Give me some numbers!!!!please!

**Turtle** · 04-08-2009, 12:18 AM

Originally Posted by MISSBUDDY

We are thinking of going in to this to........Love your truthful answer........Thanks

His truthful answer is exceedingly irresponsible advice when he says it's the same ol' song and dance with business being bad. It's bad, and that's not a sing and dance. Cursory research with brokers and carriers and even the financial section of the newspaper should make it clear that business is bad. What used to be 6 or 8 loads per expedited vehicle capacity is now about a 1-to-1 ratio. People, even those working hard at it for 3-5 weeks at a time, are losing their trucks and going bankrupt. Fleet sizes have been dramatically reduced at most carriers and there is still far more capacity than demand. Load counts are down as is the average length of haul due to a lot of freight that used to go expedited is now being sent LTL for the bulk of the miles and then expedited for the last leg of the trip. Shippers are consolidating more and more loads, as the average weight per shipment has gone up dramatically, as well.

He's right in that truckers will lie and brag and inflate the numbers, but by and large that doesn't happen here on EO. More often than not, stone-cold reality advice is disseminated here. You can do well in expediting, but make sure you do your research, have all of your questions answered before you get into it, and go into it with eyes wide open.

**flattop40** · 04-08-2009, 01:47 AM

It's a big conspiracy don't ya know? All of the old timers on here will lie to you and they are just rolling in the dough. In fact they are so busy they have very little time to spend here on the internet. This site is about to be shut down cause nobody has time for it anymore. PLEASE get into expiditing cause we are so in need of drivers. All the stories on the news of people who have lost their jobs aren't getting into driving. Those are all lies too. So hurry and call your nearest recruter and you too can be sitting with us in any number of truck stops and walmarts around the country.

**OntarioVanMan** · 04-08-2009, 08:58 AM

Originally Posted by MISSBUDDY

We are thinking of going in to this to........Love your truthful answer........Thanks

Turtle beat me too it.....

Thats truthful? Why ? Because thats what you want to hear...
I think he's bucking to be a recruiter!

**pjjjjj** · 04-08-2009, 09:51 AM

Originally Posted by MISSBUDDY

We are thinking of going in to this to........Love your truthful answer........Thanks

MissBuddy.. no personal offence, but I find it interesting that you picked Stirling09's answer to be the 'truthful' one, altho different points of view were offered.

Be very careful of keeping your blinders on to the negatives you will hear. Once you're in it, it might be too late to say, gee I missed those comments, too bad I didn't listen.

Although XTeam is relatively new in this business, they seem to have already picked up on something very real. Read between the lines. What does it mean when people are saying 'pay off your debts', and 'have a very healthy reserve', and 'if you are in a job right now, stick with it', 'downsize at home', 'reduce your appetite for your previous lifestyle', etc etc etc?

Think about it. If you have a 9-5 job at Walmart as a greeter, the minimum wage that you bring home each week, is your money to pay whatever you wish to pay with it. If you can afford your home and whatever else on that, great. If you are an expediter, you have not only got your home bills and whatever else you wish to pay for with your earnings, but you also have your expediting related bills.

If a pile of expediters are saying, over and over, 'pay down your debts, get rid of your other bills, etc', that is basically saying, when you are finished paying your expediting bills, there may not be enough left over to deal with all that other stuff you have or want, like living in a home, having a car, utilites, clothing, whatever you are accustomed to spending your earnings on. It's basically saying that many might be fortunate to be doing a little better than breaking even right now on their expenses and costs of basic everyday necessities. I'm sure there are some who are still netting decent earnings, just saying to listen to all the feedback, not just the ones you want to hear. Decide what you want/need to pay for in your personal life, and decide whether you're willing to give any of that up for now. Decide, even if you do have a healthy reserve, if you're willing to spend it on expediting as a new career. Chances are that if you need to spend it, you're notgoing to get that reimbursed.

**Steady Eddie** · 04-08-2009, 10:00 AM

Originally Posted by NightRanger

All I ever read on here when people ask if business is getting better is "could be better" or "could be worse" or "things are slower than this time last year" HOW ABOUT SOME ACTUAL NUMBERS!!! How about avg. miles per week? Avg. rate per mile? What I am asking is for the veterans out there to let us "newbies" know whether or not to even try to get into this business. 'cause if you base your decision on the stuff you read on here you have to ask yourself why even bother. Man its depressing!!! Is it really that bad?

2008 was around $16,000 less that 2007. Note: in 2006 I would make that amount in less than 2 months...2009 is not looking any better than 2008.

Now, in 2005 I started in this bidness, not knowing what I was really getting into. Talk then about how bad it was is as it is now.

I remember sitting in a truck stop, wondering what have I done?!! From time to time I still think that!

All in all I am happy I made the jump.

Don't be a slave to truck payments. Meaning, your payments are so large you are forced to stay out months at a time.

Have a nest egg for a rainy day, (it's raining now)

Think about driving for a fleet owner before buying a truck, or van. This will allow you to get your feet wet,(due to the rain).

Ask questions, I always tell newbes "I'll tell ya everything you want to know, but I will not tell you everything I know.....( I learned that the hard way, by letting a VANMAN in on some nice tricks )....

Do some homework. Have a plan. Have a nest egg. Know your cost. Pray about it.

**OntarioVanMan** · 04-08-2009, 10:04 AM

Thank You Pjjjjjjjjjjjjjjj......

Ya know if it weren't for my experience, don't really know if I'd be still in this biz....and I'll be betting some of the long timers in here...the experience we have garners a couple extra loads a month...An advantage a newbee won't have for awhile...The learning curve always takes a turn thru the wallet. Those extra loads really make a difference in these tight times.

Please be careful....with your decision...But as always it's your choice....and IF you do decide to jump into the pool,,,
Welcome and Good Luck!

BTW Eddie...I think we are learning off each other...and thanks for the tips

You can never have enough tips..

**MentalGiant** · 04-08-2009, 10:23 AM

Just a quick note. I have talked with MISSBUDDY husband and talked about what has been going on out here in the industry and what they expect. Also, talked about their personal fiances. Not saying I'm a expert, but my wife and I have experienced the lows and highs in expediting, letting our house go etc. Talked with them about all of it and tried to give them the knowledge what could happen, what to look out for and from what I heard from him, they would do alright out here if they do the loads and get paid for it. There is a lot more I could say what we talked about why they choose to do this, but that is all personal and not my place to divulge that information on a open board.

**davekc** · 04-08-2009, 10:37 AM

Originally Posted by Strling09

The real truth is that even back 12 years ago when we were with Roberts Express now FedEx CC you would get or give the same old song and dance, how bad business is. Nobody wants the compitition, for every new truck thats one less load for you. Dont let the crying change your mind on something you want to do. Nobody will tell you the truth about there numbers unless they want to brag about some big bucks they made on a load. I have made a good living at this and paid off my trucks and my house and my Motorcycle so what else is there. If you want to do it and are willing to work at it for 3to 5 weeks at a time you will do alright. Do not listen to anyone, because they will still not give you the truth. An old driver once told me to not get mad about something someone said because the only person thats upset is you, and they dont care oneway or the other. JUST GET IN THERE AND DO YOUR LOADS.

Since I was there 12 years ago, I think part of what you say is true, but a little reckless with "Just get in there and do you loads"
A little more to it than that. Today you are running at similar rates, higher operating costs, with a depressed economy and a whole lot more competition. Circumstances 12 years ago, are not the same as they are now for many. Even the customer base is totally different than it was then.
Can you make money at this. Absolutely.
Can you lose your shirt? Absolutely.
The question is, when is it the best time? Depends on the experience, financial factors, and what one is willing to sacrifice in order to become successful.
If you have minimal financial obligations, a reasonable nest egg, (living expenses for 8 to 12 months) you may be a candidate for a fleet position. If you are buying a truck, then a minimum of the above, 10k in reserves for the truck and a small truck payment.
You will find that the most successful out here either have very low overhead, or their equipment is paid down or paid off.
Make sure you are looking at ALL of the information, and not just the "rose colored" emotional parts.

**NightRanger** · 04-08-2009, 12:41 PM

Thanks to all for being honest with your opinions. I figured the newbie forum is for us newbies to seek advice and ask questions and I appreciate all advise. Special thanks to xteam and strling09 for postive but truthful advice.

**MISSBUDDY** · 04-08-2009, 01:30 PM

Originally Posted by MentalGiant

Just a quick note. I have talked with MISSBUDDY husband and talked about what has been going on out here in the industry and what they expect. Also, talked about their personal fiances. Not saying I'm a expert, but my wife and I have experienced the lows and highs in expediting, letting our house go etc. Talked with them about all of it and tried to give them the knowledge what could happen, what to look out for and from what I heard from him, they would do alright out here if they do the loads and get paid for it. There is a lot more I could say what we talked about why they choose to do this, but that is all personal and not my place to divulge that information on a open board.

MentalGiant.....Thanks, Yes you have talked to my Husband and have given him lots of real info on this business....We aren't jumping into this and maybe we won't......The only payment we have is our Dodge Ram truck, which we really love, we could probaly make it in trucking but don't want to take any chances and be sorry later.....For now, we are just staying put where we are........We read these forums daily......even if we never go into trucking the forums are super interesting......Thanks again....MISSBUDDY

**mjolnir131** · 04-08-2009, 01:31 PM

Originally Posted by OntarioVanMan

Turtle beat me too it.....

Thats truthful? Why ? Because thats what you want to hear...
I think he's bucking to be a recruiter!

It's truthful when you realize they are referring to the last 12 years and what it was like then! It's not accurate for whats happening today!

What is particularly bad i think is that when it's told what it's like on the forum and people think it's all negative,It's not most of the time the person telling it is presenting it as optimistic light as possible.

REMEMBER: Past performance is not indicative of future ones!

**highway star** · 04-08-2009, 07:22 PM

Originally Posted by Strling09

Nobody wants the compitition, for every new truck thats one less load for you.

That's ridiculous. It just doesn't work that way.

O.K. Nightranger, you want numbers. I'm gonna throw myself under the bus here. My fellow EOers may want to throw me a benefit after this. I'd like the Rolling Stones to play and have it catered by Famous Daves.

O.K., here goes... I grossed $14,573.74 for the first quarter. In good times, I've done that well, even a little better, in a month.

I'm gonna go cry now...

**Strling09** · 04-08-2009, 07:44 PM

Originally Posted by mjolnir131

It's truthful when you realize they are referring to the last 12 years and what it was like then! It's not accurate for whats happening today!

What is particularly bad i think is that when it's told what it's like on the forum and people think it's all negative,It's not most of the time the person telling it is presenting it as optimistic light as possible.

REMEMBER: Past performance is not indicative of future ones!

Thats right, you guys are so smart. !2 years ago there was half the expiditers out there and all everyone did then was whine about sitting in a truck stop then. Fuel was cheap the rates were really cheap and the loads were up and down just like today. All I'm saying is you or most of you on here would B--ch if you were hung with a new rope. All I was saying about the loads is take anything you can, its the experiance of the load is how you learn, not from some disgruntled driver thats mad because he or she had a bad day. It was good for me then and is still good for me now 12 yaers later. An No I don't want to be a recruiter, I have a problem with authority. And its to bad it sounds like you all talked them out of it anyway. So whats does it matter what this old man had to say but the truth. For every new truck is one less load for you all not me because I dont care. its just a job. E2475

**ebsprintin** · 04-08-2009, 08:29 PM

Here are some specific numbers I can give you.

Twelve. The number of positive, non-disgruntled drivers that have given good, usable advice on this thread.

One. The number of companies that were not putting on new cargo vans when I started running my van in 07. One is also the number of companies that in 09 will bring on a new cargo van. Cargo vans may operate differently than the big trucks, but picture them as the little pidgeons that are lowered into the well.

eb

**luvtheroad** · 04-10-2009, 11:03 AM

Originally Posted by jsbiker

well i dont have a problem with giving you Real numbers

AVG per day feb & march 575 miles per day
this is 7 days a week AVG.
sorry as a team (co-driver had to go)

i am now running SOLO (he just left) and looking for a C0-driver

I've been talking to the recruiter from a big company, who will pass my info along to a fleet owner. Having been in the trucking industry, my first question was, " how many miles are your drivers averaging a week" his response was about 2,000 miles a week for teams. Some are getting more. But, you know with this economy...