisGa23

Expert Expediter
Brisco said:
???

I don't get this..........

Doesn't PII pay for all DH miles if the DH is over 50 miles? This run would have payed you for all miles, wouldn't it have? I'm looking at an hour and 1/2 to get there, another hour to load, and then 2 more hours to deliver. What?? 5-6 hours of your day total. Now let's say they did pay you a little for the DH, and the load itself paid .80 cents a mile. (probably more if it had a FSC) Your pay would've been paid in the $100-$120 range probably. You're looking at $20 an hour for this 5-6 hour commitment.

Now, if they had wanted you to DH 378 miles for this 114 mile run, that denial and complaint would be understandable. But this I just don't get.
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Panther pays after 100 miles. But the thing is the load would of took me around 80 miles to the nearest board increasing the dh once again. To me it just wasnt profitable enough.
 
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Bluto1234

Seasoned Expediter
This is a completely serious question.

I have reviewed previous posts, and I do get the attitude clear as day, but not the reasoning behind it;

What is the problem S/T drivers have with C/V drivers?

I am looking to start in this as a cargo van driver for a local company here. The numbers make sense.
 
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