So, this has been an extremely long journey. As you all know, things change, life happens and not always as we had planned. I started checking into Expedited Trucking around 2006/2007, I know, that’s a long time ago. I went to an evening workshop and I believe it was in Dundee, MI. I also attended my first Expedite Expo at the Roberts Center in Wilmington, OH around 2007/2008. I still had my Class A CDL, drove tractor trailer briefly a few years prior to this. Expeditors Online was a tremendous resource for my research, as was the Expo. I had to accept the results of my research that, for me, as much as I wanted a career in the Expedited Trucking arena, I just couldn’t at that time. I still had a family at home, I would be operating as a solo in either a straight truck or van, the time away from my home responsibilities and, what I felt was a limited potential income operating as a solo, were factors that I used to determine, not now.
Now here we are in 2019. A lot has changed. Obviously I’m a “little” older now. The burning desire to become an Expeditor however has not changed. My wife and I both attended the Expo last year in Lexington, KY. The workshops were fantastic, the round tables allowed us to have some great conversations with drivers, owner operators and fleet owners. The exhibit hall allowed us to get in some trucks and, especially for my wife, get a first had experience of what these trucks are like.
You Tube has also been a great resource for us. There are some people doing some great work out there to include The Crafty Trucker, The Trucking Couple and My Life’s Ventures. We had the privilege of meeting Jason and Heather from The Crafty Trucker at the Expo, got our picture taken with them and ended up in their VLOG!!
Why are we still looking into this? For me, the desire has always been there and has never decreased. I have always loved to drive, to do the road trip and have a desire to work for myself. Driving for a fleet owner fulfills these needs with the opportunity to learn the business without the risk of an initial equipment investment. I want to be successful in this business and, obviously, the fleet owner does as well. My wife and I love being and working together. She has the same desires as I do about being successful in what we do. She is excited about this possible career move, a bit nervous about the driving time, but we will both become more comfortable as time goes by and we have some experience under our belts.
Preparation for this possible career change paralleled what we wanted to do with our lives regardless. We sold a business we were working together (I was also working another full time job). We downsized our home, are debt free, and have 1 adult daughter who will be moving out on her own shortly. We are at the point now that we could leave our current jobs with a minimum of a 2 week notice (we both believe that is the right thing to do).
Now what? Well, we are continuing to prepare. My wife will be obtaining her Class B CDL this spring. We will both add or obtain as many qualifications as we can prior to this move (passports, TWIC card, enhanced licenses, HAZMAT and Tanker endorsements). We are going to be as prepared as we can be, that’s our plan. What if we don’t pursue Expedited Trucking, isn’t all this preparation a waist? We say, certainly not. What would be a waist is to jump right into a venture such as this without the adequate research, discussion, agreement with your spouse and qualifications to make you as successful as can be. There is without a doubt a learning curve that will take place but we believe that the learning curve may not be as great or that we, thru our research, may have at least some idea of what to do or where to go for advice when the need arises. If we decide not to pursue expediting, we are out a few dollars for qualifications, but we have the qualifications (you never know). We had a great trip to the Expo in 2018. Met great people, enjoyed ourselves tremendously. If we decide not to do this we will be comfortable with our decision because we know we made it with the backing of our research, we made the decision on what is best for us and we will move on not having that doubt in the back of our minds if we did the right thing because it will be right for us.
I have said all of this to say that I encourage everyone to do their research. What is right for one person isn’t necessarily right for the next. This has been a long journey for us, but we’re ok with that. We will do what is right for us. We have confidence that if we choose to do this, we will be successful. Our fleet owner will be successful with the truck we drive. This isn’t just holding a steering wheel, this is a business and decisions need to be made on how best to make that business a success. We need to take care of our customers, we always need to arrive safe, on time and with the freight undamaged. We need to operate efficiently, maintain the equipment and ensure we, and those around us are safe. This is a huge responsibility. None of these responsibilities should be taken lightly nor should the decision to pursue this as a career.
Has this journey of ours taken a long time? Maybe by some standards, but for us, I don’t think so. Stay tuned.
Now here we are in 2019. A lot has changed. Obviously I’m a “little” older now. The burning desire to become an Expeditor however has not changed. My wife and I both attended the Expo last year in Lexington, KY. The workshops were fantastic, the round tables allowed us to have some great conversations with drivers, owner operators and fleet owners. The exhibit hall allowed us to get in some trucks and, especially for my wife, get a first had experience of what these trucks are like.
You Tube has also been a great resource for us. There are some people doing some great work out there to include The Crafty Trucker, The Trucking Couple and My Life’s Ventures. We had the privilege of meeting Jason and Heather from The Crafty Trucker at the Expo, got our picture taken with them and ended up in their VLOG!!
Why are we still looking into this? For me, the desire has always been there and has never decreased. I have always loved to drive, to do the road trip and have a desire to work for myself. Driving for a fleet owner fulfills these needs with the opportunity to learn the business without the risk of an initial equipment investment. I want to be successful in this business and, obviously, the fleet owner does as well. My wife and I love being and working together. She has the same desires as I do about being successful in what we do. She is excited about this possible career move, a bit nervous about the driving time, but we will both become more comfortable as time goes by and we have some experience under our belts.
Preparation for this possible career change paralleled what we wanted to do with our lives regardless. We sold a business we were working together (I was also working another full time job). We downsized our home, are debt free, and have 1 adult daughter who will be moving out on her own shortly. We are at the point now that we could leave our current jobs with a minimum of a 2 week notice (we both believe that is the right thing to do).
Now what? Well, we are continuing to prepare. My wife will be obtaining her Class B CDL this spring. We will both add or obtain as many qualifications as we can prior to this move (passports, TWIC card, enhanced licenses, HAZMAT and Tanker endorsements). We are going to be as prepared as we can be, that’s our plan. What if we don’t pursue Expedited Trucking, isn’t all this preparation a waist? We say, certainly not. What would be a waist is to jump right into a venture such as this without the adequate research, discussion, agreement with your spouse and qualifications to make you as successful as can be. There is without a doubt a learning curve that will take place but we believe that the learning curve may not be as great or that we, thru our research, may have at least some idea of what to do or where to go for advice when the need arises. If we decide not to pursue expediting, we are out a few dollars for qualifications, but we have the qualifications (you never know). We had a great trip to the Expo in 2018. Met great people, enjoyed ourselves tremendously. If we decide not to do this we will be comfortable with our decision because we know we made it with the backing of our research, we made the decision on what is best for us and we will move on not having that doubt in the back of our minds if we did the right thing because it will be right for us.
I have said all of this to say that I encourage everyone to do their research. What is right for one person isn’t necessarily right for the next. This has been a long journey for us, but we’re ok with that. We will do what is right for us. We have confidence that if we choose to do this, we will be successful. Our fleet owner will be successful with the truck we drive. This isn’t just holding a steering wheel, this is a business and decisions need to be made on how best to make that business a success. We need to take care of our customers, we always need to arrive safe, on time and with the freight undamaged. We need to operate efficiently, maintain the equipment and ensure we, and those around us are safe. This is a huge responsibility. None of these responsibilities should be taken lightly nor should the decision to pursue this as a career.
Has this journey of ours taken a long time? Maybe by some standards, but for us, I don’t think so. Stay tuned.
