Which Company should I choose

guest · Dec 26, 2006

Hello I am having Problems with getting on with a company, but I do not know which one.. I would like to be home on weekends...
I live in the Marion,OH. area which is about 50-miles Noth of columbus,OH..
I heard of all kinds of companys out there but which one will be
the best one for me? Please help to decide... Thanks every body..

JohnMueller · Dec 26, 2006

KLWill49;

I would suggest contacting each company that you are somewhat interested in and asking how frequently they get their drivers home. Another factor is to provide the information on the type of vehicle you intend to operate - vans get home more frequently than say tractors at some companies.

Good luck in your ventures.

Thanks,
HotFr8Recruiter

cheri1122 · Dec 26, 2006

KLE: first, welcome to EO!
We are here to help, but the first problem I can see is that you'd like to be home weekends - this is NOT a Mon-Fri job. Most drivers stay out for weeks at a time, because that's what it takes to succeed. Being home every weekend would most likely require such a high number of unpaid miles that you couldn't break even, much less show a profit.
Also, you say you're having problems getting on with a carrier, but don't know which one - there's not much anyone can offer to help, without more information. If you can be more specific, we could be more helpful...besides suggesting that you read the posts here for the past year, especially those in "Ask the recruiter" and "Newbie paradise" fora.
If you still have unanswered questions after reading the above fora, we'd be happy to help - good luck to you!

Tennesseahawk · Dec 26, 2006

There are regional expediting companies. Those would be your best bet for mid-Ohio. I'm sure there are plenty of opportunities for taking 100-300 mile runs. Depending on how the particular company runs, that means one run a day, which wouldn't make for much of a paycheck. Cheri is right... this is an all-or-nothing industry, for the most part. Check out different companies based in your area, and tell them your expectations.

You could also try local air-freight companies.

"If I claim to be a wise man, it surely means that I don't know." - Kansas

Ecotech2006 · Dec 28, 2006

I am new to this forum also but I can tell you where to look for companies, off the home page of this sight, pick a few , read about them, taqke notes in a note book then compare, that is what I am doing. Also I am looking at driving for an o/o first, I have a class A cdl with all endorsements so I can pretty much drive anything but I want to step back from tractors and go straight truck solo or van

myself....I do have a question here, what is better 60-40 split or 40-60? driver gets 60% wants driver to pay fuel, tolls, go %40 to driver, owner pays fuel, tolls, ect. which is better?

nightcreacher · Dec 29, 2006

60 40 is the best,but running single,you better call JB,expedite is a team world,its not that you will drive that far,but the 14 hr rule will keep you from working
good luck
happy new year

Tennesseahawk · Dec 29, 2006

Call JB so he can die a slow death? I run single, and do pretty well. Get with the right company, and you too can make oodles of money. haha yeah right

Seriously... running solo shouldn't scare you out of expediting. Granted, you would run more miles as a team. But it's hard making two household incomes when an owner is dipping into the cut. A solo can make more than half a team. Sometimes more than a whole team, depending on who he/she's running for. Many will tell you solo with Panther or FXCC is suicide. I know ppl who are doing ok, but they own their own truck. One of the smaller companies might be what you're looking for.

"If I claim to be a wise man, it surely means that I don't know." - Kansas

lanier1 · Dec 29, 2006

I own my truck and drive solo. I started in March 2006 and have managed to make a living despite myself. I expect to run smarter in 2007 and make more money because of that. A team would no doubt be more profitable and I get frustrated at times waiting for a load and watching the teams get dispatched. But, I don't know anyone I would be willing to live with in a truck so I will stick to solo for now.

Ecotech2006 · Dec 30, 2006

I ran teams while driving T/T and thought it was a little too much.Th round the clock driving was too much, I have driven solo all hours of the day and nite so I don't have a problem with it.....You know its bad when you get car sick standing still and not moving. I am checking into a couple companies who have solo availible. I have read some debate about vans compared to large box trucks, what are some pro's and con's of each?

letzrockexpress · Dec 31, 2006

KL49Will,
I live in the same vicinity you do. I drive a van that is on with Express-1. I can be home a couple times per week if I want to be due to the fact a lot of the freight goes up I-75. ( 75 passes aprox. 40 miles west of Marion). We also move a fair amount of Whirlpool stuff which often goes to Marion from other places...You would be pretty close to the middle of alot of freight with E-1.

nightcreacher · Dec 31, 2006

>Call JB so he can die a slow death? I run single, and do
>pretty well. Get with the right company, and you too can
>make oodles of money. haha yeah right

>
>Seriously... running solo shouldn't scare you out of
>expediting. Granted, you would run more miles as a team. But
>it's hard making two household incomes when an owner is
>dipping into the cut. A solo can make more than half a team.
>Sometimes more than a whole team, depending on who he/she's
>running for. Many will tell you solo with Panther or FXCC is
>suicide. I know ppl who are doing ok, but they own their own
>truck. One of the smaller companies might be what you're
>looking for.
for a consistant paycheck every week,doing that solo deal is suicide,
yes you can make money at it,but you have to be very lucky.
This past year,I ran solo more than once,sometimes I did well,other times I was lucky to make a truck payment,but I'm in tt,where he lives,in a van or straight truck,he might get lucky,but remember,if a team is in same area,he's going have hard time getting loaded

diver5240 · Jan 28, 2007

You need to find a company you are comfortable with and that you feel you can trust 90% of the time. I drive solo, I am home most weekends, make a decent check, and do not care what anyone else thinks about the company I choose to run for. Every driver thinks they work for the best company and when it comes down to it they are all about the same. Your income is up to you, and what you are willing to do for it, I have friends that push themselfs past the limit, I prefere to push myself to the limit and stop.