Wow, 14 vans?!? lol, I didn't know it was that bad. I pass the truck stop here in Evansville several times a week and always see about an even number of straights and vans. 3 or 4 a piece usually. Ok, well that's defiantly something to consider.
new guy on the block.
- Thread starter dannharris
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Wow, 14 vans?!? lol, I didn't know it was that bad. I pass the truck stop here in Evansville several times a week and always see about an even number of straights and vans. 3 or 4 a piece usually. Ok, well that's defiantly something to consider.
750-1000 per week is dang good money, Tdave. At least for me it is. Is that with your own truck or for a fleet owner?
That's on the 60/40 split (where drivers pay for fuel). Mind you that's an average and as a team.
Technically speaking since I have bought my truck where I paid cash for, the last 2 repairs have killed my profit since last September. Just to put some perspective from driving for an owner or owning your own truck.
Thanks for the info, Dave. Ill be solo, so I guess it would be a little less than that. I don't have a s/o to team with, and the thought of living in a truck with a stranger for a month at a time sound horrible.
Turtle, I guess I didn't take wal-marts and and the surrounding towns into consideration. I think im probably going to lean toward the straight.
Also, sorry for hijacking this thread.
Turtle, I guess I didn't take wal-marts and and the surrounding towns into consideration. I think im probably going to lean toward the straight.
Also, sorry for hijacking this thread.
When ever doing an unit search the closest distance is 50 miles, those are the ones that are competing with you for the 1 load that comes out of that area.
That too, always a handful that fly under the radar
Yep. Of those 28 vehicles in Evansville, only one was actually listed as being in Haubstadt. The others were spread out in Evansville, Owensboro, Oakland City, Princeton, Morganfield, even Jasper and on the other side in the sprawling metropolis of Tell City.
That could double the number just at one truck stop.Like Panther's trucks, of which most are vans.
Tell City.. I spent a weekend there one night!
Ive lived here my whole life and ive never even been to Tell City. Its the only little 'burgh around here ive never checked out. I was going to go last weekend but she flaked out on me. Dang internet dating.
Thanks for the info, guys. I think you've sold me on the straight.
Thanks for the info, guys. I think you've sold me on the straight.
Breathtakingly off-topic attack.
Yes, this tends to be the theme of the regulars, mainly Turtle. They knock anyone trying to do what they do. Turtle especially likes seem witty while trying to make you believe it's impossible to make a living doing what he does! Lol. In my opinion he's a lonely miserable person who's only joy is seeming important on this forum. Being out here on the road can do that to the weak, they become negative and paranoid.
In my opinion you should go with the box as it doesn't limit u on type of freight as a cargo van would do to height of freight. The box also gives u more living area. I'm in a cargo van and I do ok. I'm in service much of the time and I love the road life which helps immensely. With you wanting to earn a few bucks and not get rich this can work. Finding the right company to lease on with is the hardest part. I'm with a small dispatch and they do very well by me. Everyone has their own preference. My advice is call around and ask obviously about the rates they pay but also what expenses they charge each month such as filing fees, Qualcomm fees, sign fees, etc. Once you've narrowed ur choices down try to find drivers that are leased on with those few and see how they feel about the company. If you enjoy the road and are determined to give it a go then do it. Turtle will comment on my reply with some negative blah blah blah negative belittling nonsense but i stand by my opinion. I make a decent living out here in a cargo van. Screw the negativity and do your research and go from there! Good luck my friend.
Its really not negative blah, blah, blah. Rather more of the fact that we have all seen many people fail in this business due to the mentality of " just go buy a van and start expediting ". While it is the easiest way to get into the business it is also the most over populated segment of the industry and the amount of freight is not keeping up with the amount of units available. Making it easy to fail. What we say or comment on or give advice on may seem like we are trying to run people off which in fact is the opposite. We want people to see and hear all the negative and then second and third think about what they are doing before just jumping in. The people who are giving this negativity have experience and have experienced the roughest of times. Not only that but they experienced those rough times when the industry was better than it is now and and know how hard it was to survive then let alone how hard it would be now. So dont take all the information that way. We just dont want to see anyone lose everything because they think its an easy buck. Im sure you would agree, while most of us like what we do, it is not an easy industry to be in.
Moving up to straights? Going from a van to a straight truck is a downward movement on the expedite ladder. Many of us started out driving tractor/trailer and after 15 or 20 years of experience moved up to a cargo van. Some, like myself skipped the straight truck phase and made the leap directly to cargo van. Members like Highway Star and Cheri went from T/T to van for several years but are now in straight trucks for a little remedial education. Team Caffee did the T/T thing and are now in a straight. In a few more years they will have enough experience to get into vanning or buy a health club.
[QUDynamite 1, post: 769779, member: 2262"]Its really not negative blah, blah, blah. Rather more of the fact that we have all seen many people fail in this business due to the mentality of " just go buy a van and start expediting ". While it is the easiest way to get into the business it is also the most over populated segment of the industry and the amount of freight is not keeping up with the amount of units available. Making it easy to fail. What we say or comment on or give advice on may seem like we are trying to run people off which in fact is the opposite. We want people to see and hear all the negative and then second and third think about what they are doing before just jumping in. The people who are giving this negativity have experience and have experienced the roughest of times. Not only that but they experienced those rough times when the industry was better than it is now and and know how hard it was to survive then let alone how hard it would be now. So dont take all the information that way. We just dont want to see anyone lose everything because they think its an easy buck. Im sure you would agree, while most of us like what we do, it is not an easy industry to be in.[/QUOTE]
If you're telling me that the way turtle went about giving his opinion was just being helpful then you've been tolerating him too long. I understand and agree that u cannot just buy van, lease with dispatcher and run then expect to succeed. All I'm saying is be insightful not sarcastically suggest or ask y he doesn't want another line of work as turtle did. That's my issue. Yes, many fail because they think "oh, I can drive a van!" Then they find out that the road life can be brutal and they fall off. That's y I suggested doing research. I didn't say go ahead and go full throttle. Give sincere advice and suggestions not sarcasm and a stand up routine in response to someone asking about our industry.
If you're telling me that the way turtle went about giving his opinion was just being helpful then you've been tolerating him too long. I understand and agree that u cannot just buy van, lease with dispatcher and run then expect to succeed. All I'm saying is be insightful not sarcastically suggest or ask y he doesn't want another line of work as turtle did. That's my issue. Yes, many fail because they think "oh, I can drive a van!" Then they find out that the road life can be brutal and they fall off. That's y I suggested doing research. I didn't say go ahead and go full throttle. Give sincere advice and suggestions not sarcasm and a stand up routine in response to someone asking about our industry.
Damn, some straight up hate coming out there, lol. Turtle has been cool to me the few months ive been here, but his response to the op did seem a bit snippy.
So youre saying get expierence in a straight because the load opportunities are more plentiful, then go to a van? I still don't get why the vanners don't use the knowledge they have with a straight. Wouldn't they make more money? I don't think vanning is as easy as buy a van, run and get paid, but what kind of other knowledge is there other than calculate your cost per mile to drive, what your monthly bills are, and how much you need to make per mile to stay above water? Can you site some examples of things you do to make it work for you. ( Not asking you to give up your tricks of the trade. ) Maybe im wrong, but I kind of have the suspicion that the veterans get favored for loads by dispatch over the new guys.