Expediter Tractor Trailers

[BigBusBob]

Yes, I'm going to post another topic on tractors trailers in expediting.

How come I rarely see trailers with expediting co.'s names on them.
I rarely see Expediting Co.s tractors with names on them as well.

I see a good amount of PII and FedEx, but Nations Express, All-State, Express-1, and the others seem to hide.

Do they do like many co.'s and put the names on the tractors in tiny letters to make them less noticable???

Very Curious about this.

 

[greg334]

I see more Tristate and Express-1 in the past month than I have Fedex and Panther, but again I see the same Fedex e unit in atlanta.

 

[geo]

most times it's a lease trailer and they have to pay to have logo's put on and take off, so they try to stay as cheap as possible

 

[Jayman]

There is one or two Express 1 E units that park in the Pilot station by I-70 here in Terre Haute, IN.

 

[raceman]

It may be the area you run in but I see them all the time. Pather, Tri State and FECC have it on the trailers for sure. All E-1's I have see are just on the Tractor.

I see so many it at times angers me because when I was asking about putting one on, the business was not supposed to be so great. Since that point I see them everwhere. Now I will say the ones I see unload at Ford never have anything on them that could not be a straight or in some cases van.

Tri State used to run some beatiful Trators out of Ford carrying transmissions to Chicago and KC. They lost that business but man where those some good looking rides.


Raceman
Dedicated O/O
OOIDA 741748

 

[chetjester]

I use an Xtra Lease trailer that was once owned or leased to Warbert or something like that. I know that because they did a lousy job of removing the name. On the back is an American flag and "Glasgow, KY". I'm driving for a Louisville, KY company.

The name of the company I drive for is only on the truck; not the trailer. The trailer is a piece of crap.

I rarely have a full load on my trailer unless I'm doing a backhaul to get out of where I am. The only advantage of the T/T seems to be the ability to carry heavy loads. Also, out of Laredo or El Paso, I can handle 3 "C" loads on the trailer easily.

It's just amazing how I can't get loads out of Michigan. I have to pick up loads out of Ohio instead. Running a T/T is not as busy as I expected it to be.

 

[fastman_1]

I seen a Bolt Express Trailer with the name Plastered down the whole Side...The first one I have ever seen.







































Owner/Operator since 1979
Expediter since 1997
B Unit Semi Retired
Somedays are Diamonds and Somedays are Stones
Home is Wherever you Park.
The Price of Freedom is Written on the Wall.

 

[chetjester]

I've never seen a Bolt Express anything.

 

[sucbadriver]

I am a tractor driver pulling for Panther and im doing just fine. I am adding another tractor this coming week. You must not be looking if you are not seeing us. 90% of the trailers i pull have the Panther logo on them

 

[nightcreacher]

The smalest part of an expedite fleet are the tractor trailers.Most expedite goes on straight trucks,and where ever you go,you will see straight trucks,from all the expedite companies,how ever,most of the tractor trailers are busy,as there are never enough E units in any fleet.
I know how many tractors are here at FECC,and i rarely see any of them,and in most cases,if I'm at an express center,you won't find me at a truck stop,at least not lately,since I quit playing the Derby Owners Club game,some one walked off with about $2000 worth of cards,and this just helped me quit,(very expensive game).
Keep searching,you will see tractor trailers,and as stated earlier in another post,many of the tractors are pulling lease trailers,that dont have the expedite company logo on them

 

[BigBusBob]

Thank you for the replies, so it seems like small print on the tractors and many leased trailers. With regards to other expediting co.'s, in the Carolina's and east coastal area's I rarely see anything more than PII and/or Fed Ex CC trailers. I see many straight trucks, from all different expedite co.'s. I imagine that's due in part to all the manufacturing facilities, and the warehouses that support them, in the upstate SC area.

Chet, you said in your reply above that t/t expediting is not as busy as you expected it to be... I'm curious about that statement.

is it as profitable as the straight truck?

Is it less busy, but just as profitable?

The fact that you can carry 3 c loads out of Laredo right there sets you up to be more profitable than a straight truck. Right? or?

However, does that mean you're making 3 stops instead of 1? If so, then how does that effect the profitability?

Explain further, please.

 

[chetjester]

Most of the loads I get are profitable to the truck. I do have to get some backhauls to return to the busy areas. Those loads pay me and the fuel. The truck owner doesn't get much profit from that.

A. Blair concentrates on the NLM loads mostly for my truck. That's where the profit is. Why there aren't more T/T loads is a good question.

Regarding the multiple loads: It's easier to get a load when it is bid low with the expectation that there will be more loads that will get the profit up higher. I get all the miles along with some money for each additional delivery; nothing for the additional pickup. Laredo and El Paso are pretty good for the multiple loads. I never leave either place with less than 2 loads on my truck. Once I've delivered up north, it hasn't been easy getting full pay loads back to the south.

I'm earning good money and have no expenses for the truck that I'm responsible for. I get paid for every mile I run at the same rate unless it is deadhead, which, unfortunately, is free. My job is to run hard and make a good profit in the volume.

Is that what you wanted to know, Bob?

 

[BigBusBob]

YYYESSS Chet! Thank you so much. Getting good solid info from actual "solo" "tractor" "drivers" is difficult. I'm happy to hear that info, and glad to hear that biz is good.

I'm curious, so do you make "money" when you roll south out of the "north"? or do you get enough to live?
There's a difference between making money and making a living.
Making a living (to me) is getting the bills payed and being able to eat, but not being able to do much else.

I know you guys work on the NLM stuff (auto freight). I'm wondering how the tractors do that do Not deal strictly in that sector.

I'm talking with some O/O's again about Feb. work.
One is a day cab, pulling organic soil in a dump trailer. The guy is getting a leftover 2006 Freightliner (with less than 100 miles on it) and having a brand new trailer built in January. He's got 3 trucks that haul for him now, but none are his - they're hired trucks and drivers. His biz is expanding north and he wants the availability that comes with owning his own truck. Home every nite and he takes out taxes (which has been a tricky thing for me over the past few years doing independant contractor work). Averages 45 to 55 hours a week, within 100 to 150 miles... in a 2006 truck pulling a 2007 trailer? not too shabby of a deal if you ask me. He's established too, with 2 different processing facilities in SC. The stuff he processes ends up in garden centers of large stores (like Wal-Mart and Home Depot) as Scotts Organic Soil. All drops are dumped on large wholesale yards. No docks, no touch freight.
Just drive, and pull a lever.

I really miss the sleeper and the big road in a big truck though, so we shall see what happens.

Thanks for the info, very helpful...
talk more - I'm Very interested, but only in solo tractor work.
I like to sleep Sitting Still with No Worries.
Later, Bob.

 

[chetjester]

Do I make enough to live? I don't stay with a job that can't pay me well. I had two weeks off from Dec 23 until Jan 5. The 2 weeks prior to that I had a 4100 mile week followed by a 2500 mile week. I get paid by the mile. It doesn't matter to me what the load pays.

It's all a matter of how motivated you are to work.