Sprinter Business

[jade114]

Hi all, I'm new to this forum. Read a lot of posts about many things. Great info! I have a few questions about starting a sprinter business.

To make this short. I work in the cargo business currently at O'Hare in Chicago. I would like to either buy a sprinter van and start my own business, or work for somebody. I do not have experience driving.

What are the pros and cons of owning vs. driving for someone? I hear more money for the person who owns their own van. I was looking into Bolt Express, or Try Hours and a few other companies.

Weekly I would like to bring in $700 which is enough for me and my family. I do not mind being out on the road.

Any advice is appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Monty]

The person that owns the van makes more money, but they also have more expenses. Depending on your situation, it may actually loose money for you.

"Pride in Ownership" is sometimes Bah Humbug!

 

[greg334]

Don't need to answer this but how much money do you make right now?

Is it near what you think you want to make?

If it is, stay where you are.

The problem with vans is that some do really really well and make that number before taxes while others struggle to make half of that.

 

[jade114]

I make less than what I mentioned I want to make with vans $700.

 

[Monty]

Would you be happy with $1400.00 this week, and zero next?

Or ... $4500 this week and $250.00 for the next four weeks?

This business is "feast or famine" .... the only way you can figure your income is quarterly. While you may have good weeks, and bad ... it should average to more than that. But you are NOT guarenteed each week you will make your stated goal.

 

[Turtle]

You'll need to be out on the road 2-3 weeks at a time minimum, or you won't make any money. 2-3 Months is better. You have a family?

Expediting, as viewed from behind the wheel, is very, very different than expediting, as viewed from atop a freight dock.

 

[jade114]

I am fine with that. I realize that some weeks will be really slow and others busy.

 

[jade114]

Yes, I have a family. I have talked to them about being gone for a month at a time. I have a question though....about what percent would you say that you are running loads out of your state?

 

[60MPH]

You'll need to be out on the road 2-3 weeks at a time minimum, or you won't make any money. 2-3 Months is better. You have a family?

Expediting, as viewed from behind the wheel, is very, very different than expediting, as viewed from atop a freight dock.

So true, a lot of dock workers think it is cool, because they do not know everything the job involves. You just drive that little van around and get paid for it, no boss that must be awesome

They don't realize that I just sat for 2 days in a super wal-mart parking lot (for free) then paid 10.00 for a shower. Oh this job is just so glamorous at times. LOL

 

[Moot]

If you have ask this question, you should probably do some more research. Since you are currently in the airfreight business why not investigate the driver-owner/operator side of airfreight? You should be able to get first hand knowledge from drivers that come into your facility. Running out of O'Hare should get you home most nights. I've hauled airfreight loads into and out of O'Hare from Wisconsin, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri and Illinois.

 

[Turtle]

Yes, I have a family. I have talked to them about being gone for a month at a time. I have a question though....about what percent would you say that you are running loads out of your state?

"Out of your state" meaning "outside of", or originating in my state which take me to a delivery outside of the state?

I pickup very few loads in my state (KY) and deliver even fewer into it. I would say that the percentage of loads which do not pickup or deliver in my state is easily above the 85% mark. You'll get home more often living near Chicago, that's for sure. But it might not be all that much more. Ya never know where the next load will take you.

If you have a wife and kids at home, to put it bluntly, stop considering OTR expediting right now. Even if you are home every weekend, that still puts your wife in the position of being a single mom the majority of the time.

Bottom line, though, while some do more and some do less, the average vanner/Sprinterer out here will net about $500 a week after expenses. That's all you can really count on - about $25,000 a year. The failure rate among vanners and Sprinterers is truly astonishingly high. Not just a majority, but an overwhelming majority. Make sure you know what you are getting into before you go out and buy a van for expediting. You may be fine if you go with a carrier that does a lot of pickups and deliveries in Chicago, or for those who do a lot of air freight out of O'Hare. But the "normal" ORT expediting, I'd think very long and very hard before you get into that, if you have a wife and kids at home.

 

[Turtle]

So true, a lot of dock workers think it is cool, because they do not know everything the job involves. You just drive that little van around and get paid for it, no boss that must be awesome

I once mentioned to someone who does air expedite that it must be nice being able to just fly over the rush hour traffic in Chicago and instead land at some small airport, get loaded and go. He replied that having to sit there for hours waiting your turn to take off or having circle in a holding pattern for hours and hours at O'Hare or JFK or Logan is not any better than Chicago rush hour traffic.

 

[mjmsprt40]

I work for a couple of out-and-back expediting outfits. The upside is that I'm home a lot, the downside is that about half of my miles are unpaid "deadhead" miles. That's no way to make money and my records prove it. It does allow you to get a handle on whether this is for you, though. If you find you can't handle a couple of nights having to sleep in your van, there's no way you'd ever be able to stand up to the nomadic life that most expedited drivers lead.

Today, when I stopped at Monee, IL to buy a couple of trouble-shooting items, I spotted a couple of Panther vans standing by there. I have no idea how long they may have been there, one appeared to be sleeping and the other may have been inside the truck-stop, but I'm guessing it's been awhile. About the trouble-shooting--- better get used to it, if it's got wheels you'll have trouble with it. In this case, a leaky water pump. At Monee, I was buying a bottle of coolant. Tomorrow, I'm going to have to spend some money to get it fixed right.

 

[cableguymn]

If you have ask this question, you should probably do some more research. Since you are currently in the airfreight business why not investigate the driver-owner/operator side of airfreight? You should be able to get first hand knowledge from drivers that come into your facility. Running out of O'Hare should get you home most nights. I've hauled airfreight loads into and out of O'Hare from Wisconsin, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri and Illinois.

This is what I do as well. Rarely a night away from home but my van is setup for it just in case. While most of what I do is one way the companies I am signed with still keep the money high enough that I make what I need/want.


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