sprinter OTR newb question

jaybird88

New Recruit
Owner/Operator
hey everyone, i am Jason and new to the forums. i am currently doing local courier here in Ar. i am looking into investing in a sprinter/cargo van. a few things i dont understand.
how much more can you make with a sprinter vs a cargo van?
how much more can you make living in the van for three weeks at a time as opposed to driving local?
 

LDB

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
My canned response but it will show where and how to learn these things.


You love traveling and decide you want to be a plumber, lab technician, dental hygienist, barber, real estate broker, or maybe paralegal. What is the first thing you do? You go to school and study and learn all you can over many months. Then you finally know enough to be dangerous but capable so you can proceed. So, if you want to be an expediter the first thing you do is go to expediter school.

That's here, on EO. You read back a minimum of 5 years in the General, Newbie and Recruiter forums. You read every single thread title as you studiously work your way back. If the thread title sounds like it is in any way the least bit pertinent to your expediting goals you read every word in that thread. That will take you several weeks minimum. Once you've done that you'll know enough to know how much you don't know but you'll know enough to ask the right questions to learn more of what you need to know.

Expediting is FAR more than opening the doors to allow someone to load freight into your vehicle and turning the ignition key to drive off down the road. You won't become any of those other career options without major studying and training. This is no different if you want to succeed. The turnover rate for expediting is often greater than 100% because too many people think it's just turn the ignition key and go. Good luck.
 
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jaybird88

New Recruit
Owner/Operator
My canned response but it will show where and how to learn these things.


You love traveling and decide you want to be a plumber, lab technician, dental hygienist, barber, real estate broker, or maybe paralegal. What is the first thing you do? You go to school and study and learn all you can over many months. Then you finally know enough to be dangerous but capable so you can proceed. So, if you want to be an expediter the first thing you do is go to expediter school.

That's here, on EO. You read back a minimum of 5 years in the General, Newbie and Recruiter forums. You read every single thread title as you studiously work your way back. If the thread title sounds like it is in any way the least bit pertinent to your expediting goals you read every word in that thread. That will take you several weeks minimum. Once you've done that you'll know enough to know how much you don't know but you'll know enough to ask the right questions to learn more of what you need to know.

Expediting is FAR more than opening the doors to allow someone to load freight into your vehicle and turning the ignition key to drive off down the road. You won't become any of those other career options without major studying and training. This is no different if you want to succeed. The turnover rate for expediting is often greater than 100% because too many people think it's just turn the ignition key and go. Good luck.
i have seen tons of threads of people talking about turning their vans into sleepers, none explained the benefit, you make more money, ok, are we talking 100 more a week or double. if your just getting a few extra dollars i dont get why anyone would do it.
if i am spending 300k on vet school i think i would learn all i can before hand rather than just borrow the money and be a vet to see if i like it.
 

Ragman

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
hey everyone, i am Jason and new to the forums. i am currently doing local courier here in Ar. i am looking into investing in a sprinter/cargo van. a few things i dont understand.
how much more can you make with a sprinter vs a cargo van?
how much more can you make living in the van for three weeks at a time as opposed to driving local?
Before investing in a vehicle, go drive by for a fleet owner for a year or two. Learn on his dime and equipment.
 

danthewolf00

Veteran Expediter
i have seen tons of threads of people talking about turning their vans into sleepers, none explained the benefit, you make more money, ok, are we talking 100 more a week or double. if your just getting a few extra dollars i dont get why anyone would do it.
if i am spending 300k on vet school i think i would learn all i can before hand rather than just borrow the money and be a vet to see if i like it.
Sleep on a air mattress on the floor for one winter and then ask why we build a sleeper with a espar heater......it's not about money its about comfort while on the road for weeks at a time.
 

jaybird88

New Recruit
Owner/Operator
Sleep on a air mattress on the floor for one winter and then ask why we build a sleeper with a espar heater......it's not about money its about comfort while on the road for weeks at a time.
i get that part, what i dont get is why go on the road for weeks when their are local routes?
 

Mr. Loyalty.

Rookie Expediter
Owner/Operator
i get that part, what i dont get is why go on the road for weeks when their are local routes?
It's all about preference. Some drivers are alone, and prefer to stay that way. Some try to make this a 9to 5 job...I prefer to stay out the 2nd, 3rd and 4th week of the month. Stay home on the 1st.
 

jaybird88

New Recruit
Owner/Operator
It's all about preference. Some drivers are alone, and prefer to stay that way. Some try to make this a 9to 5 job...I prefer to stay out the 2nd, 3rd and 4th week of the month. Stay home on the 1st.
so its not really about money but more of a living on the road and seeing new places kinda thing?
like i love a dirt bike in the woods but road bikes make no sense to me, buying a motorcycle and driving on the highway for ten hours would bore the life out of me but some people love it.
 

LDB

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
You are talking about the difference between delivering and expediting. Delivery guys generally live in point A and their jobs take them A-B-A-C-A-D-A-E-A-B-A-F-A-G-A-D always out and back then out and back again. Expediters go A-B-C-D-E-B-F-G-H-D-I-J-K-C-L-M-J and eventually back home. That's why they set the van up to live in. I had a comfortable folding recliner I got at an RV store. When the van was empty I had a large bedroom. With freight very small. But I could stay in the van while going anywhere in the 48 or Canada.
 

Mr. Loyalty.

Rookie Expediter
Owner/Operator
so its not really about money but more of a living on the road and seeing new places kinda thing?
like i love a dirt bike in the woods but road bikes make no sense to me, buying a motorcycle and driving on the highway for ten hours would bore the life out of me but some people love it.
I didn't say that. You just did.
 

danthewolf00

Veteran Expediter
Otr expediters are not a stop and go run a box up to the front door of a home.....we pick up anything that fits and doesn't go over our weight tag and go from point a to point b as fast and SAFELY as we can because the customer is shut down because a machine is broke down and needs to be repaired asap.
 

Mr. Loyalty.

Rookie Expediter
Owner/Operator
And more often than not, shippers are shipping their products via expedite van or straight, where they have " exclusive use" of the particular vehicle to avoid freight damage, that so often occurs with most LTL carriers.
 

Charity's Van

Expert Expediter
Owner/Operator
That is a good explanation LBD, i am a delivery guy nowadays. I have done it both ways. I like my out and back. The OTR is fine too and it paid me about 10% more. I was a bit more rested and had some time to sight see. As out and back, there is some urgency to return home to be back on call.
You are talking about the difference between delivering and expediting. Delivery guys generally live in point A and their jobs take them A-B-A-C-A-D-A-E-A-B-A-F-A-G-A-D always out and back then out and back again. Expediters go A-B-C-D-E-B-F-G-H-D-I-J-K-C-L-M-J and eventually back home. That's why they set the van up to live in. I had a comfortable folding recliner I got at an RV store. When the van was empty I had a large bedroom. With freight very small. But I could stay in the van while going anywhere in the 48 or Canada.
 
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