My advice to People thinking about van Expediting

guido4475

Not a Member
My gosh!!! Would you all listen to yourselves???.The last time I checked, I entered Expeditors Online, not Critics Online!! Why does everyone have to argue and nitpick? some of these posts sound like a script from all in the family. i wonder what the next arguement is going to be over. we should all be supporting and helping each other in everyway we can to get through these challenging times. anyone remember how it was in 89? one big happy family for the most part.what a shame for what it has turned out to be.
 

highway star

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
Guido, I don't think there's anything wrong with this type of discourse. Maybe you see it as people finding anything they can to argue about. I see it as people debating a legitimate subject. Nothing wrong with that.

In fact, it can change peoples minds. I'm one of them. I'm backing off my taking issue with the authors tenure in expedite. The fact is, I did learn a heck of a lot in my first year. I even went to her website to see more about the book. There's a neat picture of buffalo. The book does look like it would give a pretty good overview of the biz. That's based on the table of contents and not actual content.

I still maintain that it doesn't make sense to spend money for the info provided.

Flattop, I see you've posted since I asked for an explanation about the statement you included me in. Care to explain? Or, are you just going to let it dangle there like some kind of incoherent rambling?
 

Moot

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
Experienced people in any field tend to forget what it is like to not know what they now know. Whether XTeam's book turns out to be useful or not, her words as a newer expediter will communicate a lot about today's experience as an expediter wannabee and rookie. For that reason alone, it will be interesting to read and I am looking forward to doing so.

Phil makes a valid point. I remember my very first expedite load. I remember the shipper and the consignee but none of the details, feelings or thoughts connected with my first load. A person with only one year of expedite experience can probably communicate and relate to a newbie better than say a grizzled vet like Highway Star. To us that first load was just that; the first of a long string of loads that tend to meld together.

I believe a high school sophomore would be better at writing a
book aimed at freshmen as an introduction to high school than would a senior or a graduate.

Hey, if she can make a buck and help some people, then go for it. Its gotta be a more lucrative than raising chinchillas to supplement one's income.
 

cheri1122

Veteran Expediter
Driver
I think Guido hit the nail squarely with the reference to family: we don't get to choose the other members, but we are bound together nonetheless. The wide variety of personalities guarantees differences of opinion, and how we react to those differences is largely what defines each of us, I think.
I am proud to call Highway Star a friend, even though we sometimes disagree. On the subject of a newbie writing a book about expediting, we can agree: it could be very interesting to read - but so is EO, and it's free.
That I am a voracious reader is evident by my starting the social group "Bookworms" here, and the truth is that I simply can't afford to buy every book I'd like to read.
My other concern about a newbie writing a "guide" remains: the giddy joy that one has the first year is fun to experience, but it may mislead some into getting in over their heads. It is those folks I was thinking of, not just the one person who authored the book.
Again, I apologize if the author felt insulted, as that wasn't my intent. I would like to read it, and might have some very positive comments about it, but at this point, I will not buy the book, just as I won't buy a LOT of books I'd like to have. Sometimes, reality bites. :(
 

MentalGiant

Seasoned Expediter
Wow!! First thread I've read since being a member here that made me think about every one that comes to this forum.

XTeam,

My wife and I have been doing expedite since Oct. 2007 and we are sill on a learning curve every day from relations, expensives and the cruel way this business has been doing everybody now days. And everybody learns at a different curve. Saying that, I just hope you did say to your readers "This has been my experience and everybodies experience will be different". With saying that you are covering yourself from criticisms and your readers coming back saying you gave them wrong information.

Other than what I said, is the only opinion would even give on this subject, other good luck in what ever you decide to do and I hope you do well.
 
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flattop40

Expert Expediter
Flattop, I see you've posted since I asked for an explanation about the statement you included me in. Care to explain? Or, are you just going to let it dangle there like some kind of incoherent rambling?

HS I apologize for my previous statement. I went back and read a thread that I thought you were saying you were an Obama supporter. It was your defense of Cheri in that thread and an attack on my ablility to do comedy that got me confused. Somewhere in the deep reaches of this feable mind I connected Cheri's love for Obama and your defense of her in the same thread and it fused as one.
 
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Dreamer

Administrator Emeritus
Charter Member
OK Folks! This got brought to my attention and I checked it out.

XTEAM's book. I see no problem with it, as, from her table of contents, it does not appear to be a "HOW TO SUCCEED" book, but an expanded "Intro to Expediting" (credit to Phil :) ) .

She had mentioned it in her sig, but did not actively attempt to sell it.... until she was asked about it.... and provided the info. Now, when it's actually availible, we will probably ask her to list it in the free classifieds section, or maybe on her profile.. or maybe she'll get an ad here :D. But for now, no violation occurred.

What I see is a long list of explanations of the basics. Yes, I would like to see some of those items posted here, or I could take them to the Newbies FAQS. Either way, it 'appears' to be more of an explanation of terms, concepts, etc.. instead of the difinative 'experienced expediter's years of experience and success' book.

Ease up folks!

Easytrader.

No MOD 'removed your squares'.... they don't have the ability to remove them.. I do. However I did not. Those squares go up and down based on the "KUDOS" people give you on your posts.

No big magic thing here, just whether or not people feel like dosing out rep points to your posts.


Dale
 

XTeam

Seasoned Expediter
OK Folks! This got brought to my attention and I checked it out.

XTEAM's book. I see no problem with it, as, from her table of contents, it does not appear to be a "HOW TO SUCCEED" book, but an expanded "Intro to Expediting" (credit to Phil :) ) .

She had mentioned it in her sig, but did not actively attempt to sell it.... until she was asked about it.... and provided the info. Now, when it's actually availible, we will probably ask her to list it in the free classifieds section, or maybe on her profile.. or maybe she'll get an ad here :D. But for now, no violation occurred.

What I see is a long list of explanations of the basics. Yes, I would like to see some of those items posted here, or I could take them to the Newbies FAQS. Either way, it 'appears' to be more of an explanation of terms, concepts, etc.. instead of the difinative 'experienced expediter's years of experience and success' book.

Ease up folks!

Easytrader.

No MOD 'removed your squares'.... they don't have the ability to remove them.. I do. However I did not. Those squares go up and down based on the "KUDOS" people give you on your posts.

No big magic thing here, just whether or not people feel like dosing out rep points to your posts.


Dale
Dreamer,
Thank you for your post. You are absolutely correct. My guide was written as a helpful, informative, navigational guide for the newbie who is starting at square one. To give them an idea of how it all works, in sequence and if it is for them. I must also say that it is not in any way similar or a rehash to Phil Madson's Introduction To Expediting. With your open mind, when you read the table of contents and probably my posts, you could see that this is definitely not a How To Succeed in Expediting. The web intro is fun, I designed it myself but the subjects contain no humor or glossing of what to expect. This is not a BOOK on expediting, it is a guide for newbies. After trying to figure out why so many people were rediculing my experience, I realized that the title is too broad. The book was going to print Monday or Tuesday but in the nick of time, I have changed the title to the more more descriptive and appropriate title of " The Newbies' Guide To Expedite Trucking " Maybe some good has come out of all these posts. This is the first guide book I have written and almost made a pretty big mistake.Thank you so much for your support and absolutely, I would like to advertise on Expediters Online! I would also be happy to contribute info and to the FAQ section. Expediters Online is mentioned in the guide as the most comprehensive web site on expedite trucking, for those who have not found their way there yet. Again, thank you for seeing my guide as it is intended! Linda
 
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greg334

Veteran Expediter
Thanks to Dale, I came to the realization that I have drifted from my intent with my first post.

Linda, sorry that I seemed so harsh, I am the type of person who wants to see success from everyone with every endeavor. I stand by what I suggested especially if you lower your price.

But to others, I give. Yep I give, this has turn into a mess.

I am not here to for any personal agenda other than to help others. I state the negative because I was trained to pick out negatives to discuss them and produce positives. I don’t worry about my fan club or my supporters, again I help people.

But Phil seems to think that I was attacking him because of his success, not at all, I am glad he has had success but the problem now seeing he didn’t want to put this between him and me outside the forum, I will also use the open forum.

Phil, I left EO for a number of reasons, it was obvious to some, not so to others. I stated why to a few and didn’t owe anyone an explanation. You could have sent me a PM and I would have been honest why, even giving you details. I have nothing to hide but to save others from embarrassing statements, the right place is PM or better yet off line through email.

Now that you consider me a failure, which maybe I am in your eyes, it really doesn’t matter because I set out to have this as a stepping stone to another means of generating revenue after 18 months of living hell. I didn’t select this because I wanted to see the world, have a paid vacation or any crap like that – I already seen the world and had my paid vacations and all the other stuff I did that goes long forgotten. Rather this is something I do now and something I actually consider being successful at within the limitations that I have been handed. Surly the word success is not used because I made a cr*p load of money or because of some definition of success that you espouse is needed but because I define success and only I do.

I didn’t say all of that because I am denial of any short comings I have, and believe me I have a lot but it is the truth and recognized by a lot of others. I haven’t given up and left the business, I haven’t lost my truck and I haven’t just decided I am not going to make it. There is a word that I use when I speak about this business, perseverance. That word means a lot to people who hear how hard it is and see me still in it and how I got here. And for the record, we are all hurting in this economy through our companies, which mean for some of us it is harder than you ever imagined.

Once upon a time you made it a point to say I was wrong when I said that the company makes or breaks you. You fought a lot of us when we said luck rather than knowledge is the mitigating factor in all of this – remember? Well when I tell others what this life is like, how one has to understand that the company is there for the customer and they have to be patient and look at things a lot differently than they ever have had to before, I throw in the thing about companies making you and about luck and top it off with the word perseverance. These are people who I not just discourage from making a mistake but to encourage being patient in when to enter into this business so they don’t make uninformed decisions and have a way out. I use other resources to talk to them about this business and actually tell people what I make and the mistakes I made with each company.

I figure you have some of that word in you, maybe more than I give you credit but not enough as far as I can see when you are so defensive and try to deflect what others are trying to tell you. This has happened for years and on other sites, so it is not an EO thing and hasn’t changed.

But here is what gets into my craw, you boasting about being an editor and then doing something very un-editor like, taking me on and making it really personal in the open. I have nothing to lose being here, I don’t make money by trying to build on my reputation, it don’t matter to my customers who I am or what I write about. But it seems you need to defend everything.

I feel that what you did as editor is actually beneath the editor, look at what you wrote. I think you need to take a serious step back and understand that a defense is one thing and I am not saying you shouldn't defend yourself but the need to be restrained to craft an appropriate response that is really to the point and concise. Maybe telling me that I was wrong and pointing out the positives of your piece while explaining what it really means to have someone call it a dissertation would have been more professional than the tirade you wrote. Restraining not to stoop to my level as a common member of EO but to remain above the fray as an editor really shows your experience and fortitude to get your point across. In other words when you say I don’t have a clue, I actually do.

What makes this worst is it is not properly representing EN and people who have faith in you to do a professional job, like Lawrence. It fully detracts from everything when you keep going on and on. It is like when I offered you a couple ideas to help you and you deflected those ideas, dismissing them as something along the lines that I am an idiot to suggest them. Take them Phil, claim them as you own and use them.

The funny thing is I have been cutting a lot of people slack, you don’t see it. You don’t see what I have done and why I sit at home at times on the phone with people helping them out with serious problems in this business. Sometimes I do this at my own expense – I know you won’t. You won’t do a lot of things but again, there is a big difference in agendas.

I have every right to be critical if it means someone will take my criticism and use it to prevent their own problems, I have been open about a lot of the problems I and others have faced, and you haven’t. The thing is starting at the bottom with only one way to go and it is a hell of a lot better than starting at the top and thinking you are special.

It is like you mocking me on my helping people learn how to drive a truck. It is not helping people ‘learn’ how to drive a truck but rather getting them over the fear of a larger truck to step up to a large tractor. I borrow a truck from GM, go over to a closed business and show people who have problems learning on a tractor. I show them how to backup in a dock, how to turn the truck and how not to hit me while I am directing them. I also teach people about maintenance, what tools are what and so on. I don’t make anything off of it, but could use the money. I was asked to help out by an instructor who discovered it so go ahead and mock me. What have you done?

In closing Phil, I want you to succeed as editor, I want EN and EO to flourish. I took a while to write all of this for your benefit, not mine and wanted to have this discussion somewhere between you and I but I was told I can’t control anyone.
 
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