Good retirement job?

joe442

New Recruit
Researching
Will be able to retire in a few years in my young mid 50s. Researching all this now to be prepared when the time comes.


I got this idea from someone I was playing blackjack with in North Carolina. We were talking and she said her and her husband drive all over the country in a van making deliveries. Said they see the country and get paid for it. Been doing it a while so they must be doing well. Wish I asked more questions now that I like the idea.


I love driving and the open road and thought this is something I may like to do after retiring from my regular job. Don’t have to be committed just go out when I want.


What would be the best way to go about this? Would it make sense to purchase a van so I can have more freedom and do it when and where I want?


Also, does everyone sleep in their van? I know it will cut into income but what about sticking to same hotel chain or even Airbnb?
 

BigStickJr

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
Great job for someone in your position.
Look into a small straight.
They drive like a car now and you can be very comfortable.
Also, easy to go to Motels when the urge hits you. You can always rent a car to do some sightseeing that you’re not comfortable doing in the truck.
The income increase will more than offset the cost.
 

Ragman

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
Don’t have to be committed just go out when I want.


What would be the best way to go about this? Would it make sense to purchase a van so I can have more freedom and do it when and where I want?
This sounds good in theory, but talk to your friends about this.

If you only go out when you want, the carriers will grow tired of calling you and call somebody else.
 
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Turtle

Administrator
Staff member
Retired Expediter
To add to what the others have said, first, when you get into expediting, you are literally starting a small business. It's the same as starting a business as a construction worker, a plumber, a cosmetologist, a lawn care maintenence landscaper. Your success or failure depends on no small part on the level of commitment you make to the business. That said, expediting is a popular career for retirees because of the lower commitment of not necessarily having to rely on expediting as your livelihood. But if you want to be a "work when you want" plumber, you still need to know how to plumb.

Cargo van expediting has a much lower threshold for entry as opposed to straight truck expediting, but with that lower threshold comes an equally low earnings potential ceiling. 4 or 5 motels a week can easily wipe out an entire (bad) week of van net income.

Plus, expediting is not your average 9-5 job with regular or even predictable sleeping hours. You pick up a load at 4:30 PM and deliver it 500 miles away at 6 AM, are you going to try and grab a motel room at 7 AM, only to get a call for your next load at 11 AM? Or, you get a motel room at 10 PM, only to have the phone ring at 2 AM to go pick up a hot load because a Georgia Power and Light plant is shut down because they need a replacement part to fix a broken machine component.

No, you sleep in the van or truck, and a motel is a rare luxury.

It's good that you are doing this kind of research now, instead of after having bought a van and signed on with a carrier.
 

BigStickJr

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
My theory wrapped around running a week or two and then taking a week or two off to visit relatives or sightsee. Of course your carrier needs to be onboard.
We sometimes would get a room, maybe book a load a week out, and rent a car to sightsee.
Some areas have great public transportation.
For some reason I’m remembering a great Italian Restaurant in Renton Wa. Far off the beaten path.
The rose garden in Portland was cool.
Many memories from my Expediting days have nothing to do with the truck.
 

BigStickJr

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
Don’t have to be committed just go out when I want.


What would be the best way to go about this? Would it make sense to purchase a van so I can have more freedom and do it when and where I want?
This sounds good in theory, but talk to your friends about this.

If you only go out when you want, the carriers will grow tired of calling you and call somebody else.

I think once you make the investment into a straight you change from a commodity to a partner.
Less brokers and a better relationship with your carrier.
Less spot freight maybe ?
When you can commit to stuff a week out, the carriers love that.
Zorry is loading 7 days after his last delivery.
And he has the option to leave or decide to bring the product back near the house 5 days after delivery. He’ll check the board and make that decision next week.
 

Ragman

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
My theory wrapped around running a week or two and then taking a week or two off to visit relatives or sightsee. Of course your carrier needs to be onboard.
We sometimes would get a room, maybe book a load a week out, and rent a car to sightsee.
Some areas have great public transportation.
For some reason I’m remembering a great Italian Restaurant in Renton Wa. Far off the beaten path.
The rose garden in Portland was cool.
Many memories from my Expediting days have nothing to do with the truck.

I think once you make the investment into a straight you change from a commodity to a partner.
Less brokers and a better relationship with your carrier.
Less spot freight maybe ?
When you can commit to stuff a week out, the carriers love that.
Zorry is loading 7 days after his last delivery.
And he has the option to leave or decide to bring the product back near the house 5 days after delivery. He’ll check the board and make that decision next week.
Thats all fine and dandy for those of us that have spend multi years driving.
For a newby.... not so much...... ya can't start off planning on driving only when you want. If you do, the carriers will stop calling you. When they're calling, they need you now.
 

BigStickJr

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
I’d argue that point.
So much of what straights do now is really LTL.
Much is set up weeks in advance or are weekly runs.
My experience is reefer straights.
I can name you a dozen cities that have weekly pharma runs. Sometimes would book a load and then ask can I have Tuesdays load from X to Z ?
Straight reefers do less last minute stuff.
AA& E often has a 3-5 day pickup window and sometimes the best load I would haul would book weeks in advance.
The better truck, qualifications you have the better the carriers are to work with you.
Make yourself a valuable asset.
 

Turtle

Administrator
Staff member
Retired Expediter
Yeah that's what I recommend to all newbies thinking about getting into expediting - buy a reefer straight truck.
 
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LDB

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
So you want to be an expediter. It can be a good career for anyone willing and choosing to approach it as a career. Expediting isn’t a hobby. Expediting isn’t a pastime. Expediting isn’t a lark. Expediting is a career. Just like plumbing, paralegal, pharmacy technician, bookkeeper and so many other careers it requires study and knowledge to do well and properly.

If you want to be an expediter you should train and study for it just as seriously as any of those other careers. For a start, you should read back a minimum of 3 years in the General, Newbie and Recruiter forums. Read every word of every thread title. If the title sounds remotely educational or applicable to your situation then read every word of every post in that thread.

Take notes as you go along. Anything you read about freight securement or layover locations or anything else that sounds like something you could benefit from in the future should be in your notes. As you read and as you make notes make a list of questions you want answered based on what you are learning. That way you’ll be prepared to discuss and learn from others in areas you need bolstered.

Once you’ve gone back at least 3 years in all 3 forums you’ll be well enough educated and prepared to know that you really don’t know at all too much and have a lot to learn.

Expediting is NOT running out to buy a van/truck and turning a key and being in business. That is pretty much a guaranteed failure in the making. Don’t buy a vehicle until you know enough to know what you don’t know. Drive for a fleet owner for several months. Learn how the day to day of the business works. Learn the good and bad areas for obtaining freight, for layover waiting on the next job.

Expediting can be an excellent career for those who put the work and effort in from the beginning.
 

BigStickJr

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
Yeah that's what I recommend to all newbies thinking about getting into expediting - buy a reefer straight truck.

I never said buy a reefer. I said that’s what I’m familiar with.
But with reefer teams being able to do $1800 for a 100 mile run, or $4485 for 1285 miles straight through, that 2013 Cascadia Reefer looks good for under $100,000.
And they said they wanted to enjoy retirement, not live in a tin can.
If I ran dry, which I hear is running north of $2.50 per mile often, I could comment on dry opportunities.
Do people book freight into trade shows the day before? No. A lot of stuff is available a week or more out.
The OP, retiring in his 50’s, able to communicate as he has, is probably bright enough to pick up Expediting.
It’s not rocket science. It’s persistence, Luck, some knowledge, and basic driving skills.
I think many overthink it.

Good Luck to the OP.
 
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joe442

New Recruit
Researching
Lots of great advice here. Got the whole idea from that person I talked to. We met once. Didn’t exchange numbers so will never see them again. But they drive a van and I thought that was great for getting around while not making a run. Now my thinking will expand to other types of trucks.

When we say straight truck are you talking about box trucks or tractor trailer? Don’t think I want to get into tractor trailer driving. I’ll consider long box truck.

As for a career. Never though of it like that but can make it like it is, short one of maybe 10 years or so.

Didn’t know you can be committed to certain carriers. What are carriers to looks for to sign on with?

This is why I’m here now lots to learn.
Thanks all.
 

BigStickJr

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
Don’t have to be committed just go out when I want.


What would be the best way to go about this? Would it make sense to purchase a van so I can have more freedom and do it when and where I want?
This sounds good in theory, but talk to your friends about this.

If you only go out when you want, the carriers will grow tired of calling you and call somebody else.

Wow. If I wanted to go whenever they called, I’d be an employee.

I’ve done very well as an independent Independent Contractor.
Edit: never in a van. Always as a well credentialed straight with liftgate, HM, etc.
Never let the carrier think you need the money.
It’s more fun negotiating when you don’t.
 
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BigStickJr

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
There’s a team that used to post here that as rookies bought a $35,000 straight, $500 down and paid it off in 6 months.
It’s been all downhill for them since.
I know another young couple, bright, as rookies did over $300,000 thier first 12 months.
Bought the truck they were driving to get the extra 40%.
The general consensus is to drive for an owner. Owners aren’t apt to let you work part time.
So the OP needs to buy something he can afford to payoff working part time or work full time til it’s paid off.
 

BigStickJr

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
A straight truck is a box truck. Nice that you can take into parks, many restaurants, and shopping areas with little effort.
Many straights in Expediting have cooktops, large refrigerator/freezer, sinks, satellite TV, generators to be sell contained,and some have showers . Various types of toilets are available.
Kind of a revenue producing motorhome.

If you’re solo, a van is okay. Very cut-throat, less comfortable. If you like tent camping, imho, you’re suitable to the typical van lifestyle.

Keep reading. If it’s still appealing close to the entry date, go to that year’s Expo. You’ll see all sorts of equipment and meet all sorts of expediters.
 

joe442

New Recruit
Researching
Keep reading. If it’s still appealing close to the entry date, go to that year’s Expo. You’ll see all sorts of equipment and meet all sorts of expediters.

Even though I have a few years, If it’s still in Lexington next year I will definitely go. Have friends in Louisville I can visit.
 

LDB

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
It's worth a trip to Louisville just to go to Mike Linnig's.
 
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