OK I'm ready for this

[broker]

Wow, where do I start?
My husband has been looking into this type of work for over a year now. He said he is ready and will not do this unless I am 100% sure this is what I want also.
He gave this place as a way to get my questions answered better than he could. He was an over the road Owner Operater (55' dry van), for 15 years and stopped in 1998. I do not need to talk about his experience. He has many safe driver, on time, no damage claim, etc. awards.
We are both around 55 with no commitments to family.
He did say that we would have to be out on the road a minimum of a month at a time to be profitable at this. I have no problem with that. I could stay out 2 or more months if needed.
I do not have a class B, so hubby will train me for that.
My first of many questions.
We will drive for someone else first, then possibly someday purchase our own truck.
When is the best time to get into expediting?
How do you find a good owner to drive for?
Those are a couple of major questions, so I'll just look at the feed back on them for awahile.
Thank you in advance.
Kathy

 

[cheri1122]

Kathy: welcome!
Your questions are tough to answer, as "the best" is such a subjective term - it means different things to different people. If you'd like to kind of "ease into" expediting, with plenty of time to learn the routines, then January would be a good time, not too busy. If you'd like to start when you'll stay busy enough (hopefully) to not get discouraged, then now would be good.
How do you find a good owner? Word of mouth, and trusting your 'gut instinct', for starters, (and a fair contract) are what I've relied on.
If you can attend one of EO's seminars, it would be a huge help to you. Meantime, read the Newbies and Newbies FAQ Forums, for as far back as your eyes will hold up - there's a lot of help to be found there.
Best of luck to you

 

[ATeam]

If you have not already done so, you might want to read Introduction to Expediting.

August - September is a good time to start. You get a few months of fair-weather driving under your belt before winter starts. August through year-end tends to be busier than other times. But, if you are well-prepared to enter the business, any time is a good time; and if you are not well-prepared, no time is a good time.

Your chances of finding a good fleet owner to start with grows with the number of fleet owners you talk to before choosing one. The more you talk to, the better feel you will get for them as a group and the kind you like in particular. Diane and I interviewed two-dozen fleet owners before we started. That was not too many.

Fleet owner relationships are just that; relationships. There are drivers who curse the fleet owners they once had, and others who will praise the very same fleet owners. The same applies when fleet owners talk about drivers.

I wish I could tell you more about how to find a good fleet owner. I wish it was as simple as posting a list. But it is not, because drivers and fleet owners are human beings with varying business practices, skill sets and ethical standards.

 

[Humble2drive]

You sound like my wife and I a few months ago.

It's good to hear you say that you don't mind staying out for a while. Depending on where you live it can be a challenge and it can definetly have an effect on your income.

We found a wonderful, dependable owner who we are very happy with. I will pm you if you want specifics.

The carrier we run for has a history of being slower Dec thru Apr.

 

[jaminjim]

The carrier we run for has a history of being slower Dec thru Apr.

I can't think of a carrier that historically is not slower during that time period. Which is not to say that everybody that runs for them are slow. More drivers take off during that period of time, so if you are in the right places you stay reasonably busy.

 

[broker]

I will add little things about us in future post's, as I would bore people with one long letter.
When we head out, we will not have a real home to say. With that in mind, we have no need to ever "get home" Instead, when time allows, we will just vacation in cities we are held up in. In other words, we will be from whatever city our truck owner is from.

OK, another question:
Will the truck owner help us determine what loads are more profitable and what loads will give us more down time. The way I look at it, we are making money for him as well as us, so he will want to help us as much as possible, as he will then be more profitable.
Example: My hubby explained when he was OO, he learned areas to stay out of, due to low frieght numbers going back out.
He said he had to learn this on his own, trial and error.
I would think a person driving for someone else, would be more profitable, than if you were an OO, if the truck owner was helping you. As an OO you would be on your own.
Is this logic, or am I showing how green I am?
Kathy

 

[gotta go]

I will add little things about us in future post's, as I would bore people with one long letter.
When we head out, we will not have a real home to say. With that in mind, we have no need to ever "get home" Instead, when time allows, we will just vacation in cities we are held up in. In other words, we will be from whatever city our truck owner is from.

OK, another question:
Will the truck owner help us determine what loads are more profitable and what loads will give us more down time. The way I look at it, we are making money for him as well as us, so he will want to help us as much as possible, as he will then be more profitable.
Example: My hubby explained when he was OO, he learned areas to stay out of, due to low frieght numbers going back out.
He said he had to learn this on his own, trial and error.
I would think a person driving for someone else, would be more profitable, than if you were an OO, if the truck owner was helping you. As an OO you would be on your own.
Is this logic, or am I showing how green I am?
Kathy

When I switched to expediting it was with Panther II. They had a "transition team" who you could ask for guidance. Don't know if they still do, but that was very useful for me as a newbie. Good luck and have fun out here.

 

[ATeam]

I will add little things about us in future post's, as I would bore people with one long letter.
When we head out, we will not have a real home to say. With that in mind, we have no need to ever "get home" Instead, when time allows, we will just vacation in cities we are held up in. In other words, we will be from whatever city our truck owner is from.Kathy

Financially, there is a very important issue to be aware of regarding the lifestyle and home option you describe. It is the significant tax deduction most expediters receive called "per diem." Here is a piece about it. The article is about people who live mostly or entirely on the road. But scroll down to the section "Taking the Per Diem." A good summary is there.

Don't forfiet this significant tax benefit without giving it serious thought.

 

[Broompilot]

Team Caffee would be the best place to get your info from. More knowlegable, eduacated, than anyone else here on what it takes for a wife/husband Team to not only make it but excell. (Thus on a realistic budget and Vehicle.)

I know she will really appriciate my kind words.

P.S. my NEW phone died last night so I am not taking any calls for the indefinate future or till I find an Alltell Store, me and my 53 foot trailer parked out front. Yeah maybee I wont be standing in line after all.

But seriously good luck, and read what she has said on here. Anytime I talk with them its like hmmm new info.

 

[broker]

Ateam, that was great reading.
Being new on here and it being the internet, sometimes others may see something different then what was intended.This could be the case. I did not intend for it to sound like we had no home. We have a home paid for in Florida.
We have no family that must be seen on any type of regular basis.
We have owned a business and have spent 7 days and pretty much 24 hours of each day together.
So, what I hope most will understand, if needed, we do not care how long we are on the road. I have never traveled much in the U.S. and this to me will be like getting paid while seeing the country.
I'm so excited I would start tomorrow.
My hubby says hold up there girl.
So, I am doing what he suggests, to get on her, read and ask questions.
We are looking at Oct. or Nov. to sign on.
Kathy

 

[ATeam]

So, what I hope most will understand, if needed, we do not care how long we are on the road. I have never traveled much in the U.S. and this to me will be like getting paid while seeing the country.
I'm so excited I would start tomorrow.
My hubby says hold up there girl.
So, I am doing what he suggests, to get on her, read and ask questions.
We are looking at Oct. or Nov. to sign on.
Kathy

I understand, and it helps to know you have prior business experience. It is refreshing to see some enthusiasm. Nothing wrong with that as long as you look at the business side too, and understand that we are in challenging times.

 

[TeamCaffee]

The more you can read and ask questions the easier the transition will be to expediting.
One of the hardest things for us to learn out here was how to sleep in a bed while the other was driving. That was a huge surprise for us as either of us could sleep sitting up while the other drove. There is just something about lying in bed trying to sleep while trucks go by your head very fast and the truck is bouncing up, down, forward and backwards. Have faith though you will learn to sleep though.
Personally if you have the finances to start this I would suggest you start at a little slower time of the year as you can regroup a little after each load. Exhaustion has a way of turning just a little negative to huge negative.
When you figure out which company you are going to run talk to everyone you can and learn the ins and outs of that company. Take what each person can tell you and then apply what you know to what they have to say. You will find most people out here are more than willing to talk with you and give you tips. You will also find that it does not matter what company is on the side of the truck there are a great group of people who drive expediters. The thing though about asking other companies specifics is each company has a little different freight lane.
Ask questions and read read read as the better informed you are when you start the easier it is and less surprises.
Wish you a lot of luck and I am sure you will also find this is a great way to live and earn a living.

 

[pelicn]

OK, another question:
Will the truck owner help us determine what loads are more profitable and what loads will give us more down time. The way I look at it, we are making money for him as well as us, so he will want to help us as much as possible, as he will then be more profitable.
and error.
Kathy

Welcome to EO!
This is a great question, but one that does not have a hard an fast answer. It depends on the management style of the owner. We drive for an owner that allows us to make our own decisions about what loads to take. That being said, he has called us in the past to give us a heads up about particular loads that have been profitable or a bust in the past.
We have talked to drivers that have to call the owner for each and every load offered, that would drive me crazy!
We also had decided which company we wanted to run for first, then spoke with an owner that leased to that company. Since that time, we stayed with the owner, and changed companies. So that might be a decision you'd have to make at some time.
Something else you need to think about is the number of qualifications you can get. Hazmat, Canada, Government clearance will enable you to take more loads which in turn will help to keep you keep from sitting so much.
We came from the general freight hauling side of the industry. Expediting is not so much the number of weekly miles you get as it is in the general freight hauling industry. We've made more in one run, than a weeks' worth of miles in the past.
As far as seeing the country, you'll definitely do that with expediting.

 

[ATeam]

broker,

Linda's post reminded me of a piece I wrote a while back that you may enjoy. See: Five Challenges of Expediting. Note that hours of service (log book) rules have changed since the piece was published.

 

[broker]

Just a short note.
I am overcome with the good advice from all of you. That so many would take the time to respond to someone new and green like me.
My first thought when hubby told me of this was, wow, out there all alone with nobody to turn to.
How wrong you people have made me.
I can not thank you all enough.
Also, thank you for not telling me I had a dumb question (even if you think it)
God bless you all.
Kathy

 

[cheri1122]

Kathy: you're very welcome. On this site, you'll find the entire gamut of drivers, experience, carriers, and opinions, for your education (and amusement, too)
But anyone who thinks your questions dumb is someone who's forgotten that they were once new at it, too. Some of today's newbies will have their turn to pass along what they've learned along the way, one day, and I strongly suspect that you'll be among that group.
As long as EO is available, you won't be alone, or uninformed, unless you choose to be.
Now, get back to reading, lol.

 

[Tennesseahawk]

I'd like to emphasize what Ateam said: Get at least a few clear months of driving experience before Jan. I'd say the best time to start is May, if you have that luxury. If not, Sept.

As far as figuring out which loads to take or not, first you have to know where freight is. Once you know that, just divide (rate/miles) and conquer; taking into consideration where the load is going.

 

[TeamCaffee]

I'd like to emphasize what Ateam said: Get at least a few clear months of driving experience before Jan.

That is kind of funny in our situation as we put off starting till January as the first quarter is usually a little slow. We wanted a few slow months under our belts before the freight started getting busy and we needed to run hard day after day. We did not regret that decision at all as even though they were slow months we were still exhausted. Not only were we trying to learn expediting we were also trying to learn team driving and we needed all the help we could get. As the freight started getting busier we were ready and as time went on we were able to get to sleep easier and easier.

I did listen to the weather and we did our best to not be in a storm’s path. Worked well for us and we are still out here having a great time.

 

[broker]

If I ever ask a question, that I should be asking on another forum, please let me know.

OK, couple more.
Hubby took me to a local truck stop to show me more of what I'm getting into. What an eye opener! It was like a mini town. Showers, laundry, baber shop. dentist, movie house, buffet, game room, TV lounge, gift store, parts shop, truck shop, truck wash, etc. I could have spent all day here. Very impressed.
Now for the question.
I counted around 400 tractor trailer trucks in the lot (Sunday around 8pm in Iowa) and only 3 expedite trucks. I could only guess why the drastic difference but you all can give me the facts please.

ATeam, need your help. I was looking at another forum afew days ago and you had given a site for someone to go to that was advertising team jobs. I can not find that info again. Please, could you tell me?
Thank you,
kathy

 

[ATeam]

Now for the question.
I counted around 400 tractor trailer trucks in the lot (Sunday around 8pm in Iowa) and only 3 expedite trucks. I could only guess why the drastic difference but you all can give me the facts please.

Expediting is a tiny, tiny slice of the larger trucking industry. Three trucks out of 400 is 0.75%. No one knows for sure how many expediter trucks there are running out there, but less than one percent of all trucks is not a bad guess.

ATeam, need your help. I was looking at another forum afew days ago and you had given a site for someone to go to that was advertising team jobs. I can not find that info again. Please, could you tell me?

This is not ringing any bells. The only other forum I occasionally participate in is Hank's Truck Pictures Forum. I don't recall posting anything there or here about a team jobs site, unless you mean this post.