Carrier Profiles

Carrier Profile: On Time Express

By Jeff Jensen, Editor
Posted Mar 31st 2005 11:13AM

ontimeexpress_logo.jpgOwner and founder of On-Time Express, Inc. Robert Stark says he began working for a company twenty years with a pickup truck and found it financially rewarding, "so after ten years with that company, I started my own company in 1995, ironically with one pickup truck."

"In our first year, we had fifteen company trucks and twenty drivers, but within a year, we had eliminated those trucks and gone to a complete owner-operator fleet.  We only have one company truck and driver today and he does mainly local work."

Details

This privately-owned company located in Plymouth, Michigan has 48 state authority and hauls primarily general commodity-type freight.  According to Recruiting Manager Andy Minelli, approximately seventy percent of On-Time's freight is automotive-based.

The company fields a fleet of 40-plus Independent Contractors who operate Cargo Vans, Cube Vans, Straight Trucks and Tractor-Trailers (company-supplied trailers).  On-Time Express has a service life for its cargo vans of 5 model years or newer. For straight trucks and tractors, this is extended to 6 model years old.

On-Time Express is primarily a solo-driver-type of operation, but the company does field a few teams.  The fleet is composed of single truck owner-operators, with no fleet owners.  Sleeper units are required on the larger truck sizes. 

CDL's are not required for the Cargo Vans or Cube Vans if those vehicles are below the DOT weight restrictions.  On Time Express does not transport hazardous materials, so that particular endorsement is not required for its contractors.

No Canadian runs

The company does not go into Canada because, as Bob Stark says, "We keep very busy hauling freight right here in the U.S.  We've had customers offer us very good rates if we would take Canadian-bound loads, but the few times that we've sent drivers there, they would wind up dead heading back.  In order to do our drivers justice, we have to keep them in the U.S. where our freight is."

Communication between truck and dispatch is accomplished with cell phones and pagers and the dispatch procedure is "right place, right time".  This means that the driver who is nearest to the point-of-pickup is dispatched on that load.

To keep its trucks moving, the company says that it will occasionally use brokers to find backhauls for trucks outside of On Time's typical service area. The company's interstate length-of-haul averages 350-400 miles.

ontimemexpress.jpgOn Time Express provides cargo and trucking liability insurance for its contractors when under load and the owner-operator is required to purchase his own non-trucking or bobtail coverage.  New contractor orientation is a mere two hours long.

Keys to success

Bob Stark says that some of the keys to success for an owner-operator with On-Time Express include a positive attitude, patience and communication:

"A contractor must be financially responsible as well - put away a nest egg for those unexpected expenses.  He should also communicate well with the people in the office who provide the loads.  We have drivers who actually tell the dispatchers thank you for every load, no matter what or when it is.  Someone like that will have a long-term relationship with the company."

Andy Minelli adds that commitment to customer service, flexibility and money management skills are important as well.

Bob Stark says, "I have some contractors who have been with me since the day I opened the doors and those drivers have stayed with me.  We just haven't had the kind of turnover rate that other carriers experience.  We don't have too many vehicles and not enough work because we try to be very strategic when we do our "hiring".

"For example, we're not adding trucks in Michigan right now because we have enough contractors based there.  So, when we start looking for more people, we look in the areas that we have trouble in covering and that's how we've become successful."

Of course, every prospective expediter wants to know how much he can make and the company provides testimonials of current On Time Express drivers.  They also present past settlements for the prospective driver to review.

Dollars and cents

Andy Minelli says that Cargo Vans can gross from $800.00 to $2,000.00 on a weekly basis while its "dock high" trucks (including cube vans and Sprinter vans) can gross from $1,000.00 to $3,000.00 weekly.

Bob Stark adds, "I have drivers who have grossed $120,000 to $130,000 annually in a 24-footer on a consistent basis.  These guys will do this on runs of 300-400 mile range and still be able to be home and sleep in their own bed every other night or so."

"Our objective is for the drivers to make money.  We have very low operating expenses - no satellite expense, no escrow money deducted, etc.  We've never had a problem with a driver who left owing money, so we don't need to keep their money through an escrow."

Andy Minelli states that because of On Time Express' increasing market share, the company is currently recruiting all size trucks in all of its service areas, particularly in the Indianapolis region.

Recruiting contact phone number?
Toll Free (877) 451-2255

Local 734-451-2255

On Time Express Online Pre-Application