Yes, We're considering FedExCC in "bad times"

[Humble2drive]

I have read many posts and take all the warnings to heart. The overwhelming advice is that Newbies drive for someone else first and gain experience before getting saddled with truck expenses and the many challenges that come with business ownership. It must be surprising to see all the Newbies that come to this site, study the posts, ask good questions and then decide to jump right in as an o/o anyway. Well, I am one of those people. I just can't digest the thought of working for someone else and would prefer to learn under fire and fail or succeed based on my own abilities and effort.
Having made that little speach, here is my/our situation and question:
1) We will be a husband/wife team, both driving.
2) We ran HHG with NAVL for two years coast to coast as an o/o team in a cabover and did well, so we know how to live together in a box and jump in the drivers seat at a moments notice and head anywhere in the country in any weather without complaint.
3) Kids are grown so we can stay out 3 weeks, 3 months or more, no problem.
4) No house or car payments to worry about. Very modest retirement check will cover the household expenses.
5) Planning on a used Class D, <200K, modest sleeper, 90% financed.
We are going with FedEx because my wife likes the logo better than 2 panthers. Just kidding. We simply like the security of a well known mother ship.
With all of this in mind and considering these are "bad times" we would be happy with 30-40k after expenses.
Please sound off and let us know if this goal is unrealistic or not. Thanks

 

[arkjarhead]

No offense, but it sounds to me like you are going to do what you want to regardless of what people say. That's fine. It's your right to do so. There is a reason so many people tell you to run for a fleet owner before you become an o/o. Plus Truckload whether it be refers,vans,flatbeds,or bedbugging is nothing like expedite. I will say good luck. You are going to need it.

 

[greg334]

I have to agree with Ark, it looks like your mind has been made up. So I don't know if what I post will again be against the status quo of the RVer expediters or will be read and listened to so I can just say read what other negative things I have said, they may help you.

 

[Humble2drive]

***"No offense, but it sounds to me like you are going to do what you want to regardless of what people say. That's fine. It's your right to do so."***

Thanks for your keen insight and helpful comments. Actually, I have very high regard for the opinions of the experienced drivers on this site. The variable expenses are the most difficult to forcast and I would just like to know if a reasonably low initial goal of 30-40K net is in the ball park so that we can make it through the learning curve.

 

[charlee]

As stated in a previous post....your mind is made up. For starters forget EVERYTHING you know about driving truck except how to drive the truck. I watch and mentor MANY people that come from OTR into expediting. Many people simply cannot make the change. Working as a company driver and going to a contractor usually is a extremely HARD move to make, for many reasons. Less than 200,000 miles on a class d engine...do you have an extra 15k in a savings account in case the engine blows? We just replaced one for 16k. We replaced another for 27k (tractor). Down time for the truck? Prepared to make all the payments regardless of how much downtime you have? Anyway good luck.....

-charlotte


I hope you can clear at least that much.....our teams take home 70-90k a year after expenses.

 

[LDB]

I'm one of the ones who always says drive for someone else for 6 months to do your learning and determine if this is for you. Your prior HHG experience is worth something but this will definitely be different. You'll do some coast to coast and you'll likely do a lot of shorter runs with a good bit of down time in between. Nobody can say for sure what you'll make but your goal sounds fairly low for a team so it's probably reasonable starting out. Keep reading these forums and consider driving for someone. If it turns out expediting isn't what you think you aren't stuck with a truck.

 

[Jefferson3000]

No offense, but it sounds to me like you are going to do what you want to regardless of what people say. That's fine. It's your right to do so. There is a reason so many people tell you to run for a fleet owner before you become an o/o. Plus Truckload whether it be refers,vans,flatbeds,or bedbugging is nothing like expedite. I will say good luck. You are going to need it.

Very true. Some people just don't want to hear it, even if diesel is $4.xx per gallon. I played "Go Fish" as a kid, so that must mean I'm a great high stakes poker player.

 

[charlee]

define virtual driver.....most of the people i know on this site do drive.....

 

[davekc]

I think you were given some good advice as far as driving for someone for a short while to see if expediting is for you.
As mentioned already, they aren't the same as truckload, so it may be worth testing the waters before you jump.
Additionally, if you are reliant upon the one carrier, one better hope things don't go south.
A carrier that lets you obtain your own freight carries less risk and provides more opportunity.
But if your mind is made up, we will see the outcome on down the road. We see these same stories over and over.
I will say, that your background and expectations really aren't too bad verses some of the others that enter.
Continue to view the forums and archives before you leap.

 

[cheri1122]

Yes, it sounds like you have your mind made up - good for you! Because it also sounds like you have a pretty good idea of what you're getting into, (at least as far as life on the road), and you don't have a lot of other commitments to hold you back, and maybe most important: you have a sense of humor! No, what may end up being most important is that you'll have EO, and the resources here are priceless - best of luck!

 

[Kyreax]

I'm considering what you're doing, BUT I have no prior driving experience save my 16' COE boxtruck with a liftgate. (I am a trucker GOD!) I have no interest in being an OTR tractor driver.

I do, however, have a huge chunk of reserve cash to fall back on if things get slow. And I'm going to work for someone else to get going in Expediting. Heck, even if it's just 2 months I can learn something that will keep me from failing.

As much as I'd like to think that Expediting is just buying a fancy straight truck and driving into profits, there's just too much advice from the experts here to ignore it! LDB, col, ATeam, Greg, etc. all have good points and can attack a problem from their different experienced angles to help us noobs and prevent us from making mistakes.

I'm listening to them.

 

[ATeam]

Humble2drive,

It is hard to imagine a better-prepared team coming into expediting than you; two years together in a cabover, household goods experience, a successful track record as owner operators, financial means, no unusual tugs toward home, modest income expectations.

While general economic conditions may be deteriorating, and that may mean slow freight for a time, your condition is strong.

Since you have decided on FedEx, start asking FedEx staff members and contractors about how to make yourself eligible for as many kinds of freight as FedEx hauls. That includes things like getting a security clearance, not putting a dog in your truck, adding a lift gate, carrying a pallet jack, etc.

People who know FedEx Custom Critical will recognize several White Glove requirements in the above list. I understand that WG is closed to new owner operators at present. But WG trucks are not always available to cover the loads. Configuring yourself for White Glove now will help you become White Glove that much sooner when the opportunity opens again. And even if that takes a while, you will still be configured to haul more kinds of freight than you would otherwise be.

If you can find a good deal (emphasize good deal) on a reefer truck, you might want to consider it, but reefer standards change and the market FedEx serves is evolving. Committing to a reefer now may be a decision you regret later. After you are with FedEx for a while, and have the chance to guage things from within, and are thinking ahead to your next truck, you will be better informed and better equipped to make the yes/no reefer decision.

Since you will not have a fleet owner to coach you on active freight areas and load acceptance strategy, develop a network of FedEx friends as fast as you can. Most successful drivers are willing to share their recommendations. Once you are in, have completed a few runs, and start meeting other contractors on the road, tell them about the last couple loads you did and ask what they would have done.

Ask them if it would be OK for you to call them a couple of times (limit the request to a couple calls) to further discuss your circumstances and your deadhead and load acceptance decisons. Doing this will help you more quickly develop a sense of where the freight is and is not.

When you first start, a Contractor Coordinator will be assigned to you. He or she may be able to put you in touch with proven drivers who are in a truck similar to yours and have the same credentials as you.

Coordinators themselves can provide some help, but drivers relate more to other drivers when talking about deadhead and load acceptance decisions. The coordinators are great sources of timely and accurate information about company policy, and stuff that goes on inside the FedEx Custom Critical building.

If you are on a load and questions come up, FedEx dispatchers are very good. Don't be afraid to tell them you are new to the expedite game and FedEx system, and to ask for information or help. They want you to successfully complete each run as much as you do. If you find yourself running late, stuck in bad weather, or in a truck breakdown, don't hesitate to call dispatch.

Finally, when FedEx says "Safety takes priority," they mean it. Don't ever feel like you have to drive unsafe or push the speed limits to complete a run. Expedited freight is sometimes called fast freight or hot freight, but there is never a need to put yourself at risk beyond the day-to-day risks of being truck drivers on the road.

 

[pjjjjj]

Just curious how the insurance thing works with 'teams'.. say you are given a price for insurance cost, from the carrier, say FedEx for example.. would a team double that cost? or would it be only slightly higher to allow for a 2nd driver, considering the one truck used, is already covered, ie they are not covering 2 trucks, just 2 drivers.

 

[TeamCaffee]

You two sound as if you know what you are getting into and are prepared for many of the areas that you find on the road that are not common to a 9 to 5 person. I would suggest also get as large a network of advisors you possible can and ask lots of questions and then sift through what will work for your operation. I would also get phone numbers of others in FedEx Custom Critical that have a truck in the same division that is similar to yours. You will find that the different divisions in FedEx Custom Critical have very different experiences on what and where works for them. Even if you have everything a White Glove truck has you will still be looked at and treated as an Express Truck most of the time. Get a hobby which for us to begin with was learning everything we could about expediting, you need something to occupy yourself while waiting for that next load.

Your truck is covered by insurance the same as your car and you have approved drivers driving that truck.

I think you will find this is the best segment of trucking with the greatest people.

 

[greg334]

Just curious how the insurance thing works with 'teams'.. say you are given a price for insurance cost, from the carrier, say FedEx for example.. would a team double that cost? or would it be only slightly higher to allow for a 2nd driver, considering the one truck used, is already covered, ie they are not covering 2 trucks, just 2 drivers.

There is no 'insurance' on the people except a domicile state requirement for what we call here in Michigan workmen's comp insurance.

 

[dabluzman1]

You have a stronger background than my wife and did when we got into expediting last year
at this time. We got into expediting because our daughter was off in college and getting married this year, so why not split.
I believe what you are thinking and hoping to net is very do-able working for Fedex.
Get your hazmat, DOD clearance and explosive training and Canadian fast Pass. This will help get you where you want to be.

Oh next time you ask a question sound humble and lost and maybe the really good drivers here will give you some help instead of chastising your determination.
Good Luck, i hope to see somewhere down the road.

 

[greg334]

Oh next time you ask a question sound humble and lost and maybe the really good drivers here will give you some help instead of chastising your determination.

There is no chastising of his determination, but his mind is made up and the advice is somewhat limited at that point to listening the experts who run for that company. This holds true for anyone else who would say, "we don't own a truck right now but we are going to buy on and go to Panther" - it don't matter what many of us say.

 

[arkjarhead]

define virtual driver.....most of the people i know on this site do drive.....

I'm sure he was talking about me. I know I'm not currently driving. Most everyone here knows that. I still have expedite experience, and if you don't believe me you can call Panther,TranStewart,and Tri-State to verify or I can give you the owner's phone number I used to drive for. Makes me no difference. If it makes him feel better to try to poke fun at me I'm happy he feels better. Honestly I've been called much worse by much better people.



Humble2Drive,
If you felt like I was chastizing you I'm sorry. I didn't mean for it to come across that way, or to even sound discouraging. Will you please accept my apology?

If you stick around very long you will see that once or sometimes even twice a week someone comes on here and says I want to do this, this and that. And no matter what anyone else tries to tell them they have their minds made up. Alot of people want to hear others say "Oh yeah that sounds like a great plan". The reason I said what I did is because before I went into expedite I pulled refers. I got into expedite and it was fun at times but over all I didn't like it except for the friends I've made here and other places as an expediter that I wouldn't have made other wise. I didn't like the inconsistency. I ran solo and I didn't like sitting away from home. I was use to running and working when I wasn't at home and sitting when I was at home. I would just hate to see someone make an investment like buying a d unit and finding out expedite isn't for them. On the other hand I'm sure for every truckload driver that came into expedite and didn't like it there is one or more that got in and loves it. You never can tell until you get your feet wet.

 

[Humble2drive]

WOW! A great big THANK YOU to all who took their time and responded to my post. Great advice from experienced drivers who are willing to help a relative Newbie. I am taking notes. When my wife and I jumped in to HHG we sought out the top owners and it was that mentorship that helped us to become profitable. In turn, we were eventually able to help other new owners and give back. We hope to do the same in the expediting arena.

. . . his mind is made up and the advice is somewhat limited at that point to listening the experts who run for that company. This holds true for anyone else who would say, "we don't own a truck right now but we are going to buy on and go to Panther" - it don't matter what many of us say.

It certainly wasn't my intent to offend the drivers of any other companies. Every company has it's good points and great people. My mind will not be made up until I sign a contract. Until then, I remain flexible and it does matter what people say or I would not waste your time asking.
After explaining my situation, several drivers continue to stress working for a fleet owner first, so I will re-explore that avenue.
Thanks

 

[greg334]

It certainly wasn't my intent to offend the drivers of any other companies. Every company has it's good points and great people. My mind will not be made up until I sign a contract. Until then, I remain flexible and it does matter what people say or I would not waste your time asking.
After explaining my situation, several drivers continue to stress working for a fleet owner first, so I will re-explore that avenue.
Thanks

I don't think you offended anyone, some of us don't want to offend you.

My advice, which a lot of the times go against the grain of other's advice and seems to work in other industries that have a lot less liability involved. I would rather look like a fool preaching the same thing over and over again with one or two people learning from it than to worry about what others think or say.

To me, I would say working for someone else may be a good thing but could be the worst experience that you ever have. Like companies, selecting someone to drive for is a process and as I have said before, have some legal advice, a lawyer, look over the contract you have with the owner that you decide on or the company and let them explain it to you. Many owners do not use contracts and this is where people get into trouble.

The same with the business end of things, get an accountant involved from the start to determine if you need to go to something other than a sole proprietorship. Realize the issue is not having someone do your taxes but to advise you. Everyone has a different situation and everyone should have someone who knows you personally that you can depend on.