First post

[jeff4637]

Greetings all,
I've been reading alot of posts for the past week or two,and would like to thank all of you for your very helpful information. Expediting is something that I've been thinking about doing for over ten years. I drove tractor-trailer for ten years,but haven't since September of 2007. I'm currently a Production Manager in a small rubber shop here in Ohio. I've just begun my research,and my plan is to be a man and woman Sprinter team with a base (home),and what I mean by base is we don't have to be home every other week or month for that matter. I know I have a lot to learn before I take that first trip and that probably won't be for another year. I've ran allot of figures pertaining to my finical situation,and we would have to have no less than 3,000 miles a week is this doable? Thanks.

 

[layoutshooter]

Welcome to the forums!! I can't help you with any sprinter stuff but we like having new people join us. Don't be a stranger!

 

[Wolfeman68]

Greetings all,
I've been reading alot of posts for the past week or two,and would like to thank all of you for your very helpful information. Expediting is something that I've been thinking about doing for over ten years. I drove tractor-trailer for ten years,but haven't since September of 2007. I'm currently a Production Manager in a small rubber shop here in Ohio. I've just begun my research,and my plan is to be a man and woman Sprinter team with a base (home),and what I mean by base is we don't have to be home every other week or month for that matter. I know I have a lot to learn before I take that first trip and that probably won't be for another year. I've ran allot of figures pertaining to my finical situation,and we would have to have no less than 3,000 miles a week is this doable? Thanks.

3,000 loaded miles every week in a Sprinter? In a word, no. Every week will be different.

If you don't have the resources to absorb the bad weeks, you should consider doing something else. Don't mean to sound negative, but that's just the way this business is.

 

[Turtle]

2000 in a team van, as an average, maybe, but not 3000 miles a week. No way is a van gonna get 150,000 loaded miles a year. Not at any kind of profitable rate, anyway.

 

[jimlookup]

Hello Jeff. 3000 paid miles a week may be a little optimistic. Especially if there is a economic down turn. Also, your start up expenses probably will be 10 to 20% more than you budget. If you're going to research for another year you should have a good handle on it by then. You may want to consider learning the business on someone elses dime; meaning, drive for a fleet owner for a while. Make sure you check references. Additional info can be found at Trucking Association, Owner Operator Independent Drivers Association and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

 

[cheri1122]

If you "have to have no less than 3000 miles a week" then expediting isn't what you want - even averaged over a year, as Turtle showed, it isn't doable.
Better you understand that before making any commitments, than finding out when you're broke.

 

[jansiemoo]

I also find it unlikely you'll see that many miles regularily. Expediting isn't anything like regular trucking in that respect. Even a straight truck or TT team may not do 3k mi/week every week. This is all very dependant on a lot of factors, including and not limited to: carrier/brokers, types of qualifications ( hazmat, passport for CA), and the economy. Read everything you can on this site and try to talk to as many people in the business as you can. I read this site voraciously for 6 mos before I got in touch with a recruiter.
One thing that will definately help you is your willingness to be away from home and your Ohio base.

 

[jeff4637]

What I tried to do was high ball the expenses and low ball the earnings and using Turtles 1/3 + 1/3 + 1/3 theory that is where I came up with the 3,000 mile figure. The reason I have Sprinter in my head is because my teammate doesn't have her cdl license and finding a used Sprinter setup for our needs my be like trying to find a needle in a hay stack. So what I'm hearing is 2,000 miles a week,is that an average based on a year?

 

[xiggi]

What I tried to do was high ball the expenses and low ball the earnings and using Turtles 1/3 + 1/3 + 1/3 theory that is where I came up with the 3,000 mile figure. The reason I have Sprinter in my head is because my teammate doesn't have her cdl license and finding a used Sprinter setup for our needs my be like trying to find a needle in a hay stack. So what I'm hearing is 2,000 miles a week,is that an average based on a year?

You keep talking about miles per week. It is the money that matters, one person can drive 1000 miles per week and make the same as someone driving 1500. What kind of net after expenses do you feel you need. I will say expediting in a sprinter is not for someone with a large amount of bills each month. You might want to check the ryder truck sales web site for used sprinters.

 

[jeff4637]

You keep talking about miles per week. It is the money that matters, one person can drive 1000 miles per week and make the same as someone driving 1500. What kind of net after expenses do you feel you need. I will say expediting in a sprinter is not for someone with a large amount of bills each month. You might want to check the ryder truck sales web site for used sprinters.

For my teammate and I we would need at least 300.00 a week for our personal (base) expenses,property taxes,utilities,personal vehicle insurance

 

[Turtle]

You keep talking about miles per week. It is the money that matters...

Bingo! That's why I included the "Not at any kind of profitable rate, anyway," caveat. You probably could find a carrier that could keep you busy enough to rake in 150,000 loaded miles in a year, but it'll be at very cheap rates, likely not enough to take care of all the road and maintenance expenses.

As a solo you can do between 60,000 and 80,000 miles, assuming out for 48 weeks a year. As a team you can do between 80,000 and 100,000 miles, again that's at 48 weeks a year on the road. That equates to about a $.95 cent a mile rate. You can get higher rates, but it won't be that many miles, and you can get more miles, but it won't be at that rate. In other words, as a team van you can gross between $75,000 and $95,000 a year.

When I say "can", I mean some might do more, some will do less, but most people will probably fall into those ballpark figures.

The more you can cut costs here and there, the more you can massage the 1/3 deal into more money for you and yours, and for a maintenance safety net.

Do this because you want to, not because you have bills to pay. If you have bills to pay, then a straight truck team is where you'll net the most money, especially if you own your own truck. Generally speaking.

 

[jansiemoo]

For my teammate and I we would need at least 300.00 a week for our personal (base) expenses,property taxes,utilities,personal vehicle insurance

Is that $300/week for both or is that each? Also, is that gross beforecor after (personal) taxes? When I started I took what I grossed and put 80% in my checking account and 20% in savings for the tax man.

 

[jeff4637]

300 together after taxes

 

[CharlesD]

You want that many miles a week, you'd better be looking at a straight. We have straight teams getting those kind of miles but anything resembling a van is a different story these days. I'm saying that as someone who spent 3 years in a Sprinter.

 

[layoutshooter]

We often don't do 3000 miles per week and we are a straight truck. The miles don't matter. It is how much those runs pay. A thousand mile run that pays a dollar a mile is not worth the effort. A 250 mile run that pays 800 is a better bet.

 

[teamjdw]

Hello Jeff,welcome aboard. you seem to be still in the tt cents per mile mentality.Expediting is no where near otr tt gig,I know i used to do the otr tt thing before getting laid off.You have to understand that expediting is the ambulance service of the trucking buisness.You will sit and sit and sit,then sit some more,then late in the day BAM 1 adam 12 1 adam 12 we have an emergency! You will pick up your freight drive it straight thru to where ever it needs to be. If you are going to drive team with your better half,i would suggest looking at straight trucks.More room more comfort and i believe more money.My wife never drove anything bigger than a car,but after a one week course at our local truck driving school,she obtained her cdl b.The course was $995.00 Good Luck and keep reading,and reading,and reading.

 

[tbcabs]

As a sprinter driver who has run team and now single. Yes you can run 300 miles a week next week then the week after you can run 1000 or less. If you only need $300 a week for expenses you can make it out here no prob. I support my wife and my daughter (who is now in college....isnt cheap) and run single. Of course I'm never home and my relationship is over the phone.(Except in the summer when the wife will ride with me cause it isn't cold.)