Waiting on New Trucks thread.

So how's it possible that that you can gross over $200 000 with one truck working on oil fields?

 

You don't count.
You are not a solo owner operator with a brand new truck. Specifically, you are not an operator, you don't make the specific effort and sacrifice.

 

It is not so much about a brand new truck as about how someone has to pay for it.
If you bought it for cash or almost, so that a truck payment is not a proverbial ax hanging above your head, then there is the reason why you work only 2-3 weeks a month.
We are talking about someone having to cough out 4k for the payment and then additional $1500 for the increased insurance premium, maybe less if someone is leased on. If you can make that much revenue in such a short time then you must be working on some oil field dry van spot market. Making 5K- 6K a week from 2000 miles is what I see in my World. But I must be very short sighted because there is $200 000 revenue on oil fields somewhere. I would have never imagined that this much money was ever possible in a trucking business.

 

N

No lessons were ever learnt by anybody. What are you talking about? I heard that talk before...at least for the last 8,5 years. The "soon" word never materialized.

 

A little harsh, you think. Effort and sacrifice? It takes some effort and I’m not so sure about sacrifice to be a o/o. It takes effort and sacrifice to employ others.
A fleet owner has to be on their game. Selling the business to the market vs relying on brokerages to do their job. People count on a fleet owner to be solid and committed completely or many folks and their families will not prosper. They rely on the fleet owner. I’m sure @Midwest Trucker analyzes every aspect of the business continuously in order to know if his operation makes business sense and to look for improvements. He knows worn equipment, is just that. Can’t serve a customer steadfast with worn equipment. Consistency in service pays. New is cheaper. But not all can afford it off the bat. What do I know? Had my authority over 1 year. I am green. But I am doing well enough to afford a brand new nice specd truck and trailer. Now after 1 year I am buying a second new unit. I couldn’t have done it with worn equipment. I serve a customer weekly, every week. Can’t miss work.The alternative is complaining about spot market loads. No thanks, I’ll move to the direction to my customer base and sell. Need solid equipment for that, and it pays well enough for my expenses.

 

I don’t think many realize how important it is to have new/nice equipment in selling one’s services to a customer. No shipper ever wants to pay for the risk of janky equipment breaking down.

 

Sorry to tell you I am one of those guys that bought it on credit with 5K down. With a trailer note on top of that, I pay my insurance a year at a time as well. Not hard to run smart and make money on load boards. I could have done this when I first started with no experience based off the numbers I made my first year. Insurance is right at 12K a year now vs my first year was about 22K.

 

Funny thing is you see plenty of business with contract freight go out and flop just like anyone on a load board. If you run cheap either way it will put you out of business. Glad you are doing good as well. Nothing wrong with people making it happen!

 

Don't be sorry to tell me...it does not affect me. I am a little perplexed that your statements contradict me, because I tried objectively to project the current market situation.

If your superior spot market achievements are obtained with ease and smartness, to the point that it contradicts overall perception of current poor rates, why don't you show lost souls what you mean by it, to back it up, otherwise it is of little merit to those fancing a brand new Truck with $4k monthly commitment for 5-7 years because you are not going to be there for them at their 1st installment out of 60.
You know...you may be sending a message that it is easy peasy out here these days.

 

I do realize that a fleet owner has responsibilities of bigger magnitude than a solo owner operator but it is the owner operator who has to drive that truck and spend their life in it instead of their family. Every day and night spent in a truck away from home is the effort and sacrifice. That's especially true when the payments enslave the owner operator.
A business owner who does not drive, does not experience the same unforgiving prose of life as an owner operator, inflicted by those insane payments.
It is like comparing a plight of staff general and an infantry soldier in a trench during World War I.