I know... The first question is "what do you consider a living"? LOL. We have done some research, and found that most owners do the 60/40 split. We get the 60 and pay for fuel and get the surchage, and and pay for tolls. A contractor we talked to, contracted to Panther, said Panther is paying $.75 a mile, and his drivers are averaging 7000 a month. We know miles a month is a gamble. But if u do the math, im coming up with around $1400 a month in our pockets?? Maybe i did the math wrong? But for a team, whos out for 4 weeks at a time that aint much!! I have my CDL B and have driven straight trucks, but my wife who wants to get her feet wet and team with me, has no CDL as of yet. So for her to get the feel of expediteing we have to start with Van then move up. All threads ive seen on Van have mostly been Negative, any positive storys out there? Thanks
Can a Cargo Van Team make a living?
- Thread starter smbihm
- Start date
chefdennis
Veteran Expediter
find a 26,000 gvw ST owner that needs a team...no CDL needed of 26,000 lbs....
Right here....wife and I did over 5 years in a CV and was successful..it CAN be for you too....with mileage limitations that Fedex .Panther and E-1 has on solo drivers you'll do well......driving a straight is a piece of crap.....IMO lousy owners, nasty trucks and too many regulations. Get yourself a good CV and go nuts....Good Luck....
bluefish55
Active Expediter
There are lousy owners of cargo vans out there too.
IMO sir.....there should be NO CV fleet owners....CV's are cheap to buy.....40% of nothing is still nothing...
Keep in mind OVM owned the van he was not driving someone elses, big difference.
EASYTRADER
Expert Expediter
I don't think a 60/40 split works for van employees. I doubt, that is even minimum wage. If you're gonna run a van better buy it. Based on those numbers you'd be better off to work at MacDonalds. If you owned the Van it might not be such a bad gig though.
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cableguymn
Seasoned Expediter
.75 a mile? wow are they getting cheap. When I left Panther diesel was 2.30 a gallon, and they where playing .77 a mile plus fuel surcharge.
can you make it? yes.. But I'd look at a larger truck or buy a van and sign it yourself.
Thank you for that Sir...
and I am referring to to the standard 60/40 split...with fleet owner paying the fuel....even if ya flip the fuel to the other side of the scoreboard...fuel is usually more then 20% hence you make even less depending on FSC and driving habits..
Excuse me.
Sorry Dave....I little over the top..eh?
But you know yourself "some" owners are hurting cash wise and are cutting corners and the trucks are getting older...
Just a little over the top. Some may be cash strapped but not the case here. Some as well may be stalling equipment purchases not for lack of capital, but waiting for a proven vehicle that is EPA compliant. Much of the new trucks on the market have very questionable reliability ratings. As of 2011, there were 62 out of 100 trucks with consistent problems. I believe that is from JD Powers.
With what we currently have in our fleet, I am less than impressed.
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I understand about the issues...JohnE has talked about that very thing because the tractors have the same problems
bluefish55
Active Expediter
Yes sir, My comment was about some fleet owners of cargo vans, of course not all, and not o/o's. The main question was about driving a cargo van for an owner. In my experience going through the process of talking to 8 owners of cargo vans that were all on with 1 certain expediting company where I was pre-approved to drive for, i was lied to and smoke blowed at me. 4 of the owners could barely speak english. I am just meat in the seat.
bluefish55
Active Expediter
I have been told by several owners that only have 1 cargo van or sprinter on with Panther that they get .70 plus fsc.
A year or two ago there was about a 4-month period where they were signing on new vans as 70 cents per mile. There aren't many of those, and anyone still on a 70 cent contract should redo the contract. Since that 4-month period, all the van contracts have been either 72 or 73 (can't remember which) if you don't have HAZMAT or go to Canada, and 75 cents if you have either.
No, you did the math right.
Splitting income with an owner in a van leaves you with very little.
Have her get her CDL B. Rent a U-Haul or something for her to practice with. It's real easy. That, or buy your own van. Can't make any money driving someone else's van. You just can't. Can't make a living, either.
Sure. If you own your own van there are lots of positive stories. If you drive a van for someone else, not so much.
cableguymn
Seasoned Expediter
That is INSANE. I had a non-Canada contract at .77... Please tell me the FSC has gone up. I had some that where .01 a mile but most where in the high teens low 20's.