Please Help

[Looney2]

michdpm- Thanks for the info. I was a little nervous about calling to ask what the better freight lanes were because of possible putting limitations on where I might want to go. At orientation they talked about not putting limitations like that on the application because it could hurt me as far as getting runs. So Iam still not sure of what I am going to do. I concidered since I live in northern Michigan to just run Michigan, Ohio, Indianapolis, because I know there is alot of freight that runs from those states and I would never really be too far from home if I needed to get back in a hurry, however I also know that there are probally alot of other trucks with the same thinking. Also Iam sure I met you at orientation, but I drive a cargo van right now. I just passed my CDL B with airbrakes and hazmat so maybe I will see you when I get my straight truck if I have to take a road test for express.
Thanks again... Looney

 

[ATeam]

Murphy sure can make things
>worse, but I always keep a positive attitude, and know that
>eventually things can get better.

Things can also get worse, in which case a positive attitude will make you one of the happiest people to ever fail at expediting. And in your case, you are not just inviting Murphy in. You are preparing a feast for Murphy and all his friends. In no time at all you have moved from doing poorly starting out, to not doing any better, to talking about getting into a straight truck.

Expediting is as straightforward of a business as they come. The results are immediate and much can be learned from them if you seek to do so. Instead of learning, you seem instead to be justifying your circumstances with an "Oh well, I still get to see the country." or "Oh well, I'm really a plumber anyway." mentality. But even with that, you are talking about staying close to home and about not being very busy as a plumber.

There are several conflicting ideas and desires stated in your posts. Successful expedeters are more clear about what they want and why. Most are more prepared than you are when they began.

Doing as poorly as you have done in a van, how do you figure a straight truck will be better?

 

[OntarioVanMan]

Exactly my point ATeam!

Expediting to be successful, the wife and I have found takes a 100% commitment. Anything less is set to fail sooner or later.
We kinda fell into this business not even knowing what it was we were doing. But thru hard work a bit of ole fashion stubborness and ALOT of sacrifice we can safely say we've made it, took 5 years but if it's worth having, its worth working for. I love the challenges expediting brings on. Conditions are in a constant state of flux.
Theres so many variables...where to wait for the load, what day of the week, is it the end of the month, end of a fiscal quarter. I could ramble on but....
In the end it's a career that will consume you 100%.

 

[Looney2]

Just to clear up some things. Iam a plumber, but I live in a tourist town and half the people up here take off to warmer climates for the winter so things can get down right slow at that time of the season. However in the spring everyone starts coming back up and finding that they have lots of broken piping from not winterizing, so I stay really busy right through the fall. My father drives truckload freight and will be retiring in a few months. It was his idea for me to do expediting and his idea to get the straight truck. Iam sure you will all agree that the business has about all the cargo vans they need but seem to want more straight trucks?? So Iam thinking, which is usually dangerous, that maybe we can get more loads with a straight truck. My father wants to drive for extra money during the summer and I will pick it up in the winter when I slow down. Murphy catches everyone at some time or another so why let it get me down. I prepare for the worst and hope for the best and I dont think there is anything wrong with that?? If we make it we make it, and if not then we'll have a nice straight truck to sell to one of you folks out there, and I will still have my master plumber license to fall back on, which usually can put some peanut butter sandwiches on the table. Yes I got off to a rough start, there is no doubt about that, but I didnt really have a whole lot to lose when I started. Iam sure that things are going to pick up and expediting will be keeping me busy for a little longer until Dad takes over for the rest of the summer. Iam learning quite a bit from all you folks that have been there and done that, so keep the good advice going as I would rather learn from your mistakes than my own...Looney