West Coast Runs

[Grasshopper]

I know there has been previous discussions about expediting opportunities on the west coast but I am looking at getting into expediting and need to know from the drivers the most current information. I have been told that Panther has the best opportunity to get west coast runs (I live in the Los Angeles area and want to get some hometime). FECC is not hiring from the west coast at this time and I don't know if the other companies have many runs out to the west.

The recruiter from Panther told me that I could expect to run for 5 weeks before getting home and there was no guarantee that I would even get home time. I have a friend in Dallas, Tx. and I can leave my truck at his place and take a plane or bus for my hometime if necessary. I would appreciate to hear from Panther drivers if there are west coast runs and what areas does Panther cover. I am wondering if I would travel the I-5 corridor or run in California.

I also would like to know what is the aveage mileage per week that a driver with Panther can expect driving a class D truck. Again, Panther told me that I would average 1500 miles per week. 1500 miles per week would work for me since I have a retirement income coming in and my truck payment would be less than $500 per month for only 2 years, if not paid off before that. Thank you for your information.

 

[dhalltoyo]

Simi Valley?

Wow! I'd be looking for a local delivery run such as pharmaceuticals to group homes or lab samples to testing centers. You could do those in a highly fuel efficient car or mini van.

Buy a Scion xD, drop down the back seat and load it up!

I lived in Palo Alto for a short time and I never met anyone who wanted to drive in the snow, unless they had migrated to California from a state that has regular snowfalls.

Expediting will require driving in some very inclimate weather.

The reason you will we need to stay out for 5 weeks is because you'll be sitting for 2 1/2 of those weeks. Carriers have to throw you some work to cover your escrow fee, your weekly Qualcomm fee, your weekly Trip Pak fee, your weekly Workman's Comp fee, your weekly Insurance payment, your weekly "just because fee", etc.; so they of spread the income around to cover everybodies fees. Fortunately for you, a second income will defray the impact of "income averaging", but unfortunately for those who expedite as their main, and only, source of income...it creates a financial hardship.

Recently, I have noted a trend with some carriers to discourage wannabies with a second income. Apparently, those who do not "have to" drive for a living seem to go "out-of-service" during the cold weather months and this creates a huge problem for dispatch departments. I salute those carriers who have finally begun to realize from whence their income is generated; come rain, sleet, snow, dead of night, long hours and little rest.

 

[wallytrucker1]

I run the west a LOT and iI notice very few Cat's{mostly t/t), more fecc d units, don't know what kind of unit you are lookin at.

 

[EASYTRADER]

If you want home time stay OUT of expediting, unless you live on the EAST coast.

I drive a D unit for FECC, have a home in Riverside, CA we get home maybe three times a year. Last year we ended up dead heading 1500 miles to get our taxes in on time I suppose it would have been cheaper to just file late.

Expediting is NON-Directional, so unless you live in an expediting lane which Southern Cali isnt you have little home time.

We were in Service 90 percent of the time last year.

If you want home time drive general freight in a big truck, or move.

 

[nightcreacher]

ive run many intrastate calif d loads,ive turned down more than ive ran.if i were running solo and lived in california,id have done many more of the runs ive turnd down

 

[Falligator]

I've been running with Panther for 2 years and I've never been to California yet. I've been close to with a load going to El Paso, TX and I've had 2 loads go to Albeqerque, NM a load go to Salt Lake City, Utah, and a load go to Boise, Idaho. I drove for someone my first year and the second as an owner/op. As an owner/op I've never been to the west all my runs out west were when I was driving for a fleet owner. Seems like they tend to give the long loads to the fleet drivers and not the owner ops. IE: most of my long runs have been up and down the east coast and from the Northeast ie: Maine, NYC area to Illinois, or Oklahoma. that's about as far west as I've been as an o/o. Right now I'm sittin in Texarkana picking up a load in Grand Prairie, TX going to Lexington, KY. (back to the Batcave.)