I am going to become a owner operator and have been accepted at Tri-state and Panther. I Was wondering which company would be best to go with as starting out as a single driver. Which company would I get the most loads with? My wife will be joining me after she gets her CDL, but until then I was wondering what is best for a single driver just starting out. Is there another company more suitable?
expediting information
- Thread starter jrstevens
- Start date
Welcome JR...
It's an age old question and there isn't really a foolproof answer. The carriers are as varied as the individual....what works for one does't work for another...I know that sounds strange but here's an example:
Recently we had 2 senior members switch to the same carrier...BOTH experienced, BOTH same type truck...one is running his butt off successful and the other one can't seem to get a handle on it...and is switching again I think...Now WHY?? Every carrier has it's rules and regulations and different little ways to operate some friendly some not so friendly and on and on....your going to have to find the one that suits YOUR personality.
Some questions for you and anyone else looking into expediting. What prior driving experience do you have? How long have you been looking into expediting? What have you done so far to research company choices? What size truck are you considering? How long do you plan to be out and then how long at home until going out again?
There are many many questions you need to answer before getting into expediting. One of the first and most important things you can/should do is read back at least one full year in the general, newbies and recruiter forums here. You will find your questions discussed many times and gain good insight from that. You'll also find answers to a lot of questions you don't even know now that you have.
There are many many questions you need to answer before getting into expediting. One of the first and most important things you can/should do is read back at least one full year in the general, newbies and recruiter forums here. You will find your questions discussed many times and gain good insight from that. You'll also find answers to a lot of questions you don't even know now that you have.
dhalltoyo
Veteran Expediter
As with any new venture...there is a learning curve.
Small to medium sized carriers seem somewhat more open to spending a little extra time getting a new O/O up to speed. Larger carriers seem to expect that anyone leased to them should already know the basics.
Of course, that is not an unrealistic expectation, but someone trying to get the hang of expediting might find it easier to get that personal touch from a smaller carrier.
Small to medium sized carriers seem somewhat more open to spending a little extra time getting a new O/O up to speed. Larger carriers seem to expect that anyone leased to them should already know the basics.
Of course, that is not an unrealistic expectation, but someone trying to get the hang of expediting might find it easier to get that personal touch from a smaller carrier.
If that's 8 months of reading back in these forums you should be back at least a full year. That's good. That's the minimum to be seriously beneficial. Looking at a D unit is good too when not going t/t. Being out less than 3 weeks at a stretch isn't optimal although that also depends on where home is and how long until you go back out. The two companies you named are very good companies. Fedex is good for a team but wouldn't be as good for you solo while waiting for your wife to join you. There are a number of other good companies worth talking to. Among them, in no order, are Express1, C&M, and Bolt.