Sprinter and Cargo Van Loads Please help me

MTGTrans

Seasoned Expediter
Hello Everyone,

I currently own my own trucking company and have owned it for the last 9 years. I own 28 trucks and business has been great over the years, but the last few years have been down hill. Fuel prices killed me and to top things off I just lost 2 of my largest accounts that I have had since day one. These accounts have been 70% of my work. The business just died after that. I'm still in business working, but barley cover my rear end and bills.

I'm looking to add to my fleet cargo vans and sprinters and do some kind of work from that point to save on fuel costs. I have no idea how to get started or where to go? Are there load boards for sprinters and cargo van loads? Any help would be great guys. Trying to get my company back on it's feet before I just give up.

Thank you and God Bless everyone...
 

MTGTrans

Seasoned Expediter
Really? I was not aware of that....How would I get started in something like that anyways? I'd still like to know just good to have some info and sites about this kind of work.
 

highway star

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
I agree with Mike. There's just a whole bunch of vans out there sitting and waiting. I don't have any personal experience with the load boards, but it's been said here that van loads are few and far between. I'd concentrate on freight for the trucks you have.
 

CharlesD

Expert Expediter
Yeah, there are a whole lot of vans out there at the moment, so it's pretty darn competitive. If you already have larger trucks at your disposal, I would focus on finding more profitable freight for those trucks. The expedite freight does pay better for the most part.

If you're looking for van or Sprinter loads, you're not going to find the good ones on any load boards. Panther buts their brokered loads on a bid board and of course there's NLM, but there's really not a magic board where you can just log on and find all your loads. You have to beat the bushes pretty hard.
 

Jack_Berry

Moderator Emeritus
go to search and type in "loadboards". there are a lot of threads and may boards. like was said above you have to search for loads for vans. for example i saw a load dallas to somewhere nj. 3 skids, good for a sprinter, 1300 miles paying $483.00. bad for owner. fuel alone back then at 20mpg would be $260.00. not much to splt left over.

i also concur about sitting. my driver has sat a lot in the last 2 weeks and also deadheaded more miles than loaded miles. this week is a real stinker.
 

MTGTrans

Seasoned Expediter
Wow!!

That's really not worth it....I'm having the same issues with my trucks now lots of dead head miles lots of lost time which in the end equals less money.

Nothing is what it used to be....I think it's time to start selling off the trucks lol.....
 

Jefferson3000

Expert Expediter
MTG,

Look on the right hand column of the front page of this site. You will see a long list of expedited carriers, large and small who sponsor this site. Each and every one have a brokerage side that sets up small carriers to partner with them in running freight. Most correspond with load offers by email. I would definitely try and fill your existing trucks before investing in other vehicles, big or small. I am a small carrier myself and I definitely understand the turn of events lately, but there is definitely an opportunity to make it through this.
 

CharlesD

Expert Expediter
Wow!!

That's really not worth it....I'm having the same issues with my trucks now lots of dead head miles lots of lost time which in the end equals less money.

Nothing is what it used to be....I think it's time to start selling off the trucks lol.....

That above mentioned load was an LTL, which is what you're going to find on the internet load boards. I only use LTL loads to relocate or when I want to get home. They seem to work when you just want to get out of a bad area or to get back to the house, but that's about it, unless you can combine them to get a decent rate.
 

gummybear_51

Seasoned Expediter
My husband is looking for another carrier to get on with.He drives a Sprinter Van now and wants to keep on driving a Sprinter,he has been driving for 30 yrs,he drove a big trk,and expideted trk and now a Sprinter Van.
Are you hiring on more drivers.
 

BillChaffey

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
US Navy
The original post is dated October 2008. You & your hubby may want to look for something a little more recent.;)
Possibly in the newbe's section.
 

mirelb

Rookie Expediter
go to search and type in "loadboards". there are a lot of threads and may boards. like was said above you have to search for loads for vans. for example i saw a load dallas to somewhere nj. 3 skids, good for a sprinter, 1300 miles paying $483.00. bad for owner. fuel alone back then at 20mpg would be $260.00. not much to splt left over.

i also concur about sitting. my driver has sat a lot in the last 2 weeks and also deadheaded more miles than loaded miles. this week is a real stinker.



I am with Try Hours as an O/O OTR and so far i love it. they keep me pretty busy and i have the miles. some weeks are not the best but on average I make at least 2000 a week
 

wvcourier

Expert Expediter
I am with Try Hours as an O/O OTR and so far i love it. they keep me pretty busy and i have the miles. some weeks are not the best but on average I make at least 2000 a week

How do they pay? % or flat rate? Is there different rates for c/v and sprinter? Whats your average cpm?

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