Here is a few
Apollo transfer
Bennett DriveAway
Team Drive-Away
Are any of these good to drive for
I'm wondering if anybody has any good or bad information about driveaway companies
Discussion in 'Discuss Your Favorite Trucking Company Here' started by speed12, Jun 24, 2012.
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I'm curious about this also. My wife works with a lady who's husband is a driveaway driver. I called him to pick his brain and if what he is telling me is accurate then I will be very interested in that part of the business.
Like so many others I would like to get out of CDL school and get a job where I can be home every night and make good money at the same time. From what I've learned those opportunities are far and few between. I was in that stage where I was trying to decide if I could deal with the being away from family as much as it seems is necessary as a rookie. Based on what he said the driveaway side of the business might be a good fit for me.
So with all that said, I would love to learn about this segment of the industry. The more info we have the better decisions we can make.
I'll be following this thread and hope you also get the answers you're looking for!
Todd -
Look up stuff here about Apollo transfer. I should this site, based upon different things I've read it's the last company you would want to drive for.
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...w2tzsA&cad=rja
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...XnU0Mw&cad=rja
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...aVJ_cg&cad=rja
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...Qy7_PQ&cad=rja
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...vuO9SQ&cad=rja -
by the way the advance that the company gives is less than 30% of the gross most often.russellkanning Thanks this. -
Thanks for the info. I come from a business background and have been self employed for 7 of the last 10 years. I like that aspect of it. I'm trying to weed through to the truth about the amount of money you can "bring home" a week. If I can drive and pay all expenses and make as much as a company driver who never gets home I'll take that in a heartbeat. The problem is I'm reading nothing other than driveaway is corrupt and a scam.
At the moment I'm looking very hard at a local company (Epes in NC) and continuing to research the driveaway option. My current feeling is to go with Epes and learn to drive a truck with a trailer and the ins and outs of being a truck driver. If driveaway is a good option now, it will be in a year. Epes runs east of the Mississippi and from what I'm told you can be home most every weekend.
I still have plenty of time to research and figure this out.
Thanks again for the advice!!
ToddMojo1960 Thanks this. -
I know this probably redundant, but I am going to say this anyway. Driveaway has a lot of hidden expenses to it. Some of the expenses are meals and hotels; even cheaply the cost per day is over $50.00. One item that is overlooked is tools. You must carry tools with you from job to job. The weight of the tools is substantial. To properly outfit a driver with the correct tools will cost about $250.00 or more. Coveralls and gloves and good work shoes are a priority. Also remember if you have a toad you have to pay for gas, oil, tires, wipers, and a myriad of other expenses to keep you vehicle running. Then the big expense; equipment required to to either deck trucks or a boom trailer or for that matter just to tow the toad. A boom trailer is expensive. The average cost new is $18,000. a good used one going to cost $6000 or more. you can pick up a worn out one for around $3000. I will post shortly with some more info once I have all the facts. Again good luck on your venture.
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i am a driveaway transporter at present time i work with 5 companies Apollo- running Navistar trucks, Team Driveaway- running various trucks, Quality- delivering RV's, Truck movers- running several trucks, single,boom & 3 way-4way, and J&J- running several trucks. i always have a return unit with either company been in the transporting for 8 years now and would not change a thing.
viper822004, russellkanning, rebelkidd and 1 other person Thank this. -
i have yet to see 6mpg i usually avg. out at 7-11mpg and keep it around 65mph, been in this buisiness for 8 years now and i stay out 3wks-5wks then take a wk or 2 off, i have a boom trlr i bought at an auction for $9800 it was used twice, still had all the bells and whistles even came with all the straps & chains, my pickup is set up with all tools needed and i have a corporate motel card to save on my rooms when i need them sometimes i sleep in my p/u. there are a lot of ways to save $$$$ while transporting, gotta use your head on these things. don't need to eat a big meal everyday, there's a lot of places to eat on the road "STAY OUT OF TRUCK STOPS" they are too expensive. i get fuel at truckstops occasionally, but mostly i look up the fuel price in the area i am travelling thru and find a convience store that sells diesel and get it at a much lower price. happy trails to all
viper822004, Lone Star Driver and Larrylcbmixer Thank this. -
I have been doing drive away for a few, here is an actual spread sheet of a trip I did:
[TABLE]
[TR]
[TD]date[/TD]
[TD="width: 441"]07/13/13[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Trip #[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]mileage[/TD]
[TD]302 miles[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]costs[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]plane[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]train[/TD]
[TD]$98.00[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]bus[/TD]
[TD]$25.00[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]taxi[/TD]
[TD]$21.00[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]other[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]meals[/TD]
[TD]8.5 24.5 16.38 = 49.38[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]lodging[/TD]
[TD]$108.90 (cheapest hotel I could find)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]FUEL:[/TD]
[TD]$102.93[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]other[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]total pay[/TD]
[TD]$376.32[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]less costs[/TD]
[TD]$331.21[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]NET[/TD]
[TD]45.11
this trip took 2 days to complete due to train ride!
could I have done it cheaper? you bet, as long as I could have found a cheap motel when I got there at 1 am (they do not let you sleep in the trucks), and ate top ramen.
This does pay .40 / mile BUT only for the actual trip driven. They do pay for the transportation there, but not your time on the trip.
They say they pay within 24 hrs, BUT IT HAS NEVER HAPPENED.
There is always some missing money every time with no real good explanation.
In reality you will average about $60-75 day net.
They only pay after the trip so you will front ALL the expenses first so be prepared to be out $500 - $700 the first week or two
until they catch up. If you are looking for a "real" job this is not it. if you just want to supplement a retirement income then it is a good deal.
ALSO: VERY IMPORTANT: most trucking companies WILL NOT give you credit for doing this job as you did not have a load, just bob tailing.
[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE] -
I am an owner operator and bring home between $1600 and $2500 and this is after all truck expenses every week and I have been thinking on doing drive aways, but here is my two cents for this last post....you would have save $144 on transportation if you tow your own vehicle, and meals?? have you heard of McDs dollar menu, and hotel?? you would have save that money too by sleeping in your own vehicle...anyways many people here are right, drive away jobs are not for everyone, and you MUST think outside of the box....right now I have signed with two companies (one of them has a terminal in my hometown) and will not do my first run until I sign with a third one.
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