someone with expiditing experience please help

hotdog

Expert Expediter
i am new to expiditing i have some otr experience in driving big rigs, and i would like to change over to expiditing, but unfortunantly i cant afford my own truck. i have a fleet owner offering me to drive for them with all fuel, and maintanance supplied by them, and after 2 years an option to buy the truck, and i was wondering if someone could tell me if they think thats to good to be true, or is that a good way to start out in this field. any help would be appreciated, and the company that the truck will be leased to is panther, and if anyone knows about that company please feel free to drop me a few lines about there team operations miles ,downtime, etc. you know the usuall stuff, and once again id like to thank everyone that writes on this foroum, i believe it is an excellent way to communicate with others in the same carrer field, and also a great research tool for people like me wanting to get started out in the carreer field
 

davekc

Senior Moderator
Staff member
Fleet Owner
Need to provide more information. What percentage are you being paid?
Two year option on truck? Depends on whether your two years qualifies you for anything against the cost. What is the truck worth after two years and how old of unit is it. I would think you would have to arrive at a price ahead of time. You never know, the truck might not be worth that much in another two years. You have to be more specific as to what else you are paying like dis. insurance ect.
 

hotdog

Expert Expediter
ok, to start off i thank you for awnsering my question, but its a 2000century and at the end of 2 years a dollar buy out option,and at the end of the year the fleet owner picks up all insurance coverage etc., as far as i can tell the guy has been straight up with me on mileage and downtime saying things like im not going to tell you that youre gonna average 5,ooo miles a week, but that teams are not sitting long unless there in the dead zone, and then there will be a brokarage load if available and agreeable on mileage of the load between him and me, and it will be up primaraly to me to take the brokrage load, or wait for an actuall dispatch load, so theres more to it ,but all in all i like the deal so far, just trying to get experienced expiditeres opinions, and as well as company info on panther,like how good, or bad they are to work for, any advise will be appreciated
 

LaPurr

Expert Expediter
A 2000 freightliner truck in 2 years in most cases wont be allowed to sign on with expedited frieght from what I understand. The want to sign on with trucks that are 5 years or newer, and a max (in most cases) of 7 years. I could be wrong, but I know that FECC (fedex custom critical) rules are like this. And most common carriers wont allow a truck that old as well, I know for a fact U.S. Xpress wont allow it. So check a little further into with whatever company you think you are going to stay on with, and go from there. It might be sound good in the short run, but at the end of the 2 years, you might have a truck that can only be sold because no one will allow it onto their fleet. Do some research and let us know...

Brian
 

hotdog

Expert Expediter
lepurr, thanks for the info, and you are probably right, about it, but one thing is to sell the truck after the two years, and if wanting to continue in this field, be able to put a down payment on a newer truck, but im still investigaiting all options before going in to this blind, but i appreciate your thoughts on the matter, and ill let ya know what i decide
 

vernon946

Veteran Expediter
Charter Member
A 2000 Century is a class 8 truck, and most companies give them a 10 year life (I know FedEx CC does). Some companies allow the truck to stay active in their fleet as long as it passes a DOT inspection.

Sounds like you're saying, you get paid to drive the truck for 2 years, and at the end, buy the truck for a buck. Sounds like a good deal to me, especially since I'm expedite driving a 1998 truck.

Vernon
 
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