1. See Ads in the Paper For Courier Company Drivers, Is That the Same as Expediting? - Top
In addition to the major expediting companies which operate on a national basis, there are a number of smaller companies operating locally or regionally which the prospective expediter could consider. These companies, many of which began as local courier or freight companies, have expanded to include what is traditionally considered expedited freight, albeit one-way freight in nature. Many of these operations have added a few straight trucks with sleepers, sometimes Qualcomm equipped, to at least give the appearance of a conventional unit. In some cases, the "expedited" division of these carriers will be based solely on servicing one or two major local accounts, with what are basically dedicated runs making up a large portion of their business. If using independent contractors or Owner/Operators in their fleet, these smaller companies can provide a leasing opportunity alternative to the majors, and can also offer an entry-level position for the prospective expediter as a company fleet driver. Usually privately-owned, these carriers can sometimes offer a more "family" working environment, with more individual attention given to the O/O or Driver.
As previously mentioned, generally these companies are hauling one-way freight with backhauls a rarity, and the revenue levels will usually be less than with the major expediting companies, but in most cases a living wage can be achieved and it does provide the prospective expediter a starting point and road experience. - Updated: January 29, 2001 - Updated: April 2, 2005
2. What Are Some Good Cities For Expediting and a Home Base? - Top
Generally speaking, the cities in this list have, over the years, been among the higher-volume freight areas. This is not to say that there's always a lot of loads originating in these locations, just that there is usually a steady number of loads in and out.
Detroit, MI Grand Rapids, MI Rockford, IL Milwaukee, WI Indianapolis, IN Fort Wayne, IN Toledo, OH Cleveland, OH Cincinnati, OH St Louis, MO Atlanta, GA Dallas, TX Windsor,ON Toronto, ON Kitchener, ON Chicago, IL Buffalo, NY New York City, NY Boston, MA Newark, NJ Philadelphia, PA Pittsburgh, PA Harrisburg, PA Charlotte, NC Richmond, VA
A prospective expediter that has one of these areas as his/her home base should have some of the best opportunities for expedited load offers.
- Updated: January 29, 2001 - Updated: April 2, 2005
3. Suppose I Live in Chicago or Detroit. Those Are Good Cities, Right? - Top
Yes, those are usually some of the highest traffic areas in this business, but read on. The other side of the location coin is for the prospective expediter that is based in the high traffic areas of expediting. The upside of being based in the busy areas would be the high volume of freight, less deadhead miles to the pickup, increased possibility of freight taking the truck back home and, depending upon the dispatch system used with a company, finding freight to start the process over again.
The downside would include the likelihood of shorter runs, i.e., city to city rather than state to state and the very real prospect of that home base being overstaffed on a regular basis, both with other units from that same home base and out of town trucks on a layover.
Your company's dispatch policies have a bearing on this subject, too.
- Updated: April 2, 2005
4. In Expediting, Does It Matter Where I Live? - Top
Yes, It Does.
The simple fact is that the farther away you live from the expediting freight lanes, the more difficulties arise:
Excessive empty miles of deadheading to a busier expediting area or to a dispatched load
Excessive empty miles of deadheading back home
Less home time, or, a great deal of home time if you choose not to relocate from the home base to get that first load.
With the time-sensitive nature of this industry, proximity to the shipper is key. The closer you are to the freight, the better. That's why if you're based in a more remote area away from major cities that export expedited freight, you might spend substantial time and money deadheading to the closest busy expediting area. - Updated: January 25, 2001 - Updated: April 2, 2005
5. What questions should I ask the recruiter? - Top
Questions for the recruiter should include:
Does the company have a refusal policy?
What dispatch method is used? (First In-First Out, Computer Dispatching, etc.)
What is the fleet average percentage of loaded miles?
What is the fleet average percentage of empty or deadhead miles?
What was the previous year's fleet turnover percentage?
What is the average length of layover time?
Will the company readily move a truck from a dead area to a more active one?
Does the company have a history of overstaffing, that is, adding more units on a regular basis whether the business warrants it or not?
The answers to these and other like questions can give some valuable insight into a company's operation and possibly the honesty of the recruiter answering them. If the prospective expediter receives drastically different answers from what his/her research has indicated, it might be wise to keep looking for a company. - Updated: January 25, 2001
- Updated: February 28, 2001
6. What company should I lease with? - Top
This is where it's time for you to do some real research and homework. Here's some steps to take in no particular order:
1. Visit ExpeditersOnline.com and check out the various expediting companies who sponsor this site. The companies have clickable online applications and many have links to their company web sites. The web sites usually have pertinent information about the company and their operations, it's worth a look.
2. More info can be found on the Fleet Profile section of ExpeditersOnline.com.
3. Talk to as many current expediters as you can. Stop in truck stops, rest areas, parking lots, anywhere you can find an expediter truck, sooner or later, you'll find him/her. If you buy them a cup of coffee and ask for advice, they'll likely be happy to give it. You could have a list of prepared questions or just ask off-the-cuff questions. Just be sure to ask the basic ones: What company, where are you based, is your company keeping you loaded, what kind of income can an Owner/Operator expect with that company, etc.
4. Talk to the companies' recruiters. It's good to keep in mind the fact that their job is to maintain a certain fleet size and sometimes a few recruiters will "embellish" facts about income potential when talking to prospective expediters. Fortunately, the majority of recruiters are honest people, and will give a realistic story on their company.
- Updated: January 25, 2001 - Updated: April 2, 2005
7. Which comes first? Choosing a carrier or buying a truck? - Top
Establishing which company you want to lease with should be the first priority. Researching that company and what size units they are adding to their fleet is key to your truck purchase.
If you've been driving for an Owner, you probably already have an idea about the company he's leased to and whether they are adding units or not. You also probably have definite thoughts on whether you would like to stay in the size unit you're driving or would prefer a different size. You also have revenue figures for the unit you've been driving to help in the decision process for truck size and company.
If you already own a truck, half of the process is eliminated. It's now time to find a company that will lease your truck with the considerations of your truck's age and your home base.
