Trucking 101

**louixo** · 06-08-2002, 07:22 PM

In this chapter, expediting. We´ll begin with The Game Plan.
By now you´ve sat around and fantisized about going expediting, but you´re not sure. Step one, get on the internet, (this site is a good source) and start collecting company literature. Read everyhting. Step two, go to a truck stop (big one),get more literature, and talk to drivers from the companies you read about, and ask them the questions that you want to know. Step three, call the recruiters, and ask them the same specific questions that you asked the drivers. This process should give you an "idea", of what this business can offer you. You will never get a true picture, because there is none.You will hear good and bad about every aspect of trucking, and every company, from everybody you talk to, because that´s the way it is. There is good and bad in every segment, and every company. Step four, decide on a company, a unit size you want to run, and jump in.
To be sucessful, be willing to work. Trucking is a lifestyle, as well as a career. I´m speaking from 17 years of experience when I say this. For the most part, failures in trucking happen to those that don´t know how to manage time and money, bottom line. I´ve seen it over and over. The guy that wants to be home every weekend, the guy that turns down load after load (we all turn down loads from time to time for various reasons). The truckstop cowboy who spends $50 a day on video machines etc. There are many ways to mismanage.
Be realistic. Very important! If you´re a single driver you can expect to make on average (52 weeks) about $1000-$1200 per week as an owner operator in a D unit. Less revenue, in B and C units, because the mileage rate is lower. If you run team, you should make $2000-$2200. Both of these figures should be take home pay if you´re out there and available. When´expediting is busy, (august to december) you will have weeks doubling these figures and more. But , you will AVERAGE what i´m talking about. If you´re consistently doing better than that running under someone elses authority, you have found it! It won´t get any better than that. Stay there. You know more than most of us.
The economics of it all is that every company charges the same to move frieght. One company may pay a high dollar figure per loaded mile, but by the time you figure in the deadhead, the overhead costs etc. All COMPANIES PAY VIRTUALLY THE SAME, BECAUSE THAT IS THE FIGURE IT TAKES TO MOVE FRIEGHT, PERIOD.
To sum up, the more miles you run the more money you make, the more time you spend at home or doing whatever, the less you make. Very pragmatic. Make up your mind that you´re going to make money, be available and manage. Keep your payments as low as possible when starting out, keep your expenses down, until you see as an owner operator where you are over 6 month period. Also heed the advice of others and drive for someone, to see if it´s for you, first, if your not convinced. Good luck newbies. I think trucking is a good job to have.

**Wild Bill** · 06-08-2002, 07:22 PM

Applause!!!! very well said! Sounds exactly right to me!!

**LrBcom** · 06-08-2002, 10:41 PM

I sure would like to take this opportunity to say your post is greatly appreciated! I am very interested in the expediting industry and have spent several months gathering information from this forum both pro and con. Based on the data that I have compiled so far your post looked right on the money. By the way, I was originally referred to EO by a recruiter for one of the companies and I must say that this is an excellent source of information.