My Experiance With Expediting

I haven't posted here in a while....I believe since we went through CDL school.

We're with FedEx, and drive for a small fleet owner. He's not so smart, though, and I believe he may be on the verge of losing his 'fleet'.

Wife and I are buying our own truck at the end of the month.

While this has been our worst month since we started in February, it is strictly a matter of being in the right place at the right time.

We did one run from Los Angeles to Omaha, and got loaded 4 hours later from Omaha to Toronto. We sat in Canada for 2 days, and then deadheaded to Gary, IN. However, we have seen 2 teams that we know generate $8-10,000 in revenue to their truck in EIGHT DAYS. That's ###### good money in my book, even considering expenses.

I believe we'll be in for a long run tomorrow...which is why I'm hitting the rack after this post.

Be safe, IRUNU. See ya on the road.

 

That's real good money

 

Eh, what company is this? And how can i get in to finding an owner to hire me?

 

Be careful out there I just talk to an owner the end of the week and he had to turn in all 40 of his trucks. Life right now in the business is a gamble. We did pretty good this week kept busy but sat saturday and sunday. Hope we get a load today

 

I'm not suprised about the at the moment as freight sucks; however, making a good decision can mean the difference between you loosing your fleet and keeping it. I see a lot of Fed Ex customer Critical trucks in FL and some sit for days and i've sen some sit for week(s) at a time.

Andy,

Have you met any experienced couples or guys that could give you good feedback on business decisions when you buy a truck?

KH

 

KH-

I have a few, and thanks for asking. One couple that I communicate with regularly has been with FedEx (Roberts) since the mid-80's. I have run our truck purchase past several experienced teams (all husband/wife teams) that have tons of experience, and all agree that our purchase is a sound one. It's a bare-bones truck with a moderate-sized sleeper and very few frills. To top it off, it's owner-financed with no interest. If things go very well, it will be paid off by year's end.....THIS year. If not, then it will be paid off by May of next year.

As an update, the one couple I spoke of earlier had just just accepted a run when I chatted with them an hour ago......Laredo to Windsor, ON. $13,000 in 12 days total. Might just be coincidence, but the other team is over $10k themselves and they just came off 5 days home. Either they are both in the right places at the right time, or we (expediters) may be seeing the uptick I thought might come before freight and LTL services pick up.

IRUNU-

Funny you mention that. We drive a very luxurious truck right now, but are scared poopless that the repo man may be lurking. Our truck's owners aren't the sharpest tools in the shed, and their lack of money when it comes to maintenance scares us. They spend personally first, and for business second. Biggest reason we're getting our own truck, and on very favorable terms.

I wish all of you success. Be safe.

 

Andy,

What kind of truck are you getting? What are you driving now?

KH

 

KH-

We're in a 2007 Sterling Acterra with a 96" Bentz Sleeper.

We're buying a 2005 Freightliner M2 106 with an 84" Alumibunk Sleeper. Definitely a step down in luxury and convenience, but the price and terms were too good to pass up.

Just have to figure out how we'll have to change and add some things in the sleeper. Seller says he and wife spent a lot of time in motels. We'll buy an APU and keep the difference. As I'm sure that you know, we sit quite often. Have to be comfortable.

 

I agree andy that a deal like what you described would be too good. Considering that APU"s save a lot of money is well worth the investment and more than likely would pay off within a year or a couple. I would go with a Thermo King Tri Pac.

KH

 

I am here to keep this thread going I am with Panther been with them over a yr now have seen the in and out of things changed owners 3 times if you want to know any thing just let me know