Expediters by Accident

In 2005,  we applied on line to attend a truck driver training school in Indianapolis.  We thought we were signing on to PAM or USA...was expecting to go to classes, learn to drive and maintain a big rig and get our class A.  Our applications in reality, were what we considered at the time "shanghyed" by Expedite Solutions.  Although we were not lied to, and everything was explained to us up front, we really had no idea what we had gotten ourselves into.  We took the advice of the "school", rented a computer, phone, and paid for the accounting service. We also had a mandatory drivers savings plan.  We thought we were doing everything possible to have a successful business of our own.     We went thru the training and upon completion were leased to Panther.

 We were flat broke in the beginning and drew advances to live on until our pay started coming in.  We ran hard. We took everyload offered to us. Only went out of service when we had to reset 34 DOT hrs/ or was broke down.  We revenued over $50,000 in the first 6 months.

Now,  that sounds like alot of money.  And, it is.  We should have been on top of the world.  Would have been except for a couple of things.  By the time the deductions  ( tuition, advances, fuel, computer, phone, accounting services and drivers savings plan) were taken out, we ended up with a grand total of $3,000 in our bank for 6 months of hard work.    We lost EVERYTHING except our personal vehicle (which was broken into while we were on the road).   Needless to say, we resigned from Expedite Solutions and thru Panther hired on with another truck owner.  Things went down hill from there.

We learned alot that first year.  That was 6 years ago.  We have been through truck owners who wouldn't pay, trucks that wouldn't stay running, carriers who don't pay enough to keep running (and pay our bills), and carriers who couldn't keep us loaded. Why are we still here?   We love it!!   From time to time I check online and newspaper classifieds for other employment.....what a joke!!  

My Husband gave up a Tyson pension, insurance, and 401K  to do what what we do.  I have managed real- estate, been a business consultant ,waited tables, cleaned houses professionally, worked with outreach programs  and even have my own business.  We rarely get to see or spend time with our 4 adult children and 14 (2 more on the way) grandchildren, and at times the loads still are not there, the trucks still break down, the miles get longer, and we are getting older.

 Though we originally did not set out to be Expediters and the industry is not consistant,  we cannot imagine doing anything else.