the cargo van expediter

[greg334]

Hey guy's, great information. Thank you so much for your expert opinion.

You're welcome but I got to say there are no experts in this business, like there are no gurus in the computer world. We are business people.

[x06col]

Brycey....you have a PM....

Actually, he has a couple of em.

[greg334]

Actually dude I would head up there and try it out. Don't worry about what they say, take the knowledge of what everything is said and learn.

Oh and I didn't send you a PM.

[LDB]

You may have more room in a semi but you are confined to the truck and the truckstop to a very large degree. With the van you are "confined" to the museum, library, park, zoo, theater, diner and anywhere else you can think of. You are not stuck sitting in the van waiting for the next load. You set it up with the company to be off satellite and on cellular and any decent company will have that option and call your cell phone.

Yes, you can make a little more as a company driver but that's miles over money. You'll run 2.5-3k miles a week, make 10-20% more money, and have been behind the wheel 100% more time/miles.

[brycey2010]

You set it up with the company to be off satellite and on cellular and any decent company will have that option and call your cell phone.
.

Do Fedex offer that?

[LDB]

Yes, Fedex has that option. I use it all the time so I don't have to remember to switch back and forth as I get in and out of the van.

[Brisco]

You may have more room in a semi but you are confined to the truck and the truckstop to a very large degree. With the van you are "confined" to the museum, library, park, zoo, theater, diner and anywhere else you can think of. You are not stuck sitting in the van waiting for the next load. You set it up with the company to be off satellite and on cellular and any decent company will have that option and call your cell phone.

But doesn't Fedex and Panther have that restriction in play that starts a Van Drivers "Hours" the minute the van is moved for any reason??? Let's say you get a good 8 hours sleep at Wally World. Wake up all rested, start your van and run to the closest truckstop for a shower. From what I understand, your "16 hour clock" starts the minute you leave wally world, and not when you get dispatched for a run that comes up. So now lets say you are well rested and decide to go to that "Museum". Museum is 12 miles away, you take that drive and it suddenly puts you in 6th place in line instead of 3rd because your traveling time to that museum is logged there on Fedex's computer.

I've heard of too many stories HERE of where drivers hours and places in line were cut because they decided to go 2 blocks to grab a Jack-in-the-Crack hamburger instead of eating the crackers and olives they had in the truck.

So...to me IT DOES sound like that YES, you are stuck to sitting on your van waiting for that next load unless you put yourself OOS, go do your quick sightseeing, and then putting yourself back in service and possibly last place in line when you started your day 2nd or 3rd in line.

This could also be a deciding factor on WHO one may want to run for, know what I mean. Too many variables in play with both the big named companies(FED-Panther) that negatively effect a drivers income while they are under contract with them.

Personally, if I ever give CV Expediting a try, the Fed and Panther would my last 2 choices to apply at.

[Brisco]

Just thought of it another way.........

You might not be stuck "IN" your van waiting for that next load at Fedex and Panther, but that Van needs to be "Stuck" in one place to keep your place in line and to keep the 16 hour clock from starting. If you go do some shopping or sightseeing, then it better by public transportation. If you do it in your CV, you are still on the "Clock" no matter what thus possibly negatively effecting your next load offer no matter how short or long it may be. Right.........

Was that easier said???

[chefdennis]

I don't know the policy for the Fed or Panther as to how they work their contractors time...but I would drive for a carrier that told me where i had to park and wait or that my time wasn't mine when i didn't have freight in my van...

I pickup a load and deliver it, if that means driving 1600 miles in whatever time it takes, that what I do.. I won't ever "swap" a load because of some carrier imposed mileage or driving time limit...I drop and go where i want...If i want to go to dinner down the street or 80 miles away, I am goin and i don't worry about any "clock" starting...

The day that those things become the way that any carrier I am with starts to do business, thats the day I move on...

So that leaves Fed Ex, Panther and E-1 off my list...those are the ones I know of...

[brycey2010]

I don't know the policy for the Fed or Panther as to how they work their contractors time...but I would (not?) drive for a carrier that told me where i had to park and wait or that my time wasn't mine when i didn't have freight in my van...

I pickup a load and deliver it, if that means driving 1600 miles in whatever time it takes, that what I do.. I won't ever "swap" a load because of some carrier imposed mileage or driving time limit...I drop and go where i want...If i want to go to dinner down the street or 80 miles away, I am goin and i don't worry about any "clock" starting...

The day that those things become the way that any carrier I am with starts to do business, thats the day I move on...

So that leaves Fed Ex, Panther and E-1 off my list...those are the ones I know of...

Well said, that is the kind of company i want to work with, tell me when and where to pick it up and when and where to deliver it to, i will make it happen legally, promptly and safely. Its not rocket science!!

[chefdennis]

LOL, yeap "NOT" should have been in there....There are companies that will let you run like that and get the job done...take that PM info i sent you and run with it, they will let you do exactly that....

[LDB]

Not sure what you are hearing but no, it doesn't work that way. It is 48 miles from the south suburb where my house is to the north suburb where my dad's house is. From his house it's 7 miles to the best chicken fried steak anywhere. I can drive to his place, take him for lunch, take him home and drive back home and it does nothing to my dwell time, load offers, etc. etc.. I've never had a problem with moving for shower, food, entertainment or whatever.

[LDB]

I pickup a load and deliver it, if that means driving 1600 miles in whatever time it takes, that what I do.. I won't ever "swap" a load because of some carrier imposed mileage or driving time limit

tell me when and where to pick it up and when and where to deliver it to, i will make it happen legally, promptly and safely. Its not rocket science!!

The company says "say there mister van driver, we have a load picking up in Laredo at 2300 Wed. and delivering at 0300 Fri. in Romulus, Mi. paying 98cpm."

Scenario 1: Company limits solo van but you could run Laredo to Memphis, 875 miles for $858 and swap it off to another van.

Scenario 2: Company doesn't impose sensible limits so an Ironman (there are many many who self assign that capability so this isn't pointing at anyone specifically, just using the above as the catalyst to make a point) takes the load figuring he can average 58mph moving average for 1632 miles and be safe doing it.

The company in scenario 1 uses the common sense we'd hope everyone would use and certainly that's a nice run with good money. In scenario 2 it's a matter of IF. If this is the time the luck runs out. It isn't a case of will it but a case of when will it.

[davekc]

well, fedex told me as long as i contact them 1st and there is no delay on their load, and i have room, i could double up, however, after reading this im getting concerned!! i am supposed to leave here in Florida in an hour to drive to Ohio for orientation, im starting to wonder if its worth it!!! I have just spent $12000 on a van and another $1500 fitting it out. There is no way i will put up with sitting for more than 24 hours in a given week, id rather stay down here and find some other use for the van............

As the others told you, the Fed is exclusive use only. Not to your advantage. That 24 hour requirement would be a deal buster there as well. I think I would go with your own findings and find another use for the van unless you can provide a lot of flexibility.

[xiggi]

Just a note some people on this site think because they do not feel safe driving 1500 miles no one else can safely do it either. (not pointing fingers at anyone in particular) It has been explained numerous times that on long loads like that you can always build up time to sleep for 4 or 5 hours. I am not real sure what the difference is between that long haul being up all day and then getting a load at 8pm that goes 700 miles that you can only build up an hour or two sleep time on. It is a proven fact that most accidents happen in the first couple hours of service so for anyone driving any distance it is not a matter of if it will happen but when.