Driver Lifestyles

Brand New Expediter Shares His Thoughts

Kraig Allen is known as Broompilot in the EO Open Forum. He's been a Forum participant since September, 11, 2004 and an expediter since November 15th. EO caught up with this 44 year-old D-unit solo driver just after he completed his very first week in the business.

EO: Mr. Allen, what is your background?

Allen: I'm a high school graduate. I worked as a school sports photographer in all of western Michigan and the eastern Upper Peninsula. I sold that business in 1990 and moved to North Carolina where I started a commercial cleaning company. I was contracted by Joe Gibbs Racing in 1998 and became a full-time Gibbs employee in 2001.

I thought I had owner/operator trucking out of my system then; you know, being tied in with NASCAR and such a great team. I really enjoyed my tenure there but the bug just kept at me. Being around those NASCAR haulers and truck drivers did not help; though they said I was nuts for even thinking of buying a truck. Little did they know about my secret of expediting.

EO: How did you find your way into expediting?

Allen: Actually, after looking at a driving school, the trainer told me about FedEx Custom Critical. That sparked a little interest. Then I kept seeing Panther, and their advertisements in trucking magazines at truck stops. I called Panther in May, 2004 and started my pursuit and found FedEx Custom Critical. About the same time Joe Gibbs announced to all of us that FedEx Corporation was going to be part of our racing team; Jason Leffler, number 11, next year's Cup driver.

I was very reluctant to continue contacting FedEx Custom Critical because I felt it was inappropriate. I got that out of my system and knew I must find the best carrier for my future. Expediting fits my personality for business. I enjoy driving but I'm more than just a truck driver. I liked that expediters are business professionals first and drivers second.

EO: Why did you decide to drive a D-unit instead of a B or E?

Allen: I really like the B unit vans, but do not like the idea of no space to live in between loads. Those people who take good care of their Fords and GMC's..., it shows. They look nice. E unit was out because I had no prior experience. I read an interview with the president of one of the large expediting carriers. He was asked, "If you had to drive, what unit would you drive?" His answer was a D unit because it is the most versatile of all of the units. His answer sold me.

EO: How did you select your carrier?

Allen: My recruiter was great. I cannot say enough about her. I put her through a lot as I made my decision. If she did not have the answer, she found out and got back to me. I have never found her not being honest in all of our dealings, no stretching the truth about anything. Catherine is just a pleasant young lady to work with, and everyone that I have met that had any contact with her says the same.

EO: Why did you jump right in as an owner/operator instead of running with a fleet owner first?

Allen: First, I had past business experience. I saw some of the owner/operator trucks and was not impressed. Those that I talked to and let me see their trucks..., they were not what I was going to be able to take pride in. In my personal business experience, image is the first impression, and this has been a key to my past success in business. Follow what has worked for you. Others may not agree and that is fine, this is what has worked for me.

EO: Why did you pick a Kenworth?

Allen: I've never seen anyone post anything negative about Kenworth. My only complaint is that the cab is small and I do not like where some of the controls are at, like the lights are hard to turn off and on when signaling when a truck is clear. Other than that I am very happy with her. Also, when talking with Peter Rabbit (Jelen)  driver for 18 hauler Bobby LaBonte  he told me I could not go wrong with a KW; although they now drive Petes and used to have Volvo 770s which I loved.

The brochure for the Kenworth T-300 is impressive, all of the pre-trip inspection is done without moving an inch. While you stand in one place, you can check the oil, coolant, power steering fluid and windshield fluid; and add fluids if needed. I liked the driver safety features like getting in and out of the cab, low side windows for better view, resale value, and that I got an engine that is undeniable in longevity and low dollar in repair.

EO: How is the truck equipped?

Allen: Allison automatic, 84-inch Bentz sleeper, Cummins 285 engine, SafteyVision surveillance camera, dash-mounted tire pressure meter, Magellan 770 navigation system, electrically operated landing gear, Alcoa Dura-Bright wheels, engine block heater, ProHeat generator, roof mounted temperature-sensing vent fan that closes itself if it's raining, hot and cold water on board, convection microwave, TV with DVD player, full size fold down bed, porta-potty, air-ride seats, no reefer. no lift gate, no lift axle.

I paid a little more for this unit  about $2,000 more  compared to other brands that are set up the same, but I feel when it comes time for resale, I will not have to trade her in but I will probably be able to sell it on my own. I have already had one offer if I changed my mind about expediting.

EO: Really? What kind of offer?

I would have made $3,000 off the truck if I sold it to him. Someone contacted me through EO. He wanted to buy my truck now because the wait for a new one was nine months. He offered me the price he was going to pay for a new Sterling set up close to how my KW is.

EO: You have a lot of toys on the truck. Do you need so much?

I don't consider them toys. They are investments. Magellan has already saved my butt. I would not have been able to find the place off the directions sent to me on Qualcomm.

In my past business experiences, if you could find a tool that could pay for itself in a year or less, it's a no-brainer. Put it on your credit card. If it takes two to three years to pay for itself, then you have to think about how to pay for it. If it takes four years or more, you may want to hold off until cash flow is better if you still want it then.

The tire pressure device will save me a set of tires over three years, which will pay for the device in less than one. And that does not include the better fuel economy I'll get by having properly inflated tires at all times.

All the options I chose came from suggestions off EO. I read of a swoop and scoop incident that resulted in an accident unfairly charged to the driver because her witnesses were disregarded. My camera and video recorder will provide evidence I'd need to clear myself if that happens to me. That saves me an insurance hike and possibly my CDL. And when I'm backing up, I can see what's behind me, even tire-threatening debris, even at night.

EO: It's a pretty big leap to buy a brand new truck like that. Are you sure you can afford it?

Allen: (Laughter) Time will tell! I put $40,000 down and I'm going to refinance it soon to reduce my monthly payments. I have no other debt except my house.

EO: When you are on the road, who do you leave at home?

Allen: My wife who owns her own business, my 14 year old daughter, and a 16 year old foreign exchange student.

EO: How do they feel about having you out on the road?

Allen: They encouraged me, because I've always wanted to do this.

EO: What pleasant surprises have you had so far?

A gentleman I meet in orientation, he has a 200l T-300. He turned out to be just a super guy, we have been in contact pretty steady. I find I need to calm him down once in a while. Really hope this works out well for him. I got a lot of ideas from him. The biggest one is how he organized all of his paper work.

He puts it all in three ring binder with sheet protectors. This keeps everything nice, neat, clean and organized. I had been using files. That was very confusing. It was hard to find what I was looking for. Now I carry three binders with me; one for EO, one for every owners manual that came with the truck, and one for all of the permits, tags, cards, and certificates that a law enforcement officer would want to see.

EO: A three ring binder for EO? Do tell!

Allen: Yes, for all the people I have contact with and the articles of special interest to me that I want to refer back to.

EO: What unpleasant surprises have you had so far?

Allen: Taking delivery of the truck was a total hassle. It was late, dirty and disorganized. All those manuals handed to me at once...it was overwhelming. Top that off with the orientation class being the same way. In a way this is also my fault  way to much information handed to me all at once. You have to understand, I have never driven a truck before so all of this at once it was very confusing to grasp. I felt I was getting more and more lost in the process.

Before I left for orientation, I felt I had a good grasp on things. I was not expecting to be overwhelmed. If it were not for EO, I just may have said forget this, but the mentors there helped guide me through the maze.

My recruiter told me to buy your truck before you go to class and organize it first. I did it backwards. Not my choice. It just worked out that way. It took five days to get out of the city where I purchased the truck.

EO: In your first week, what frustrated you the most?

Allen: The truck pre-trip inspection, and the fear that something was not correct. I did have problems; valve stems that leaked, one tire was reading 44 lbs. The windshield washer reservoir was cracked. I , drained the batteries once. These were all rookie problems with a new truck just to name a few. I had ping pong balls flying in my head, just wanted things to be right. With patience, they are coming into place for me.

EO: In your first week, what delighted you the most?

Allen: The mentors with EO. They were encouraging and excited to see me out there.

EO: If you had the last 30 days to live over again, what would you do different, and what would you do the same?

Allen: I have learned in trucking you must go with what is handed you. Do not make plans because they most likely will be changed. I have actually impressed myself with how much patience I have demonstrated with everything that has not gone as planned. My last job and business was all about planning and timing; be ready for the unexpected but otherwise plan ahead. In expediting, just be ready because it will never go as planed. If it's people who have no idea why you are at their location for a pick up, go with the flow and be happy and smile even at 4:30 AM.

EO: For the people that are close to jumping into expediting themselves, what advice do you have?

Allen: Study the www.expeditersonline.com web site for at least two weeks, then begin asking questions and don't be afraid of asking something dumb. Stay on the site a couple of times a week to get a strong grasp on how it actually works out there. This site is a college education that is actually free if you take the time to educate yourself.

I have three books I would recommend; first, Bumper to Bumper, The Complete Guide to Tractor-Trailer Operations, by Mike Byrnes & Assoc. Second, Die Broke by Stephen Pollan and Mark Levine. It talks about what to do with your money, and not leaving your kids a fortune. Enjoy your success and give a real gift while you are alive not after you are dead is the true story in this book.

My favorite book is The Spirituality of Success by Stephen Rozelli, a true gentleman. If you read it, you will understand why I did expediting the way I have. If you buy this book and do not feel it was good, send it to me and I will buy it back from you and give it to someone else. The subtitle is "Getting Rich With Integrity."

EO: Do you have anything to add?

Allen: I have completely gone against what has been suggested by others on how to enter expediting. Driving for Schneider, JB Hunt, Pam ,etc... those guys work there butts off for a year or two all for less than $3,000 credit toward truck driver training. People, drivers are worth a whole lot more than $38K a year. You could spend that much on the road. How in the world can you possibly support a family when you are out there for weeks on end? Not this guy. Read the Spirituality of Success book I suggested.

Burn your bridges! Yes, I said that. Do what you are going to do with all your heart if this or anything else is what you decide to do for a living. Love your job and you will never work another day again.

I jumped into expediting this way because failure is not going to be an option. With the mentors on EO I have more successful people to learn from than anyone could ever ask for. It's a gift from above. With EO, I have limited my failure rate to nil. All I have to do is take what they suggest and do my very best and repeat what made them successful. And as time goes by I too will help someone else with his or her dreams. That is getting rich with integrity!

The only suggestion I did not take from these mentors on EO was going to work for someone else first. I have the confidence and knowledge from all of you that I can and will make it. If I goof up, I have the EO site to find out first what I did wrong, second to find out how to fix it, and third to not make the same mistake again,... all part of the learning process. Now to avoid mistakes, find mentors on EO and you can probably skip the first two, or make fewer of the first two, and then go on to success.

I may not have burned all my bridges, but I have the mindset that I am not going back to Joe Gibbs Racing, though I loved it there. I will probably never have that great of job with that great of an organization ever again. I may not make the money I made with them but expediting is what I want to do.

That is the reason I jumped in without going to work for someone else; returning to what I had is not possible, at least not in my mind. This is the time for me to move on, and with the help from the organizers and contributors of EO, success is only as far away as my efforts will let me go. God Bless you all. Be happy with what you have, material & loved ones, and that we have the opportunity to make choices. Some others do not have the same .

EO: Wow! What a great speech! But what about the day-to-day work? Some people find expediting to be really hard, and many fail at it. Some of the seasoned drivers on EO will say you are setting a dangerous example for others.

Allen: Some failures are due to unfortunate circumstances like an injury, prolonged illness, or family situation that takes you out of the business. Other than that, those that failed probably didn't do their homework before they got into it. If you're going get into expediting you have to have one strong work ethic.

EO: Thank you, Kraig. Leave some freight out there for the rest of us, will ya?

Allen: (Laughter).

Before entering the expediting business, Phil Madsen worked in the securities  and financial planning arenas as well as the computer field.  Active in politics since 1992, Madsen founded the Independence Party of Minnesota that same year.  In 1998 the party won a major victory with the election of Jesse Ventura as Minnesota governor.

In 2003, Madsen and his wife Diane - a former RN and administrative law attorney - entered expediting to, "increase their income, spend more time together, simplify their lives, share a joint business project, and see the country."