What am I missing?

Discussion in 'Ask An Owner Operator' started by Preacher Man, Jan 24, 2009.

  1. luvtheroad

    luvtheroad Road Train Member

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    You're right, everyone is posting the numbers that they think/know are correct. And they might be numbers that work for them. Hopefully... 1POD is posting what he has to have to make a good/decent living and is always very factual. I can't give you any numbers because I am not an O/O, don't tell anyone but I don't balance my check book. LOL The only piece of advice I can give you is to search out a GOOD accountant, someone who knows the trucking industry. Best of luck.
     
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  3. coastie

    coastie Road Train Member

    to make it at 0.90 CPM you have to have your numbers down as low as you can. But you also have to remember at that rate the Company your leased to will be covering many of the expenses that you would have to if you were running on your own authority. Plus on top of the .90 you should get the fuel surcharge which will bring it up higher cpm rate. It will not be easy but you will need to be with a company that will run you and not have you sitting.
     
  4. Preacher Man

    Preacher Man Road Train Member

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    Now we're getting somewhere.

    As of right now I am looking at being away from home 21 out of 30 days a month, no holidays and will make about $30K a year gross. I have forced New York and Canada. I don't get enough miles to qualify for bonuses.
    If I can do what I'm doing now but get rid of forced dispatch, that would be a great starting point.
     
  5. Boxcar

    Boxcar Light Load Member

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    Cat to lay off 20,000 just seen it on the news..
     
  6. luvtheroad

    luvtheroad Road Train Member

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    Preacher Man, I sincerely hope this works for you. Here is one thing you might want to think about if you are on your own. The companies you've listed in your post, probably will not consider you since you will have one truck. Most of those customers deal in huge volumes. You may have to be leased on with a big carrier or be involved with a big carrier's brokerage. That way you may be able to get freight out of those shippers.
     
  7. Boxcar

    Boxcar Light Load Member

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    And those 9 days at home you will be under the truck... My friend and I use to Joke with each other Trucking isn't a Job its a lifestyle. I just don't get all these guys thinking they can go buy a truck and be happy making 30k living on the road. I know of a great job you'll be gone just as much making twice as much PM me Your in IL right you do know how many railroad jobs are in IL right?
     
  8. Preacher Man

    Preacher Man Road Train Member

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    If I want to work local I can put a wet kit on a truck and buy a dump bucket. As for Staley, ADM, and the others the companies they work with are already based in Central Illinois and most of them started out just like I am looking at doing. The question on the table isn't about getting business to fill a trailer. The question is how is anyone leased on with a company that pays $.90 a mile making a profit.

    I have met many drivers that do not own a truck, the truck owns them. If you are in business and the business runs your life you are not making a profit. In fact the goal of a business owner should be to grow themselves out of a job. If you own a truck that you drive, your business closes when you can no longer drive.
     
  9. kentuckyrambler2

    kentuckyrambler2 Light Load Member

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    Jan 18, 2009
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    Coming from an O/O let me first start out by saying you need to real care
    about trucking first before you even think about owning own. Now on to your questions I will be strait forward on why you are not getteing hard numbers. It is because there are lots and let me stress the word LOTS of veriables. To name a few are, whats your truck payment, insurance, going to be a month. What year is your truck going to be, because some companies will not lease on a truck thats over 5 years old. How many miles are on it, if its an older truck do you know how to tell a good truck from a bad one before you buy it. What is the fuel prices, and how many miles/gallon does your truck get. What if it brakes down are you going to or can you fix it on your own if not then your looking at a garage bill. What are the companies paying, are they all o/o that work for the company, becuse if not your competeing with company trucks, and the company
    trucks will run before yours and they will tend to get the better paying loads. What are you pulling, van, tank ,reefer because this also makes a differecance sometimes on what a O/O will make/mile. ect. ect. and the list goes on and on, but to top it off the big companies are out there cutting the rates like raving dogs just to haul the frieght instead of working together to make good rates.

    My truck is paid for so I have no payments every month, it is not new, I have done fair let me stress the word FAIR with my truck, and I know how to work on it and I carry tools and spare parts. I team run it with a friend, thats how I make it. Its a TRADE BUISNESS and in a buisness mind I would rather have one truck with a team in it running 6000+ miles/week then two trucks with solo drivers in them to get 6000+ miles/week. Also I have no kids or wife, and all that I own is paid for. If you have a house payment,car payment and any other payments at home that comes of your profit too. Your not going to get a strait answer because as the old saying goes "what is good for the goose is not good for the gander."

    Sorry if this disappoints you but it is the TRUTH, why because each year varies on what a truck will GROSS by how much it stays running and what the freight is paying and the NET is determined by the many above variables I mentioned and more. :biggrin_255:
     
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  10. Preacher Man

    Preacher Man Road Train Member

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    What I notice is that most drivers I have talked to think like drivers first and business owners second. This is not an uncommon problem, I spent twenty years as a photographer and most photographers think like photographers first and business men second which is why so few ever succeed. I don't care what business you are in there is a starting point of business operation. As one photographer put it, "Everyone pays the same for an 8x10." I have been out of photography for over four years and yet I can still give you ballpark numbers if you want to start a photography business. (I wouldn't recommend it since everyone with a camera phone thinks they are a professional.)

    I have said all that to illustrate my point. There are drivers that somehow are leasing trucks getting paid $.90 a mile plus fuel surcharge and making a profit. HOW?

    I know that the payments on a $25k truck are going to be different than on a $130k truck. I understand that "fsc" goes up and down based on fuel prices. All of that said if you are buying a truck you are starting a small business and you can't do that without some solid numbers even if they are only averages. This thread is intended to get those average numbers. What are drivers actually paying for a gallon of fuel when the company discount kicks in? What is the monthly fuel tax you pay? Etc.

    Mortgage, utilities and other household expenses are personal and not business expenses. These are all things that are paid out of a driver's salary. Net business profit is what is left over after all business budget categories are fully funded and any salaries have been paid.

    Let's assume we are talking about 6.5mpg. Pulling a dry van. Let's figure on the low side of miles- 8000 a month
     
  11. 1pissedoffdriver

    1pissedoffdriver Account Retired at members request

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    I am burned out trying to tell wanna be o/o's the truth about the #'s..
    They just have to get out there and see it first hand....

    Your blue print is just that...a blue print...lol

    The reality is so much different than a blue print peice of paper.So get out there and give it hell..

    But do not ever say that (you were not warned)...


    today's load......omaha ne. to mitchell s.d.(deadhead)=250 MILES

    mitchell s.d. - selma tx (paid miles) 1014 MILES

    p/u- today
    del's- wednesday

    2 days of work as a o/o

    total paid miles = 1,014 x 1.56 (per mile)
    deadhead miles(unpaid)= 250

    load pays= $1,581.84 - 35%(landstar cut)= $1,028.19

    $1,028.19 total money gross

    deductions

    deadhead miles = 250 divide 8 miles to gallon= 31.25 gallons x 2.40(avg)=$75.00

    loaded miles = 1,014 divide 5.5 = 184.36 gallons x 2.40(avg) = $442.47

    442.00 + 75.00 = $517.47 total fuel used

    load pays $1,028.19 - $517.47 = $510.72

    $510.72 is what this load pays to the truck.....

    $510.72 - (maintainence) 126.40 = 384.32

    384.32 divide by total miles driven 1264

    384.32/ 1264 = .30 per mile= your labor

    384.32 / 2 days = 192.16 per day

    possible more deductions

    1- tolls
    2-scale out
    3 -food for day
    4=1264 miles x .10(maintenence account)= $126.40
    5= taxes need to be taken out of this gross pay
    6= ifta tax will be around 20.00

    trust me there are more deductions than this for a day to day operation...

    i hope my math is right because i am in a hurry right now...lol,lol...correct me if i am wrong.....

    these are my numbers today as a so called big money maker owner operator...rolmfao....

    the rates need to come up is the bottom line in trucking!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    i have arrived.....big money:biggrin_25512:



    this is a basic day for landstar ranger....
    i hope this helps you out..

    IF I BLOW A TIRE I LOST EARNINGS FOR THE DAY...LMAO
     
    luvtheroad, walleye, Thumper and 3 others Thank this.
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