Expediters?

[mayble]

Anyone here using their van for expedited deliveries and living/working full-time in this way?
I'm curious about it, as it seems at first glance a good way to make money on the road for someone who enjoys driving.  Can one do it sporadically, as in catch a load to an area of interest and hang out for awhile before looking for a new load?  Any opinions/suggestions/resources from those with experience?

 

[ZoNiE]

You can, sign up for Uship.com. You probably would need a cargo or flatbed trailer to get loads that were worth doing, however. Someone will not generally pay $2,000 for you to drive something 1,000 miles that would be small enough to carry in your "spare" space. There is UPS/FEDEX/LTL shipping for that. However, you can make $1.50 to $3.00 per mile to transport something large and/or unusual, or even a prized car that the transporters can or will not take. Have you ever seen "Shipping Wars" on TV? Thats what this was. Jerred comes to mind here.

I have shipped two vehicles cross country. Total pain in the ass to deal with the "usual" auto transport industry because they are all a bunch of dispatchers in Atlanta who deal with hundreds of transporters. You can easily get work from them, but you can also transport more nonstandard things and equipment with Uship and Freightquote. It all depends on your equipment, and your licensing

You can also do Roadie (roadie.com). That program is like UBER for packages, but it is based on you taking something with you when you are already going to that place. It's not going to make you money, and cover expenses, it's going to put extra cash in your pocket since you are going there anyway. Pickup and drop off are at waffle houses. Clever of Waffle House to do this, as people will usually buy a coffee or meal as they wait to meet up to transfer the package.

There are also local courier companies in large cities that you may find that may hire you to run local deliveries around town. I use one sometimes to have parts picked up from a machine shop across town as it is worth paying $40 than to waste 2 hrs in traffic and $10 in gas. You could also do your own where you go to a lot of these types of businesses and give them your card and a rate sheet. They then call you when they need something picked up and taken somewhere. I'd get some insurance if I did that. All you need is a van.

On another note, I was doing a project in Tucson, and I found it difficult to get something from Phoenix to Tucson in a hurry, other than going home to get it myself, Greyhound doesn't necessarily put something on the very next bus, (and it has to be picked up there) and the PHX-TUC airport shuttle wouldn't take a package, only a person. You may find a niche like that someplace. In that case, My wife picked up the parts and met me half way. It saved time only.

Good luck.

 

[Ken in Anaheim]

Some cities/counties require a "live" guard to park in the driveway when a house is "tented" for termites. I knew a fella with an RV that made decent part-time money by parking in their driveway and hooking up to the homes 120v. Give a few exterminators a call.............
KinA

 

[mayble]

Thanks guys.
I was sure there was someone on this forum who mentioned their experience as an expediter. Maybe it was another board?

 

[akrvbob]

Here at the RTR I was talking to anew friend who is currently an expediter. He said the companies that do the dispatching have allowed too many new people in so there is too much competition for jobs. That means fewer jobs and you get paid less for each one. Bad for the driver but good for the companies who hire them.

Bob

 

[mayble]

Thanks Bob.
I wondered if that's the reason no one wants to talk about it - competition.

 

[T3dF0ster]

This might seem like an unusual question, but I'm wondering how much sleep an expediter can get while doing this job.  After playing some of the YouTube videos on this subject, it seems like the narrators get an hour here, a few hours there.  If I could get by on 4 hours of sleep a day, I'd do it.  As it is, I pretty much need 7 to 8 hours.  Would this be a handicap for me in this occupation?  Thanks.

 

[Ken in Anaheim]

This might seem like an unusual question, but I'm wondering how much sleep an expediter can get while doing this job.  After playing some of the YouTube videos on this subject, it seems like the narrators get an hour here, a few hours there.  If I could get by on 4 hours of sleep a day, I'd do it.  As it is, I pretty much need 7 to 8 hours.  Would this be a handicap for me in this occupation?  Thanks.

T3, that's easy......just make sure you have cruise control....................................and collision coverage !!

 

[Canine]

Go on "expeditersonline.com" and read up for a few hours, seriously. You'll probably decide against it. First its the vehicle - cargo cans, usually 1 ton with some specialized expediting mods are the cheapo bottom rung vehicles. Most have moved to Sprinter type vehicles.
So your 1/2 or 3/4 converted cargo van wont cut it.

Then its getting on with a carrier, they have maximum age rules for the van, you have to go to the carriers site for an orientation, you have to get your own insurance (commercial), now you have commercial plates...some require the medical card (dot medical).

Then its getting a real business plan and having the funds to sit with no loads for days, repair your vehicle etc...

I thought about it, read hundreds of threads for weeks at a time and gave the idea up.

Now you may have the ability, vehicle and drive that I didn't so if so, read up...

 

[ysracer]

Go on "expeditersonline.com" and read up for a few hours, seriously. You'll probably decide against it.  First its the vehicle - cargo cans, usually 1 ton with some specialized expediting mods are the cheapo bottom rung vehicles. Most have moved to Sprinter type vehicles.
So your 1/2 or 3/4 converted cargo van wont cut it.

Then its getting on with a carrier, they have maximum age rules for the van, you have to go to the carriers site for an orientation, you have to get your own insurance (commercial), now you have commercial plates...some require the medical card (dot medical).

Then its getting a real business plan and having the funds to sit with no loads for days, repair your vehicle etc...

I thought about it, read hundreds of threads for weeks at a time and gave the idea up.

Now you may have the ability, vehicle and drive that I didn't so if so, read up...

Exactly.  I'm hearing of more carriers not only requiring Sprinter size vehicles but also that at least 12 ft is open for freight.  Not much left for living. Plus, it's not as casual as you might hope. Most carriers will require you to be available about 70% of the time in a given year.  Also, don't expect to get a load very often from AZ or CO.  Probably 3/4 of the loads originate east of the Mississippi and north of I-40.  You need to be near where lots of manufacturing and distribution happen. Sleep is easy, you will have days of sitting in a Walmart or truck stop parking lot to sleep.  You'll get used to big truck engines, air brakes being set, car alarms, lot sweepers at 3am, missing mufflers, etc..

 

[speedhighway46]

Well, I am not an expediter, but have thought several times abt it. Why, your entire life would be a tax write off against your business. I think in order to understand the expediter lifestyle you have to learn to think as a business person and not as a van dweller.

Vehicle purchase . . . write off. (depreciation)
Meals . . . write off. (expense)
Fuel, maintenance, tolls, fees, insurance, inspections . . . write off (expense)


Work 50% to 70% of the time; make enough income to write your expenses off against; travel around, and make Uncle Sam pay for your lifestyle.

Keep your vehicle under 26,000 and you don't even need a CDL.

Heck, sit in a Walmart parking lot for a few days; who cares, you're in no hurry!

Just my opinion . . .