truck, or van

**semi22** · 02-22-2010, 03:04 PM

hello every one,

great reading here, and i am greatfull for it, I decied today that it is time to start saving for a vechile,

to be honest i am a little unsure of what is a good starting point, a van like a e350, or a flat bed truck, or a box truck?

nevr mind the mpg gallon that is not in the equation, but what is, is what is the most universal vechile for a green horn on the road, being new i would be nervous for tuning down loads as stated on here, however with the right begnging equpment i would be able to turn down some thing because i would be more universal in getting something to cover it..

thank you all in adace

semi

**Noname** · 02-22-2010, 04:11 PM

Good idea to start saving your money. In the meantime, I think you should drive for an owner and get exposed to the business, talk with drivers in all types of vehicles, and after you are happy with the lifestyle and have an adequate handle on truck types, buy a good used one. As has been stated here many times, don't choke yourself with a vehicle payment before you have some time in the drivers seat of a vehicle maintained and paid for by someone else. Personally, I spent a short spell in a semi, then several months in a box truck, followed by about 6 years in a van. The van fit my personality and lifestyle on the road. Others have equal praise for different types of trucks, and all have good points. And all types of vehicles have pros and cons. Give it a good test in someone else's vehicle, and by that time you will have answered your own question as to which vehicle will work best for you.

**lugnut1** · 02-22-2010, 07:58 PM

Best advice. If you don’t have the coin to buy your own rig free and clear and still have many coins left over then stay away from trucking. As for driving for a fleet owner, consider that most of them are in need of warm bodies all the time to fill the high number of drivers leaving after they find they cannot make enough coins to stay in trucking. Best bet. Save your money and stay away from trucking.

**xiggi** · 02-22-2010, 08:10 PM

Originally Posted by lugnut1

Best advice. If you don’t have the coin to buy your own rig free and clear and still have many coins left over then stay away from trucking. As for driving for a fleet owner, consider that most of them are in need of warm bodies all the time to fill the high number of drivers leaving after they find they cannot make enough coins to stay in trucking. Best bet. Save your money and stay away from trucking.

Many people out here drive for others and do ok. Everyone's situation is unique and one size does not fit all. Yes the industry does have a large turnover but out of those numbers are people who love what they do and stay with it for a very long time. People leave for many reasons and money is not always the one some people do not like being away so much, living out of a vehicle etc.

It is almost always a smart idea to drive for someone else first. Why invest thousands of dollars only to find out this biz is not for you when you can invest some time spent learning in someone else s vehicle before you decide to take the plunge. In a way it is kind of like a school you get paid to attend.

**lugnut1** · 02-22-2010, 09:14 PM

Originally Posted by xiggi

Many people out here drive for others and do ok. Everyone's situation is unique and one size does not fit all. Yes the industry does have a large turnover but out of those numbers are people who love what they do and stay with it for a very long time. People leave for many reasons and money is not always the one some people do not like being away so much, living out of a vehicle etc.

It is almost always a smart idea to drive for someone else first. Why invest thousands of dollars only to find out this biz is not for you when you can invest some time spent learning in someone else s vehicle before you decide to take the plunge. In a way it is kind of like a school you get paid to attend.

Driving for someone else is not my advice. For the many drivers I have spoke to that are driving for these small fleets the number of unhappy drivers far outnumber the happy drivers. Best advice stay away from trucking.

**JimF51** · 02-22-2010, 09:20 PM

lugnut1, just curious, why do you stay on this forum?

You seem to have a bad opinion of those who are on here, you denigrate comments, suggestions and advice posted by others, and you seem to have a bad opinion of trucking.

**arkjarhead** · 02-23-2010, 04:18 PM

semi22,
no one can really tell you what vehicle you will enjoy the best but you. Let's talk about flatbed for a moment.

When the vans and box trucks are bumping a dock and getting loading all they have to do as far as securing most loads takes maybe 5-15 minutes and it's done inside the vehicle. They are really only outside to walk in wherever and open and shut the doors if they don't have roll up doors.

On a flatbed you have to do everything outside and in all types of weather. You have to secure the freight with either straps or chains and alot of stuff has to be tarped. Those tarps aren't light either. It doesn't matter if it's hot, cold, raining, snowing, or sleeting. You got to get it done. Plus you have to stop every few hours and check your securement to ensure you don't loose your load, again regardless of the weather. Let me tell you a frozen tarp is hard to roll out over a load.

With all that being said I loved doing flatbed work. Mainly because it was a little more work than just open the doors, bump the docks, put up a couple load bars, and shut the doors. If you want to do flatbed work though I would suggest trying to go to work for a big carrier like Roehl (pronounced "rail") or Maverick for at least 6 months to 1 year. Even if you are wanting to get into a D-unit flatbed they'll train you on all the proper securement and you'll get some experience before you get out there completely on your own.

**semi22** · 02-23-2010, 04:26 PM

thank you for your timely reponse's they mean a lot to me,

I new the answers would end up being split down the board but i did not figure it was going to be this kind of split, here is a little about me.

Since i was nee high to a grass hopper i have always wanted to drive the biggest heaviest, most lights on the truck rig, i still have my orginal metal dump and tralier trucks (toys of course) from when i was 5 yrs old, the problem being growing up in the house i did one day i would be at moms and the other i would be at dads, so on and so fourth, gettign expelled from three school in the ninth grade for fighting, i took off from home, got my ged, and some college the same yr, college money starting diwdling, so long story short i pick up some felonys five to be exact,
so i get out of prison, and my passion for trucking was still there even more so since i was cage for so long...well i hooked up with this driving school 8 hundred miles from home, promies promies. well i got my class A. i got a heart or passion, i got a school loan that i still can not afford (so i don't pay it) i can never give up wanting to go over the road but i have come to the concusion i will have to buy my way in because i can not get a job anywhere, this one company told load docks for a yr and we will see what happens, after 16 months doing that, sry bud insurance won't cover ya.

so now i turn to you guys and several other forums, i have about 900.00 saved i am looking at saving about 16,000 to get started,

white, 29, male, willing to travel home time when we get here, strong mind, strong back and i love to drive i have driven rt 80 about twenty times in cars uhauls and motorcycle,

sorry about the rant

**JimF51** · 02-24-2010, 06:00 AM

Semi, even with your own truck, you'll probably still have a problem leasing on with a company. Most companies will check you out and over just as if you are a company driver. You'll most likely have to get your own authority and be a true independent owner operator.

Arkjarhead, is there/are there flatbeds in expediting? D units or just semis?

**arkjarhead** · 02-24-2010, 07:10 PM

Originally Posted by JimF51

Arkjarhead, is there/are there flatbeds in expediting? D units or just semis?

I know Panther and the Fed had E-Units pulling flatbeds and step decks last I heard. I've also heard of a few D-Units with flatbeds and curtainsides on with Landstar Express America. I've heard of some independents running them, but them but not many. I also don't know how much work any of the above do.

I live in south Arkansas so there are a ton of lumber mills around here so I could always get a load out without much deadhead. Lumber doesn't pay as much as what other stuff does, but if your doing it over a short distance it's better than deadheading.

**semi22** · 05-17-2010, 01:43 PM

has any one found a decent site where there are plenty of expediting companies to contact, plenty of searches on search engines that go no where for me....

again every thanks for all the info

semi22

**Jack_Berry** · 05-17-2010, 03:13 PM

what do you think this is? if that fact went over your head this is not the business you want to experience. if you want to contact companies there are many websites to visit and phone calls to make right here. phone calls not sending e-mails. phone calls establish contacts, they provide answers. emails to recruiters are in the hundreds that they cannot answer in a day.

**ebsprintin** · 05-18-2010, 12:03 AM

Originally Posted by semi22

has any one found a decent site where there are plenty of expediting companies to contact, plenty of searches on search engines that go no where for me....

again every thanks for all the info

semi22

Try ExpeditersOnline.com Expedited Trucking Owner Operator Careers and Truck Sales.

eb

**ebsprintin** · 05-18-2010, 01:24 PM

Originally Posted by semi22

so long story short i pick up some felonys five to be exact,
so i get out of prison, and my passion for trucking was still there even more so since i was cage for so long...

I would advise investing your time in getting established in a non-trucking job as a back up first. Background checks aren't going to be good to you. If you can get into over the road trucking with your background, it will be after your history becomes old history.

eb