Does anyone know how companies determine how much per mile they pass along to their contractors as a fuel surcharge? The companies appear to differ, and it is never as much as OOIDA says it should be. AND, are there any O/O out there "making it" (driving solo), on the .90 cents per mile plus fuel surcharge that larger companies are offering? Thanks.

I personally don't deal with fuel surcharges as we bid haul equip and also have an hourly rate thrown in for standby time.Here's how you can look at it tho'....June 25 the fuel surcharge was based on $4.648 which put your surcharge for dedicated freight (TL) at .78 cents per mile.If these big companys were paying you as they SHOULD, you would be pulling in $1.68 plm....Take 4.68 divide it by 6 for your fuel mileage(some way worse,some way better.Just using 6mpg as an example)...that would give you .78 which would then give you your .90 these outfits were offering you.You can then start stripping that .90 down with dh miles,maint,breakdowns and all of your legals(ins,plates,taxes etc) and pretty soon you are eating rocks with no salt if you ain't careful.

I know A LOT of guys trucks who are either being repo'd or are sitting in their yard right now because they can't make it,BUT I also have a few friends who say they are making more money right now than they've ever made in their lives due to the surcharge.I know this probably hasn't helped you much,but I will call a couple of buddys today that are making a good paycheck right now and see what they are getting for fuel surcharge and post later.

Hopefully,somebody with more sense than me (which would be just about anybody else on this board) will have posted a better response to you.

__________________
"I have trouble remembering names,may I just call you Scrote ?"

NO HABLA JIBBER JABBER

"Haven't I told you a million times not to exaggerate"

Every so often, I like to stick my head out the window, look up, and smile for a satellite picture

CBA # 454

i have talked to a few also, that love the high price. one was averaging 7.8 MPG!!!! with a drop-deck

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tip for new truckers: to err is human, to forgive is not D.O.T. policy.
"i've been working all week, and i'm tired and i dont wanna sleep and i wanna have fun... it's time for a good time!!!!" alan jackson

my fuel surcharge
mpg(3.5)x run miles X2 = gallons x the rocky mtn price avg - gal@ 1.75

ex 100 mile run one way = 200 / 3.5 =57gal of fuel x avg price 4.50 = $256.50 - 57@ $ 1.75 =$ 99.75 = FSC=$156.75

I actully have couple runs where the FSC is greater than the fuel cost so I am not ######## to much it just sucks because I have to eat the increse on the front end and when you go thru 9500gal a month eating the .75 a gal up front can take a big bite out of the bank account while I wait a month for my settelment and it also doesn't cover the price on every thing else that fuel is driving up
it would be interesting to see how other guys are getting there fsc

It's crazy ain't it.My best friend is leased onto a long haul run with a dump wagon and anytime I mouth about the fuel prices he says he loves it,bring it on.He's the one I'm gonna call here directly to gather some more info for China.We drag a lowboy with a w900l sleeper truck and this fuel is eating our lunch.We bid haul,so we bid as high as the trees and if we get it,we're golden,if we dont,who cares.

We raunch around on these backroads and I really doubt we are averaging 4 mpg overall.Like I said,we just bid super high because the few other equip haulers in this area do the same and we have just as good of a chance as the next guy.

__________________
"I have trouble remembering names,may I just call you Scrote ?"

NO HABLA JIBBER JABBER

"Haven't I told you a million times not to exaggerate"

Every so often, I like to stick my head out the window, look up, and smile for a satellite picture

CBA # 454

YOU GOTTA BE GOOD AT SAVING FUEL ANY WAY YOU CAN AND AN OVERALL GOOD BUSINESSMAN TO MAKE IT WORK

__________________

tip for new truckers: to err is human, to forgive is not D.O.T. policy.
"i've been working all week, and i'm tired and i dont wanna sleep and i wanna have fun... it's time for a good time!!!!" alan jackson

We figure as a percentage of the line haul rate, between 30-40% lately, depending on the EIA site. We don't do it on miles, people started ######## that we were billing for more miles than we should (like actually charging the miles while getting to their load) or arguing over what program we figured it off of. Easier this way.

Play black jack with a OO with a few trucks
Hauling scrap metal from Milwaukee to Chicago
$4.25 one way with a 45% FSC
Flat $250.00 back haul
$185.00 to the driver

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I want to work, but just don't know. I only have a little more than 1 year OTR experience. I was screwed so bad by Averitt, that I am reluctant to drive as a company driver again. But the last thing that I need in my life is to buy a tractor and look at it every day parked in the weeds, because the .90 cents/ mile and the FSC that the companies pay you won't cover operating expenses. I don't have any debt and a low cost of living, but I just don't know. Thanks everyone.

We know where you're at cause most of us have been there.This is a vicious biz and you have to be able to really watch your back good to do it.NEVER let anyone get to deep in your pocket and owe you a bunch of money with the thought that they will pay you after they've already screwed you once is the best advice I could give to someone wanting to be an O/O.....If they don't do EXACTLY what they say they are going to do and do it EXACTLY when they said they would,move on because it ain't gonna get no better and you'll end up the loser everytime and never let anyone owe you enough money that they can make you or break you.

__________________
"I have trouble remembering names,may I just call you Scrote ?"

NO HABLA JIBBER JABBER

"Haven't I told you a million times not to exaggerate"

Every so often, I like to stick my head out the window, look up, and smile for a satellite picture

CBA # 454