So What Do You Make? - Truckers' Trucking Forum | Message Board

IROCUBabe · **^ Top** #1 06.09.2008

I am trying to figure out if its possible to shed the company tag I am with now and get my own truck. I am not keen on leasing through a company I haven't been able to figure out how they make any money considering fuel would be about 1 dollar a gallon. And all the owner operator lease ons seem to be offering like 1.50ish a mile with the fuel surcharge meaning you are left with 50 cents to pay everything else. Obviously not a good time to go owner operator, but I'm just feeling the waters right now no real plans to jump into buying truck.

So after all your truck related expenses what do you bring home about? What is your general cents per mile ratio? Right now we pull about 5-6k a month, on a good month, and 2-3 k on a bad one. We make 42 cents a mile.

Sergeant-Scream · **^ Top** #2 06.09.2008

I was netting about 1000-1200/week doing 3 days. Making about 2.19/mile after all was said and done....

BigDiesel · **^ Top** #3 06.09.2008

More than others and less than some...........

25(2)+2 · **^ Top** #4 06.09.2008

Give it some more time as a team, you are making decent money, and keep your MVR squeaky clean. There are much better gigs than that available as an owner operator, but it takes time to find them. I'm not sure I want to own one anymore, and it's mostly because of uncertainty, I farmed too long to like gambling with my health being good enough to continue what I'm doing. I would have to do a low cost truck and much of my own mechanical work thing to make it work.

On the other hand, there are lots of trucks for sale and it is a buyers' market. How much would it cost you for insurance, that is the reason for keeping the squeaky clean MVR, plus you are more hire able when you do find a better company gig.

IROCUBabe · **^ Top** #5 06.09.2008

I want to be able to pick the truck I get to drive, not get forced into whatever is available. I also want to do away with the forced speed limits, as many times we were late on a load that we picked up as a screwupload (which is a load a solo person did something on that made it so it couldn't be on time they then switch it to a team load to get it there asap) when 5 mph higher speed would have saved the load ontime. I like being able to use inverters, and invest into the truck. It makes me unhappy to see all the neat things a truck can have but I cannot bother with because its not my truck. Eh, I've always been a person that has worked to being self operating. Did run my own two companies before, but they had a bit less expenses to count in as trucking would. Gas, breakdowns, maintenance, truck payment, taxes, and insurance erk.

Sergeant-Scream · **^ Top** #6 06.09.2008

Truck looks do not make the truck anymore money. Truck toys and accessories are to high in cost with todays fuel costs.

Sandlapper · **^ Top** #7 06.21.2008

My truck averages around $1.80/mile on all miles loaded and unloaded. Reefer freight mostly through brokers. Fuel cost per mile is around $.81/mile, Fixed cost is roughly $.44/mile running as a team 200,000 miles/year and I pay my co driver $.18/mile. As a whole My company earns $.37/mile 15% of which is for replacing my truck and trailer in four years. I make about $.31/mile with a lot more headache and worry than a company driver, but on the upside I can go home anytime I want or can afford to.

Jack.Frost · **^ Top** #8 06.21.2008

talked to an o/o the other day and he told me it costs him .70 cent a mile to run and his surcharge is only .60 cents a mile. now how can anybody drive if your losing .10 cents a mile. your just throwing money away to drive.

Sandlapper · **^ Top** #9 06.21.2008

$.70 is probably his fuel cost per mile. The fuel surcharge is money added to the linehaul rate. He is probably making somewhere in the neighborhood of $1.20/mile linehaul + $.60/mile fuel surcharge. I dont receive a fuel surcharge on my loads. Most brokers pay a flat rate on loads in order to mask what they are taking off the top from the linehaul and fuel surcharge.

Eskimo6804 · **^ Top** #10 06.23.2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by IROCUBabe

I am trying to figure out if its possible to shed the company tag I am with now and get my own truck. I am not keen on leasing through a company I haven't been able to figure out how they make any money considering fuel would be about 1 dollar a gallon. And all the owner operator lease ons seem to be offering like 1.50ish a mile with the fuel surcharge meaning you are left with 50 cents to pay everything else. Obviously not a good time to go owner operator, but I'm just feeling the waters right now no real plans to jump into buying truck.

So after all your truck related expenses what do you bring home about? What is your general cents per mile ratio? Right now we pull about 5-6k a month, on a good month, and 2-3 k on a bad one. We make 42 cents a mile.

If your motivation to be an owner operator is so you can drive fast and have a pretty truck, DON'T DO IT!!! You will make far less money as a starting owner/op (leasing to a company)with that mentality than what you make now. If you are in it strictly for the money, there is plenty of money to be made if you are willing to sacrifice deeply in the ego department. That's not to say that all guys who drive large cars are broke, but the ones making good money have been in the game for awhile and know the "rules" of the game very well.

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