Our experience with C&M Transport so far...
- Thread starter Dedic8edDave
- Start date
I have read your previous posts under the name BadLuckChuck and now Dedic8edDave and must ask this question: Does you fleet owner have any experience with C&M and Sprinters? I don't know much about C&M or their customer base, in fact I didn't even know they ran cargo vans until you posted. I don't believe I'd ever seen a C&M cargo van until early this morning when I saw a C&M Sprinter at the Flying J in South Beloit. Was that you? If not, don't take a relocate to North central Illinois. They got that area covered.
No... I've not met too many of them, but I have talked to some that said they did O.K., some not so much.
Mike99
Veteran Expediter
Tennesseahawk
Veteran Expediter
No sir, he just needs to say "Ni"... I mean "No".
Zoli
Veteran Expediter
It is time to take a look on Classifieds. Before you spend all your savings or before you get in debt...If in three weeks they did not find you a good load I dont think they will keep you busy enough for a team. Look for a company where you have an advantage as a team.
Dedic8edDave
Active Expediter
Thanks everyone for your posts.
Our fleet owner has been with C&M for over 7 years. He owns/operates a T/T leased on with C&M. I'm not sure if he's ever driven vans.
That load that required a long DH with relatively few paid miles was accepted by me, not our fleet owner. Several minutes after our FO caught wind of the load assignment, he called me and said that it wasn't a good load to accept considering the number of DH miles and having to sit on the load over the weekend. He said it was a load that nobody else would accept and that C&M would consider it a favor done for them.
I don't know how many vans/sprinters C&M has but our FO has a couple vans and one other Sprinter husband/wife team that seems to do quite well. They've been driving their sprinter for our FO and C&M for almost 2 years.
I do appreciate everyone's comments and advice. Like I said, I'll keep everyone updated on our progress. At the moment, we've been sitting in Monroe, MI at the TA since Wednesday. There's a cargo van ahead of us in Detroit that's been there since Tuesday.
I'm going to ask our FO for the phone # of the other Sprinter H/W team and pick their brain as suggested.
Any other advice/suggestions are greatly appreciated and I hope everyone has a safe night.
Our fleet owner has been with C&M for over 7 years. He owns/operates a T/T leased on with C&M. I'm not sure if he's ever driven vans.
That load that required a long DH with relatively few paid miles was accepted by me, not our fleet owner. Several minutes after our FO caught wind of the load assignment, he called me and said that it wasn't a good load to accept considering the number of DH miles and having to sit on the load over the weekend. He said it was a load that nobody else would accept and that C&M would consider it a favor done for them.
I don't know how many vans/sprinters C&M has but our FO has a couple vans and one other Sprinter husband/wife team that seems to do quite well. They've been driving their sprinter for our FO and C&M for almost 2 years.
I do appreciate everyone's comments and advice. Like I said, I'll keep everyone updated on our progress. At the moment, we've been sitting in Monroe, MI at the TA since Wednesday. There's a cargo van ahead of us in Detroit that's been there since Tuesday.
I'm going to ask our FO for the phone # of the other Sprinter H/W team and pick their brain as suggested.
Any other advice/suggestions are greatly appreciated and I hope everyone has a safe night.
What's Candy's real name?
Dedic8edDave
Active Expediter
Dedic8edDave
Active Expediter
Thanks Paullud. Yeah, we're just trying to learn from all you good folks with experience in the field. It is a little perplexing how I read posts from OntarioVanMan in the thread regarding "January locations" and he's posting 2500-3000 mile weeks. And not just him but several others as well. I've read that the key to being successful in expediting is location, location, location and I would think that we've been sitting in good freight areas. I guess another major component to being successful is luck. Of course experience and knowledge are of utmost importance.
Finding other van operators to network with is a good idea. Nothing against your owner but he could be the best T/T guy around and not be too great with vans. They're just totally different. Fedex gives us a monthly recap of the 25 best express centers for each of the 3 types, van, straights and T/T. Some are pretty much always on their and always near the top. Others move up and down the list and some move on and off the list. You might want to ask C&M if they can give you that information for vans. I'm sure they have it or at least would expect them to. Both you and your owner should have the most up to date list and be using it together to decide on relocations. Good luck.
C&M is one of the best carriers in the business. You'll likely do well with them if you can tough it out through the slow months.
There are probably 5 carriers, or less, that I would consider leasing to in the expedite industry. C&M would be on that list of 5...actually pretty close to the top.
There are probably 5 carriers, or less, that I would consider leasing to in the expedite industry. C&M would be on that list of 5...actually pretty close to the top.
guido4475
Not a Member
One thing many may not be aware of, is that there is a particular dispatcher at C&M that also is a fleet owner of around 20 vans. They have DSC on them as well as the C&M logos. Something to consider. Just sayin.
While I've never been with C&M, I've run loads for them, crossdocked at their place, [popped in to tell dispatch that Highway Star was 'livin the dream' in Laredo - no need to rush him out of there, lol] and always had a very positive impression of them, too.
It's a rough start, Dave, but I wouldn't even consider changing carriers at this point. As Turtle says, location is the thing, but the thing about that is that no one knows which location is hot today, sigh.
Best of luck guys.
It's a rough start, Dave, but I wouldn't even consider changing carriers at this point. As Turtle says, location is the thing, but the thing about that is that no one knows which location is hot today, sigh.
Best of luck guys.
Experience and knowledge breeds luck also...knowing where to locate yourself for best chances at loads goes a long way....a little tip for newbies..circle on your atlas every town you deliver and pick up from...make that circle look like a P for a pick up..or a d. For a delivery..you will start to forget every where you go...then when you unload you open your atlas and start seeing patterns of good areas.. Position your self in the middle..
This helped me when i started....
Sent from my DROID RAZR using EO Forums mobile app
Circling locations on the atlas is a good idea - provided the atlas is on the computer, [ie: Streets & Trips, which has pushpins for that very purpose]. Doing it on an actual atlas would obscure the very info it's meant to provide: you know, like route numbers and "which road is that?" kind of thing - just sayin.
Have GPS units made atlases seem obsolete? Big mistake, IMO.
Have GPS units made atlases seem obsolete? Big mistake, IMO.
you two will be fine. you will figure it out. these times are tough and especially when you are new and its january. dont move from c&m. that advice is not sound advice. dont care what someone else at another carrier is doing. could be like my carrier, they pay a little better and wont run cheap so sometimes thing slow up because of all the others that will. we know it can be rough but atleast you are not paying for fuel. you should be able to make it through provided you have planned for things like this. if three weeks with minimal pay is going to break you as some have pointed out then you will have to find a way to get by. thats expediting. i cant imagine that will be the case. hang in there. you two seem to be willing and that is a huge plus.
and, our 2 van owner with panther, would 3 weeks with minimal pay break you. if so, i dont know what to say. if your a fleet owner you should be able to go longer than that. just seems you are stuck on goin broke and i cant see it.
and, our 2 van owner with panther, would 3 weeks with minimal pay break you. if so, i dont know what to say. if your a fleet owner you should be able to go longer than that. just seems you are stuck on goin broke and i cant see it.