Who has it tougher and why?
- Thread starter jaminjim
- Start date
nightcreacher
Veteran Expediter
E truck is best for me.I can haul any size load
Parking is sometimes a problem,and my best
meal,is from where ever I made
dinner reservations
Parking is sometimes a problem,and my best
meal,is from where ever I made
dinner reservations
chefdennis
Veteran Expediter
Cheri and Turtle covered it for me...each has their pro's and con's, but dealing with DOT restrictions is enough to keep me out of anything over 10,000 lb gvw....
It's almost like being married, lol, except I don't have to deal with DOT every day. And when I do, sometimes I even come out ahead [2 'no violations' inspections in one week recently = bonus money!]
Now if you'd asked which drivers have it tougher, I'd vote for solo females, particularly the ones who are small. And left handed!
I think who has it tougher is a matter of attitude on how you look at what you are doing and how you are doing it. Some people think not being home every night or weekend is close to the end of the world no matter what you are driving.
I feel we have it the easiest as we have a truck that can carry most loads, is easy to park, is easy to drive, and since we have a bigger sleeper we also have room to cook and relax in comfort. Our expenses seem to be pretty reasonable.
The van driver does not have the accommodations we have nor can they haul very much freight. The van has limits on how far they are allowed to go. The nice thing about a van is it seems as if you can park anywhere and also take in the local sites. The easier the job is though the lower the pay from what I have read.
The E unit or semi can haul any load. They are actually easier sometimes to maneuver then a straight truck. The problem with the semi is that it can be hard to find a place to park, you are often sent to places a big truck should not be, you have to have a lot more skill to drive a E unit then you do a van or straight truck. The expenses associated with a semi are also higher.
I feel we have it the easiest as we have a truck that can carry most loads, is easy to park, is easy to drive, and since we have a bigger sleeper we also have room to cook and relax in comfort. Our expenses seem to be pretty reasonable.
The van driver does not have the accommodations we have nor can they haul very much freight. The van has limits on how far they are allowed to go. The nice thing about a van is it seems as if you can park anywhere and also take in the local sites. The easier the job is though the lower the pay from what I have read.
The E unit or semi can haul any load. They are actually easier sometimes to maneuver then a straight truck. The problem with the semi is that it can be hard to find a place to park, you are often sent to places a big truck should not be, you have to have a lot more skill to drive a E unit then you do a van or straight truck. The expenses associated with a semi are also higher.
Yea, but I have seen some Sprinters with nicer sleepers than a C-unit Lawrence.
guido4475
Not a Member
Hello, Team Caffee ! I am just curious, why do most people (expeditors) think we have to haul alot of freight in one shipment to make money? Isn't this supposed to be an emergency freight service we are in? To bring the customer enough freight to keep their customer alive? What I see happening here, little by little, is the expedited industry is becoming more and more of an LTL type of service as time goes on, in terms of pay and size of the load.And I feel it will get worse.
As far as a van goes, the pay between a s/t and a van Is not all that different, and from a cost per mile standpoint, a van actually comes out ahead of a s/t in terms of net pay for a van.Being as how I have went to a van from a s/t, I can testify to this, and wish I would of done it way earlier in my expedited career.But my narrow minded thinking kept me from that.I can tell you this, though. Since being in a van, along with finding the right company to lease on with, I am extremely happy with the Pay I receive after all expenses are paid.It was never that high with my s/t,mainly because of the fuel,maintenance, etc.But this works for me, although it may not work as well for others.
As far as sleeping arrangements are concerned,Yes, it is tight getting in and out of my sleeper,but I dont know why, but I sleep like a baby in my little 29"x 67" bed, which is surprising for a 300# fat man.WORD OF CAUTION:do not fart in a sleeper of this size and expect to come out alive.
I would say the hardest of them is the "E" units just on the premise they have to deal with a lot more with regards to regulations, costs, parking, trailer issues, and the list goes on.
As far as what is more profitable to run depends on a lot of factors. As far as rates, I don't see van freight paying the same as a straights unless it is a bottom feeder company. Vans get better milage without a doubt, but I don't see the income from them unless maybe you are comparing solos. Availibilty of freight is another big difference especially if it slows down.
I am talking in general, there will always be those rare exceptions. Most can compare just by reading posts back about six months.
As far as what is more profitable to run depends on a lot of factors. As far as rates, I don't see van freight paying the same as a straights unless it is a bottom feeder company. Vans get better milage without a doubt, but I don't see the income from them unless maybe you are comparing solos. Availibilty of freight is another big difference especially if it slows down.
I am talking in general, there will always be those rare exceptions. Most can compare just by reading posts back about six months.
On one load this past week, 1700 miles loaded, I slept on top of three pallets placed end-to-end in my van. Rarely happens, but it paid extremely well. My nose was about eight inches from the roof while sleeping( if it could be called sleep). Can't complain, though.... I saw nice weather all week.
Dakota
Veteran Expediter
Jack_Berry
Moderator Emeritus
Benzoid
Seasoned Expediter
42
It's the answer to everything
CharlesD
Expert Expediter
Especially considering how hard it is to find left handed trucks.