[dcalien]

I have read all the newbie faq. I have read about six months of the other newbie forum.
I have begun to get to know some of you a little, and have had a lot of questions I have answered by reading.

I just want to say thanks, and I continue in my quest to be prepared for expediting.

Does anyone know which vehicle I should buy, who to lease on with, and the winning lottery numbers for next week?

Just kidding!!!

[Tennesseahawk]

LOL you kidder! If I gave you next week's lotto numbers, then that would cut MY winnings!

[JohnO]

When I was deciding to become a expediters like you I read the archives and current posts and asked a slew of questions on and offline.

The suggestion I continually heard was to drive for a fleet owner or O/O for a year or there about learning the tricks of the trade using their investment before making the decision to buy a truck.

Following their suggestions I drove for 2 O/O’s for 9 months then decided to buy a used truck. Before buying this truck I asked numerous questions of many EO O/O and fleet owners as well as reading posts. After feeling fairly confident on my decision I bought my first truck.

Without the aid of EO resources I would have made some poor business decisions.

Good Luck!

[dcalien]

The drive for someone else part is the hardest advice for me to follow. Not that my plan is set in stone. I thought maybe doing a cargo van on my own would be a way of testing the waters, and I know I could use the van if expediting is not for me.

My biggest desire is to start with no payments. Of course that may not be my best course of action.

I have until Feb 22 to make up my mind. I do know how to take a bath with baby wipes.
I do know what it is like to wait two days for a load. If only that was all I needed to know.

10 yrs OTR, CDL A Haven't driven a TT for six years.

Dave

[JohnO]

“My biggest desire is to start with no payments.”


If that is a major issue then driving for another will enable you the opportunity to test the waters of expediting also save the money needed to purchase your first truck/van with no payments.

Sounds like a win win situation to me.

Good Luck!

[dcalien]

Actually I already have the money to buy a new van. Not enough to buy an expediter class eight though

[dcalien]

By the way I drove for Poole for three years. That is where I got started in trucking.

[highway star]

Originally Posted by dcalien

I thought maybe doing a cargo van on my own would be a way of testing the waters, and I know I could use the van if expediting is not for me.

That's exactly how I started in the biz. I drove that van over 8 years, much longer than I thought I would. I just had "commitment issues" regarding the big investment. Would I do it differently with the advantage of hindsight? I'm really not sure. I am glad that I never had to deal with a d***head owner, and we know there are MANY out there. I do know having this forum would have been an advantage.

I guess this little bit of blah, blah won't help you a whole lot, but that's the Cliff Notes version of my story anyway. Good luck!