bennett driveaway?

I've had a different experience with Bennett Driveaway. I've been with them for a year, and have nothing negative to say about them. I've seen several comments that are different from my experiences with them. First is the issue of unfair dispatch. Since I've been with them they have had a load board on their website which all drivers can access. Shows all available loads in all states. I see a load I want, call the listing office, and it's mine. Next is the issue of money. I usually get around .50 per mile, plus a decent fuel surcharge. I always try to get long loads to start out from home, then take what I can get with the least deadhead to get back. I tow a car which gets over 30 mpg. It costs me 9 or 10 cents per mile to deadhead, but I get .58 1/2 cents per mile deduction on my taxes.
I shower for free in the truckstops and sleep in my car or truck most of the time when the temp. allows it. I don't burn fuel idling all night.

As an example, my last trip out I got a new truck going from Dallas to CT. It was a higher than usual per mile trip due to some special contract with this customer. I was paid about $1960 for the nearly 1700 mile trip. I left Monday and delivered at 9 PM Wednesday. I bought $540 in fuel and spent $30 for a motel one night. Deadheaded a little over a hundred miles and picked up a tractor in NJ. Delivered it to Kansas City on Monday morning. Netted about $700 after fuel. Deadheaded home about 450 miles, was home late Monday night with about $2000-2100 profit from Monday to Monday.

Not all my trips are this good, but I rarely make less that $1000 per week, and most times I make 1200-1400. I do work hard at planning my next load, and I do keep my expenses down low.

Having said all this....I don't think it is a great job for one who needs benefits and/ or someone to do your thinking for you. As has been said it's up to you to get from place to place, etc.

A young friend of mine left his trucking job to try driveaway and lasted about 3 months. He was the type guy who needed someone to tell him where and when to pick up a load. He stayed in motels every night. He didn't look for his next load in advance, which left him sitting in motels over the weekend rather than driving. So it is easy to fail if it's not done right.

My main attraction to driveaway is that I do it as a retirement job. I woek exactly when I want to. When I come home I always stay at least one week. I really enjoy the job, and my bank account has been very happy with Bennett's deposits.

Dan

 

Do you know anything about how class B drivers make out?
Was my math anywhere close with that?

Like most jobs, it sounds ok for class A people, but the class B people like me might not make it.

 

Hum,sounds like a recruiter doing some deep sea fishing...

Sleep in the car???WOW that's the great life...:smt026

 

Looking back over your previous post I see a couple of things that I could address. First I don't know of any .32 cent loads. Most everything Bennett moves are just power units, either straight trucks (mostly) or bobtail tractors, which can be moved with a class B. These pay an average of .50 cents per mile, either fuel paid, or a good fuel surcharge of maybe .47 or so. If you drive conservatively you can make decent money each trip.

The second thing I would address is that you mentioned "the longer the trip the worse it got". Actually, the longer the trip the more money you make because you are driving, not deadheading or waiting, or any other free activity. When the odometer is rolling you are making money.

I just booked a trip for Tuesday morning. It is nearly 1600 miles. I will make about $800 for 3 days driving (fuel paid). Since I'm starting Tuesday because of the holiday I'll be working hard on the trip up to get a load lined up for Friday pickup so I can drive over the weekend rather than sit somewhere. But If I don't get a load Friday, I'll drive to the nearest "hotspot" where I know there will be a load Monday.

I have a class A license, but never gave it a thought about towing a car with a "B". You can't ? There are many drivers who do quite well with public transportation. I have talked with several who chose to leave the toad behind and do it that way. They take long trips to urban areas where there are transportation services. If you start on one coast and get a 3500 mile trip to the other coast you can afford a plane ticket or bus ride. I know some people who are very good at the planning of those type trips and make very decent money.

I guess, bottom line, is that there is decent money to be made if you're willing to do the planning, willing to sleep in your truck, car or whatever is cheap, etc, etc.

Also, about the pay....some trips, and some companies, pay up to .65 cents, plus fuel surcharge. The prices you originally quoted sounded like non cdl travel trailer towing.

Good luck to you!
Dan

 

I know that no one cares....but...I've been out 2 times since my original posts. The first time I left on Tuesday the 5th of July. Got back home the following Tuesday. Did 3 loads and after fuel deductions, made about $1600. Stayed home for awhile. Left home last Monday. 1st trip Monday until delivered Thursday paid $735. Picked up a truck Thursday, delivered Saturday, paid $680. Picking up a truck Monday to near home paying about $325. Home Tuesday. Figure it out. Didn't have to rob even one convenience store or go to the Salvation Army to get home.

I must say, even trying to be a gentleman, that I'm insulted at the ignorance in this thread.

 

Welcome to the forum,we all have the right to express our opinion as long it stays some what in professional matter.If you don't like our opinions then move on,we get a lot of fly by night posters all the time so this an't nothing new.Its no ignorance,its freedom of speech my friend...

 

Sorry that you feel insulted Dan65, but as BigGarmin says, I'm a little confused as to why. It's just an online forum. I did appreciate your inputs, though they did not help me very well to guage what life would be like on the class B team, where you can't pull toads, and have to pay to get back and forth. Suffice it to say, I'll settle soon, for being a taxi driver in Lewiston Maine, for a little while, until something better comes up.

 

It's not what you make it's what you keep.
Factor in fuel, deadhead to next pick up, wear & tear on your tow car,
lack of possible backhaul, living expenses on the road, etc., etc., etc.
All these will eat away at your profit margin big time.
For many they wind up in the hole.

 

That's my point,only way someone can do this job is someone who either retired and gets a S.S check each month or someone who has a income but does this job on a part time basics to make a few extra bucks.Also you don't need to work for a company,you can pick up jobs like these on your own,only thing is you need to have some kind of liability insurance and cargo insurance which you can get cargo insurance of $25,000.00 for around $2k a year,just don't drive any cars book valve over $25,000.00 and you should be OK.

 

I probably used the wrong term in my post. Sorry. It's just that I, and many others, are doing well doing driveaway, and when you see posts from people who don't actually do it implying that you would have to be an idiot to do it kinda rubs you the wrong way. The post that really got to me was that most driveaway drivers steal fuel and rob convenience stores or banks. I really hope that was said in jest.

And yes, this is a better gig for one with some financial independence. It takes a while to figure out the best, most profitable way to do things. You may not go out and strike gold your first week. I've seen 2 threads from guys that didn't give it a chance. One was out for 2 days, the other a couple of short loads, then quit in disgust and told everyone what a horrible deal driveaway was.

It's somewhat like if you worked for ABC trucking. You worked hard every day, they treated you fine, and you made a good living at it. You would not feel good about someone who worked there 2 or 3 days, maybe had a bad attitude, or maybe it was just not the right fit, but you would probably comment when they went online dissing your company.