Thinking of jumping into the business with a D uni

old gringo · Nov 7, 2003

Hello!! I have been visiting the website and reading the posts for several months now with great interest.Found the forum very helpful in showing the ins and outs of the expediting business! I am 49 years young, currently unemployed and looking to get into some kind of steady business. I live 80 miles north of Houston Texas in a small town of 700+.I have e experience with a form of expediting (Hot Shot) for 5 or so yrs for various companies running an F350 pulling a mini-float and still have my cdl. For several months now I have looked at new and used trucks trying to get a feel what would be the best model jump into So far i have looked at a new T300 KW/Allison Auto/24' Morgan box/liftgate/72"Bentz sleeper standup model/300 cat/jake etc and a used 2001 FL70/eaton auto/real nice AA 96" sleeper with sink etc /24'ft box with only 96k on it. To be honest the kw was way out of sight....around 86k and the freigtshaker was nice except for the eaton trans. What I am looking for is some input from ppl who own Petes......Sterlings or Internationals...The petes I know are great trucks usually but have not heard any feed back on the 330 if it makes a good expediter......the sterling and international are more affordable .....but how do they stand up to running the highway. More questions....Can a person running single make a good living in the current market....How far can a single run without running out of hours?...What are the usual trip lengths for a single driver?..OK i guess those are plenty of questions for right now! Would appreciate any feedback i can get?

p.s how do you turn off overtype?? lol

RichM · Nov 7, 2003

RE: Thinking of jumping into the business with a D

Well running as a single driver right now you are limited to 10 hours behind the wheel and come January it will be 11. So do the math,Most expediting trips are straight through from pickup to delivery,unless you have a weekend involved. Example Fedex CC limits single drivers of C/D/E units to total run mileage of no more then 520 miles. So running out of Houston as a single driver is a disadvantage since most expediting trips from Texas take you to the MidWest or to the East Coast.Not to say that you won!t get trips to Dallas or Laredo which you could do but ususally the local LTL guys promise overnight delivery and get those trips. If you leave Texas,deadhead say into Missouri or Illinois and stay out a while you can probaly do OK. LOOK carefully at the new Hours of Service coming down,there is essentialy a 14 hour time clock. Single drivers could get impacted real hard on this one. You can stop the clock with some sleeper time but it will catch up on you.
I don!t reccommend trucks but what didn!t you like about the FL 70 with the Eaton. Everybody has their own prefernces,lots of bad stories about the Cat 3126 . I believe the Pete and the KW have the same chassis with slightly different cabs. Pete seems to have a very high service rating. I would have to say that your average trip as a single driver would be in the 250-400 mile range. Hope this helps.

old gringo · Nov 8, 2003

RE: Thinking of jumping into the business with a D

Appreciate the info !!! Just trying to get a feel for the business before I commit.

Weave · Nov 8, 2003

RE: Thinking of jumping into the business with a D

The new rules will actually help solo drivers on single runs. Averaging 60 miles an hour where allowed to do so, a solo will now be able to log a 660 mile single trip, more if state speed limits are higher. Most of my trips as a solo average between 400-650 miles so it should work out perfectly in my case. Then stop for 10 hours for rest, etc and go at it again. I do get some loads in the 650-900 mile range, but they have the 10 hour break built into them. Once you get a load out of Houston (which is busy for expediting), you'll have the same load odds as any other solo driver. I have no problems getting out of Houston.
I have been expediting successfully as a solo for 6 years, and that with the old log rules. It's nice if you can run as a team, but if one takes into account team pay split, solo drivers most often get better pay unless the team is really kicking butt with miles! To be honest, I have a friend who had 2 team D units on with a place (don't want to use a name) who just sold them. I was running more miles solo at Allstate than their trucks were running team at this company, and at a much better rate! Matter of fact, most of the solo drivers I knew when I started out are still going- most of the teams have quit for various reasons. So, anyone who says you have to run as a team to make money in this business does not know what they are talking about.
As far as trucks go, simple basic rule is avoid any truck powered by a CAT 3126 engine, or any truck with a 7 speed Spicer tranny. A class 8 highway truck is best, but most of the class 7's do a good job, and are easiest to find at an affordable price.
The Pete 330 is a good truck, as long as it has a Cummins. It, along with the KW T300 brother, do have small cabs though. Owners report good quality and reliability. Freightliner and Sterling have roomy cabs, and ones set up for expediting have what is pretty much class 8 running gear. What don't you like about Eaton trannies? I have had good luck with my Freightliners, no out of the ordinary problems with either of the two I have owned.
My dad has a new International 4300 C unit, and thus far it has been performing well.
Figure out what it is you'll need out of a truck. The first time around is usually a lot of guesswork, so best to find a "generic" expedite-spec'ed truck to start out in. Ask prospect companies what their specs are, so you can get an idea of what to buy. Then shop around for a few months. You'll find what you want eventually at the right price. If you jump right into something just because it is cheap, you'll kick yourself later when you find the one you really wanted at the same price. Hope this nonsense helps

-Weave-

Twmaster · Nov 10, 2003

RE: Thinking of jumping into the business with a D

One thing I would add having been in the Towing business for more than 10 years. Buy what you need. *every* time I bought a truck because it was either cheap or I thought I could not afford more truck I wound out having made a bad buy. The first time I *ordered* a new wrecker and got what I wanted and needed was the best lesson in this ever for me. I never bought a truck that was 'cheap' or less than I needed ever again. (with the exception of one used like new truck I bought dirt cheap)

I am now considering the 'expediter' truck. Not sure what I am going to do/buy/consider but I will be sure to remember the lessons learned buying the wrong trucks. My wallet remembers too.

--
Mike N

old gringo · Nov 11, 2003

RE: Thinking of jumping into the business with a D

Appreciate the detailed info from both rich and weave! I did notice the KW's small cab and high price lol !! Resale on both KW and Petes are high though and they look damn sharp. I quess I can not knock the Eaton trans since all I have really driven is 5 speeds in the hot shot rig( except for yrs ago in houston area delivering containers in a 13 speed). The owner of the freightliner I looked at remarked that "He wished it was an Allison" and a few salesman praised there reliability is mostly what I am going by!?

Got the bug!

RichM · Nov 11, 2003

RE: Thinking of jumping into the business with a D

The only way to run as a team is with your spouse if he or she is willing to do it. That way the money stays in the family.If you have to pay someone to sit besides you you are better off running solo. If you wife had a good job with benefits ,it would be best for her to stay there. If she gets Health Insurance for the family,paid by some one else,she should definitely keep her position.
Now as to the revised new Hours of Service,there seems to be two thoughts on this issue,some guys like (my friend Weave) think it will help as you can drive one more hour, other guys like pessimitic me think it will hurt as the 14 hour clock kicks in whrn you go on duty .
Example.yesterday I deliverd into Rocky MT NC.I arrived the night before,went off duty for 8 hours and delivered at 0700. The company sent me to Raleigh and I arrived at about 0800,nothing happened all day(you know who I run for) so at 1700 I decided to go home. I drove till 0100 pefectly legal. Under the new rules at 2100 I would have had to stop until 0800 the next day. Under the new rules I would not have received a run offer at 1800 delivering at 0500 because I would have been required to take a 11 hour break at 2100. So that is my concern,I understand sleeper breaks can be used to push that 14 hour clock back,but the breaks don!t reset it. Most of the time I run team with my wife so I am not too concerned about our future but I think it!s going to play havoc with single drivers.I hope I am wrong but I also think these new rules will go away once the impact on manufacturing starts.Also 2004 is an election year,when our various Members of Congress don!t get their contributions from Walmart etc,because they have had to invest in more equipment and drivers,watch things change.
My thoughts on this mess only,Weave and the others may be right and I may be wrong.I hope so.

Weave · Nov 12, 2003

RE: Thinking of jumping into the business with a D

I don't know if you have seen the rule clarifications Rich. The 14 hour on duty clock will stop with at least 2 hours in the sleeper, and reset after the required 10 hour break.
-Weave-

RichM · Nov 13, 2003

RE: Thinking of jumping into the business with a D

I am waiting to see what comes out of the FDX CC Safety shop.I was told that the clock would stop with a sleeper break but then continue with what ever time was left.Example is you go on duty at 0700,drive till 1200,take a 2 hour break till 1400,now instead of having the clock stop at 2100,it will stop 2300 for your required 11 hours off. So all I gained was 2 hours. We will see.

davekc · Nov 22, 2003

RE: Thinking of jumping into the business with a D

One thing to remember with the new hos rules is that if you have to deadhead to a location to pick up a run the clock is still running. If you have to go 100 miles to pick up a load you have lost roughly 2 hours already. If you have no DH I would like to know what expedite company you are running for. I don't see any advantage for a single driver with the new hos.