[PointMan]

I am new to Expediting, but not to the transportation industry. Any helpful advice you have for me will be appreciated.

[RichM]

Well we could talk volumes about expediting good and bad. I don't know where you live but Eo has a seminar in Knoxville TN on Feb 15 and another in Louisville KY during the MATS show. Theses seminars get provide you with just about all of the information you will need plus you can ask questions and get answers from experienced Expediters. It would be worthwhile to sign up for one of these seminars. Good Luck.

[LDB]

You're question is so broad it would take volumes to answer but the best thing for starters is to read all these forums for the last several months worth of input. You'll learn a tremendous amount about expediting that way. You'll also find areas where you'll have specific questions to ask. Good luck with your research.

Leo Bricker, owner trucks 3034, 4958
OOIDA 677319
73's K5LDB
Highway Watch Participant, Truckerbuddy
EO Forum Moderator 1+ Years of Service
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Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you like.

[DannyD]

Like the others have mentioned, there's a lot of things to mull over by reading the things posted in that past. Since I'm guessin ya already knew ya could do that, I'll add in something current.

Other's may disagree w/ me here, but I would NOT get a Sprinter to start out in. Companies seem to like them, & I don't blame a company one bit for wanting Sprinter drivers. They can carry bigger loads for sure. However, unless they're willing to pay you more for ALL loads, not just the 3 skid loads, I wouldn't get one. I work local so I might have 4-7 runs/day. I've been there for about 3 months & there's been maybe 4 or 5 runs I couldn't have taken in an E-250. My opinion is that the extra cost of buying (and maintaining) a Sprinter is a losing proposition.

I'm basing this not only on my personal feelings, but those that I've talked to also. My company requires a Sprinter. I've talked to some of our drivers plus the drivers for other companies I might see at a gas station, shipping docks, etc. I'm not sitting here w/ a scorecard, but of the people I've talked to I'd say maybe 35 or so didn't care for it (or outright hated it), maybe 8 or so liked em (or loved em), & maybe 5 or so thought they were "ok".

For that matter, I would hold off on an extended van period. I've had one before & I'd say 95% of the runs are 2 skids or less. The milage ya lose on the bigger van is going to cost you more than what you make on the few extra runs you may get out of it. Unless you're going to use that area to build a bed, I'd stick w/ the E-250 (or the 2500 series if ya go w/ GM).

I'd also go a step further in financial terms in regards to ANY vehicle you may get. I'd make sure the payment you have is under $400/month. Preferably under $300 but my ceiling would be $400 max. W/ insurance added you're looking at $500-550 total. If you have a slow month, odds are you'll be able to come up w/ the payment if not have it already saved up.

If you get into a vehicle that has a 600 or 700 payment, odds are the insurance on it is going to be 300-350, something like that. Now you're looking at $1000 & if you have a few slow weeks, you're pretty much working that month to make your van payment.

To put this in perspective. If you have to make $1000/month for your van, you'll have to drive 1250 miles@ 80cents/mile. That's paid miles. If you get 18 miles per gallon, that's 70 gallons of gas to make that $1000. If gas is $2.50/gallon, that's another $175 ya have to make. Ya could also figure in how much more you'd have to drive to make that $175/gas, but that's a lil more detailed than I can figure out. I'm going to estimate it at $75.

Anyways, the idea here is that if ya get lucky & have very little deadhead, ya have to make about $1250 to pay for a vehicle that at first glance ya think "ok, only a $600 van payment."

At a $300-400 van payment, the above principle still applies, but odds are you'll start putting money into your pocket within the first week every month rather than midway thru the 2nd week. That's a big difference.


I hope this helped some,
Good luck to ya,
Danny

[ATeam]

Read the eight-page article "Introduction to Expediting" published here on the EO site. It is in .pdf format for easy printing if you wish to print it. Link:

http://www.expeditersonline.com/down...troduction.pdf

[RichM]

New Guy,, I have sent you a PM that if you call it up it will give you some excellent information from a long time experienced expediter.