Expediting cargo using a van

[driveon]

Does anyone have information about getting into the "Expeditiong" business, that is, using my van to haul freight? I remember that Bob recently had a Youtube video show-casing a guy who did that for a living for some years. This could be a nice vocation for someone who enjoys being "on the road" and being a minimalist while making a living at the same time.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

http://www.expeditersonline.com/forums/

 

[driveon]

Thanks for the site!

 

[VanGirl]

Thanks for the site!

What do you want to know? I owned a expiditer business for a few years. I ran vans and straight trucks. The money is good most of the year. Almost no work the first three months of the year. It is not a good business for true nomads. It is hard to live in the van and leave room for freight. Most brokers want the full van space.

 

[driveon]

What do you want to know? I owned a expiditer business for a few years. I ran vans and straight trucks. The money is good most of the year. Almost no work the first three months of the year. It is not a good business for true nomads. It is hard to live in the van and leave room for freight. Most brokers want the full van space.

 

[driveon]

How would a person go about learning and getting into the business?

 

[driveon]

[font=Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]How would a person go about learning and getting into the business?[/font]

 

[ZoNiE]

https://www.roadie.com/

 

[akrvbob]

Check out this video. He has his van set up in an ingenious way and he can haul 6 pallets and live very comfortable in it.  His bed is full floating so he can sleep in it while he is full of cargo and he has a shower that fold up against the wall to not interfere with fork lifts dropping pallets. 

[video=youtube]

 

[driveon]

Thanks Bob! I've seen that video; in fact, it is what has gotten me curious about Expediting.

 

[driveon]

That's an interesting concept! Thanks for the link.

 

[VanGirl]

[font=Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]How would a person go about learning and getting into the business?[/font]

Driveon
Go to http://www.expeditersonline.com contact any or all of the freight brokers and ask it they will sign on your cargo van. The van will have to be in good shape, look nice and not be more than 10 yrs old for most freight brokers, this rule changes by brokers. A few I can speak for would be Express 1 out of Michigan, Bolt express near Toledo, Zipp Express in the Nashville area, DMW in the Nashville area, Land star, Blair out of the Louisville area. There are too many to remember. They pay by the mile. The main freight lanes, draw a line from Nogales, AZ to Detroit MI and they are everything east and south of the line. Your background check is important. You will need a cell phone, home base for address, insurance and drivers license and enough money to buy fuel and cover break downs for the first month. You will keep a drivers log or have a satellite system like the big trucks do, maybe both.

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

Back when I worked for a shop making cabinets a guy that lived in his van delivered all of the cabinets we made as well as a few other shops in the area. He sort of got a reputation for cabinet delivery. He had a high top van and a 6x12 cargo trailer. His set up was very modular so when taking down in the morning he only lost his passenger seat and an area about 3x3x3 behind his seat.

However, all his work was very local so he couldn't travel. Oddly enough way back then I had never even considered why he might be living in a van. Just a cool ecentric guy and I felt lucky enough to know him. And these were before the days I had any desire to travel myself.

 

[driveon]

Driveon
Go to http://www.expeditersonline.com contact any or all of the freight brokers and ask it they will sign on your cargo van. The van will have to be in good shape, look nice and not be more than 10 yrs old for most freight brokers, this rule changes by brokers. A few I can speak for would be Express 1 out of Michigan, Bolt express near Toledo, Zipp Express in the Nashville area, DMW in the Nashville area, Land star, Blair out of the Louisville area. There are too many to remember. They pay by the mile. The main freight lanes, draw a line from Nogales, AZ to Detroit MI and they are everything east and south of the line. Your background check is important. You will need a cell phone, home base for address, insurance and drivers license and enough money to buy fuel and cover break downs for the first month. You will keep a drivers log or have a satellite system like the big trucks do, maybe both.

Thanks much for that detailed response. Is it the kind of job that a person could "learn by doing" or should he try to find a mentor or someone to work with for a while?

 

[akrvbob]

Thanks Bob! I've seen that video; in fact, it is what has gotten me curious about Expediting.

Chances are good that he will be at the RTR, and if not there will be some expeditors there I'm sure.

 

[VanGirl]

Thanks much for that detailed response. Is it the kind of job that a person could "learn by doing" or should he try to find a mentor or someone to work with for a while?

You can learn by doing. Most companies will give you a 1 to 3 day training class.  You could also just be a driver for someone else. In the long run you will make more money being a driver instead of being an owner.

Expediting is a fun job and you get to see alot of the country.

 

[driveon]

You can learn by doing. Most companies will give you a 1 to 3 day training class.  You could also just be a driver for someone else. In the long run you will make more money being a driver instead of being an owner.

Expediting is a fun job and you get to see alot of the country.

Thanks for the tips. Very helpful. Thinking about going to the RTR this year. Maybe I'll see you there.

 

[driveon]

Chances are good that he will be at the RTR, and if not there will be some expeditors there I'm sure.

Thanks Bob. Planning to attend, at least for a couple of days. We've never traveled, on land anyway, the SW, so there's a lot of new "stuff" to see. Tnanks again. Regards.

 

[eDJ_]

I'm curious ?  Here in Ohio if you have a 1 ton Van (such as my E 350 Ford Van)  you are considered a commercial vehicle and required to purchase commercial license plates.  This can create some issues with insurance companies who will insist on selling you insurance for a commercial carrier.  

I was allowed to purchase (for $10 dollars less a year)  House Vehicle license plates.  Likewise my basic insurance for passenger vehicle.  I've yet to be pulled over by a LEO and requested to open the Van for inspection. 

While the notion of making some $$$ to haul (what we call "Hot Shot" service in my area)  small important items that require PDQ service is attractive,  most of those  needing this service want an item to be in transit as soon as the driver hangs up and proceeds to the pick up point, loads, and then to the destination to deliver.  There is big pay for this service but it assumes you will be headed out as soon as you hang up. 

Will any of these Transport services be paying the Van owner in a way that reflects the value of his/her service ?   (I guess what I'm saying is will you make money in a way that would allow you to replace or maintain your equipment ?   Or would you be better off work camping and not wearing out your Van while making the other guy rich ?)

I can see how some would suggest this really isn't for nomads.

If someone had themselves licensed and insured commercial and kept books to log their mileage,  fuel records etc to run this as a small business I could see them advertising their service via a website. (where they offer 24/7 service)  I would imagine they would have road side service and towing insurance too.  All of these things would have Tax advantages as cost of business.   But then you are running a business and won't be enjoying much of a nomadic life.

If this begins to become mainstream,  I'm sure LEO's may begin pulling the nomads over just to see if they are hauling in a less than legal manner.   This most likely at the urging of freight companies who don't engage in this way of transport.

Just want to put some of these ideas out there to consider.  I know it goes on all the time,  but I'm sure those who get entangled with the Law would be made an example of.

 

[ysracer]

I'm curious ?  Here in Ohio if you have a 1 ton Van (such as my E 350 Ford Van)  you are considered a commercial vehicle and required to purchase commercial license plates.  This can create some issues with insurance companies who will insist on selling you insurance for a commercial carrier.  

I was allowed to purchase (for $10 dollars less a year)  House Vehicle license plates.  Likewise my basic insurance for passenger vehicle.  I've yet to be pulled over by a LEO and requested to open the Van for inspection. 

While the notion of making some $$$ to haul (what we call "Hot Shot" service in my area)  small important items that require PDQ service is attractive,  most of those  needing this service want an item to be in transit as soon as the driver hangs up and proceeds to the pick up point, loads, and then to the destination to deliver.  There is big pay for this service but it assumes you will be headed out as soon as you hang up. 

Will any of these Transport services be paying the Van owner in a way that reflects the value of his/her service ?   (I guess what I'm saying is will you make money in a way that would allow you to replace or maintain your equipment ?   Or would you be better off work camping and not wearing out your Van while making the other guy rich ?)

I can see how some would suggest this really isn't for nomads.

If someone had themselves licensed and insured commercial and kept books to log their mileage,  fuel records etc to run this as a small business I could see them advertising their service via a website. (where they offer 24/7 service)  I would imagine they would have road side service and towing insurance too.  All of these things would have Tax advantages as cost of business.   But then you are running a business and won't be enjoying much of a nomadic life.

If this begins to become mainstream,  I'm sure LEO's may begin pulling the nomads over just to see if they are hauling in a less than legal manner.   This most likely at the urging of freight companies who don't engage in this way of transport.

Just want to put some of these ideas out there to consider.  I know it goes on all the time,  but I'm sure those who get entangled with the Law would be made an example of.

No, there isn't big money in it.  There are currently somewhere around 23,000 expedite vans and nowhere near 23,000 daily emergencies.  Companies continue to spring up, carriers continue to add vehicle capacity, so rates and load opportunities go down yet costs are up.  Rates are lower now than they were 15 years ago.  The only way to survive is with a used, reliable vehicle that you are able to repair/maintain yourself and enough cash to cover whatever comes up.  At roughly 100,000 miles per year maintenance is near constant.  I've had to replace a $12,000.00 engine,  and,  four weeks ago a $3,000.00 transmission.  After 3 years I have less money than when I started.  That's the bottom line, really.  There are good reasons why 90% don't last a year.  Yet there are ever more thinking they can work hard and succeed.  That doesn't matter when you can't control the supply or demand side.

Regarding the insurance aspect, you must have specific expedite coverage.  There are only two companies that I'm aware of that write it and, perhaps even fewer agents that understand it and provide proper policies. This includes unlimited radius and $100,000 cargo and $1,000,000.00 liability coverage.

As far as freight companies go, they are all in it, from Fed Ex down to mom and pop sized companies.