How is life different as an Expediter?

[WiseOne]

Hi all, this is a new forum that was requested for Expediters. How is your life different as an Expediter?

Expedite:
1. To speed up the progress of; accelerate.
2. To execute quickly and efficiently: was trusted to expedite the directives of the board.
3. To issue officially; dispatch.

Just so you know, Expediters are those like Fed-Ex Custom Critical, Panther Express, and such...

[RickG]

One difference is you can run much like an O/O without having to invest in a truck . Many expedite trucks are owned by fleet owners . The usual arrangement is hired drivers can pick the loads and run any way they want as long as they turn a profit for the owner . The drivers get 60% of the revenue and 100% of the FSC and they buy the fuel . Drivers buy the fuel to eliminate excessive fuel use idling and off route sight seeing .
Accepted availability is 75% . Many run 3 weeks out then take a week off .
There was a recent thread in the expediter forums by a team that was out 4 1/2 months and went home for the wife's doctor appointment . The wife needed immediate minor surgery but wouldn't be able to drive for 2 weeks . The husband informed the fleet owner and requested being able to run solo with his wife as passenger for the next couple of weeks . The fleet owner told him to either accept another driver to team with or turn the truck over to another team until his wife could drive .
The responding posts from both fleet owners and drivers almost unanimously stated the fleet owner was wrong in their response . Being out 4 1/2 months with no time off should have entitled the team to a month off .
The expedite carriers will not get involved with any disputes between fleet owners and contractors so fleet owners must be chosen carefully .

[grandpawspeedy]

Originally Posted by RickG

One difference is you can run much like an O/O without having to invest in a truck . Many expedite trucks are owned by fleet owners . The usual arrangement is hired drivers can pick the loads and run any way they want as long as they turn a profit for the owner . The drivers get 60% of the revenue and 100% of the FSC and they buy the fuel . Drivers buy the fuel to eliminate excessive fuel use idling and off route sight seeing .
Accepted availability is 75% . Many run 3 weeks out then take a week off .
There was a recent thread in the expediter forums by a team that was out 4 1/2 months and went home for the wife's doctor appointment . The wife needed immediate minor surgery but wouldn't be able to drive for 2 weeks . The husband informed the fleet owner and requested being able to run solo with his wife as passenger for the next couple of weeks . The fleet owner told him to either accept another driver to team with or turn the truck over to another team until his wife could drive .
The responding posts from both fleet owners and drivers almost unanimously stated the fleet owner was wrong in their response . Being out 4 1/2 months with no time off should have entitled the team to a month off .
The expedite carriers will not get involved with any disputes between fleet owners and contractors so fleet owners must be chosen carefully .

Trying to make a living and doing the best we can,seems like the the ind. do not give a hoot,but we do,So let' hang in there and make it work,and make are own dang for nuffin breaks!!!

[Harold Pittman]

Expediter? means what?

[RickG]

Originally Posted by Harold Pittman

Expediter? means what?

For the most part , time sensitive , exclusive use of truck deliveries . An example would be an assembly line breaks down and no replacement part is on hand and delivery is needed ASAP . An expedite company is called , they call the truck closest to the shipper , and the part is picked up and the truck runs non-stop to deliver it .
Rates are higher but because the work is unscheduled expediters sit more . Once they make a delivery they never know when or where the next load will be picked up . Two or three day waits between loads are not unusual . When they do get a call if they accept it they are expected to me enroute within 15 minutes .
FedEx Custom Critical has several specialty divisions . White Glove has temperature controlled trucks . There are also a few trucks doing flatbed work , mostly for aviation . FECC also bought Passport Auto Transport and has an auto transport division .

[gandrew]

That is a pretty good explanation of expediting. We owner operators also have to evaluate each load offer as to it's profitability. Early this month we took a fair paying load to the Tex/Mex border. Sat a day, dead headed n to Waco. Sat a day, and dead headed to Dallas. Sat four days, dead headed to Atlanta. That fair paying load turned out to be a break even load at best and a week was lost re positioning to a good area. Lots of stuff to consider to stay alive out here.

[roadprospector]

Life as a expediter depends on many variables. Are you a social person and like to be home quite a bit? If you answered yes look for some other type of driving job or don't drive truck at all. How's your family situation? If you have a attention starved, untrust worthy or paranoid partner/spouse or unsupervised kids, same answer as the first question. You must be prepared to sit for extended periods of time. Make sure you aren't flat broke when you start out. Have at least $500 at your disposal should something arise. If you work for an owner don't venture to far from home until you get your first few settlements. If you are an owner looking for a driver make sure you try your hardest to find an experienced expedited driver. Don't accept loads to remote places of the country unless you would slightly make a profit after having to deadhead to better freight lanes. I will say it's not a bad idea to sit in Midwest rural area's as sometimes you will get out with some pretty good loads. Don't have to low or to high a pay per mile expectation. Make sure you aren't taking one for the team on every run. As best you can always maintain your truck and change your oil and fluids when needed. Keep in touch with company and see if you can get dispatch to remember your available. Make sure not to push it though! Stay away from foolish purchases at truckstops and plazas. Eat good digestable food. When debating to accept a load always leave yourself some time and don't push it on your driving hour's as a single. Just figure on 50 mph always for the trip except when in bad weather obviously. Trust your intuition. Drive carefull. And don't stay out to long or you'll be out completely before you know it. As the son of a 20 yr vet in expediting I speak from the heart on this. It can be a very rewarding career or it can totally ruin your life. Wish all who try expedite or other the best. My advise right now is to hold off on buying a new truck regardless of what a recruiter or even yourself may think. It's just very bad times we're in.

[takteam]

We are a 53 foot van and started out expediting, but we wanted to try the more planned trip process with Landstar. We loved the expediting! It was exciting to get load alerts and scramble off into the night...often without showers. You have to be well rested and eat when you are able, so you are ready for the unexpected. We always had to be within 15 minutes for deliveries and communication is so important. We had one error when we had bad batteries in Quebec, and they replaced our batteries with bad inappropriate batteries...at a Volvo Dealer! It is challenging getting loads in directions you may wish to go...like to events or home runs. We were 600 miles away from home when our daughter had her baby and received no help to get home. We had to deadhead! They would not allow us to back haul.

[theladypenguin]

This Expediting I have determined is for lazy homeless people barely wanting to get by & off the streets. You will lose everything you ever worked for if you think this is a job. It's not a job at all. Take my word for it.

[theladypenguin]

Originally Posted by gandrew

That is a pretty good explanation of expediting. We owner operators also have to evaluate each load offer as to it's profitability. Early this month we took a fair paying load to the Tex/Mex border. Sat a day, dead headed n to Waco. Sat a day, and dead headed to Dallas. Sat four days, dead headed to Atlanta. That fair paying load turned out to be a break even load at best and a week was lost re positioning to a good area. Lots of stuff to consider to stay alive out here.

You got what you deserved this is a lazy homeless persons work it's far from a job