Driver Lifestyles
What Keeps You in Expedited Trucking?
By Jeff Jensen, Editor
May 5, 2007 - 2:21:00 PM

In the business of expedite, just as in the "business" of life, it's easy to lose focus of the bigger picture. 

When you're confronted on a daily basis with periods of no or slow freight, ever-increasing fuel prices and the cost of doing business, bad weather, traffic congestion, an irritating dispatcher and a plethora of other problems, you scratch your head and wonder, "Why am I doing this?"

Maybe that's the time to take a deep breath and consider the "benefits" of your occupation - the good things about the business that don't make it on to a balance sheet.

We asked some expediters to list the reasons that keep them in this business and we also culled some responses to a recent thread in the EO Open Forum, "What do you like most about expediting?"

See how the answers here compare with your own. 

Larry Day, straight truck driver
"I've been in trucking since 1995 except for a four year period.
I tried to get into construction but all the jobs were taken by illegal immigrants and I missed driving as well. In expedite, I enjoy the freedom and not being tied down to a 9-5 job  And, there's no boss looking over your shoulder (except for the Qualcomm)."

Cheri Heppner, cargo van owner-operator
"I like the independence, the freedom and the change of scenery. I really enjoy the opportunities to play tourist.  This job lets me see things that I never would have seen otherwise.I like the challenges because there's something different every day."

"I don't do New Year's resolutions, but I did make a millennium resolution.  I'm not going to stay with any job if I wake up and dread going to work.  I've been in trucking for a few years now and I have never dreaded going to work."

"A bad day in trucking is better than a good day in another occupation."

Tod and Colleen Marmino, straight truck owner-operators
(Colleen) "I have a corner office with a view anywhere I go.  I can wear anything I want to work, even my pj's.  My commute is only 10 feet.   My co-worker is my best friend."

Clifford Nicks, straight truck owner-operator 
"My wife and I are pretty typical in that we are empty nesters and are both on our second career. We started driving ten or twelve years ago and drove 18-wheelers, mostly reefers."

"Near the top of my list of what I like most about expediting is that most of the time the people to whom you are delivering the freight are happy to see you (yes, I said most of the time). They will usually get the freight right off the truck."

"For those of you who started your trucking experience in expediting, you are very fortunate."

"For those of you who have never driven an 18-wheeler and or delivered to a grocery warehouse, it goes something like this:

"You get to your delivery time two hours early and line up with the trucks that are already there. At the time you were supposed to deliver the guard shows up and you sign in. You find out that all these trucks have the same appointment time. You are instructed to listen to channel whatever on the CB and they will call you when they have a door for you. You cannot sleep because you may miss the call with your dock number and someone else will replace you."

"When you finally get a door and back in, you are expected to help unload and "break down" the load or hire a lumper to do it."

"In expedite, I enjoy delivering a load where people are happy to see me and to get the product!  I know, you can give many examples where that is not true, but most of the time it is."

"We now drive a D unit and we can get into lots of places we couldn't get into before....Like Cracker Barrel, for instance.. 

Greg Geronsin, cargo van owner-operator
"I enjoy expediting because every day is something different. A different shipper, freight, time, location, etc."

"I still enjoy it.  I like doing something different and being out on the road.  I like the owner-operator aspects of it.  As long as it's still enjoyable and I can make money doing it, I'll stick with it."

"My friends in the "real trucking world" say it must be great working when you want. My reply is that it is great to work when I don't want. There have been way too many times that I have wanted or needed to work but there were no loads. Such is the life! But as long as I can scratch out a living I will continue to be an expediter."

Shawn Auxier
"It's not having to punch a time clock or have a supervisor looking over your shoulder;
not getting extra work piled on you because someone else quit and the company thinks you can take up the slack;
making as much money as you want depending on how hard you're willing to work (as opposed to that 2% raise each year)." 

"Most of all, I like expediting because I we've been able to see all the places we used to just drive past in a semi. We've been to the Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls, Cape Hatteras and...
every beach we can get to, lovely parks, mountains, whitewater rivers, exhilaratingly high bridges, scrumptious restaurants, stopped for moose (in the road), we've seen numerous elk and wildlife galore, antique malls and taking time to smell the roses and still make a living.  

We've made friends with some great people and have met some that have been, well lets say rather "interesting"."  "I love having the freedom expediting offers!"

Steve Gilbert
"What I like about expedite, most of the time the shippers and receivers are happy we are there, and the big plus, I don’t have to work 7 days a week to make a living!"

David and Patty Jo Jaynes, straight truck owner-operators
(Patty)  "We not only make a good living at this job but it's also the places we get to go and the people we meet.  And, we get paid to do it!"

Terry O'Connell, cargo van owner-operators
"We're just about to enter our 18th year in expedite.  It's funny, when we got into this business; it was supposed to be on a temporary basis while we decided where we wanted to make our home after a career in the U.S. Coast Guard.  After all these years, we're still enjoying it."

"We're still out here and one of the things that keeps us in expedited trucking is the mystery - we never know where we're going to be.  We also enjoy the pleasure that we bring to someone when they're waiting on an important shipment.  That might only occur in one load out of a dozen, but it makes it all worthwhile."