mileage and price questions

How many areas do you REALLY know what's manufactured? I can see having a nice little "niche", but that's about it.

http://www.thomasnet.com/

 

Some people have instincts about things and some don't. Patience and attitude can't be taught - you either have them or you don't. They're key to everything. I never had a plan to "get x amount.t of miles at $x.xx rate per mile". I never believed $3 a mile wasn't possible consistently with a van. You've already set your parameters what you think is possible do you not think brokers arent going to see you coming from a mile away? That mileage mentality is the un-doing of many. There's so much more than just plans and numbers. It would take a book to explain. You either get it or not. I'll take that bad week of 500 miles on $3 a mile over anything you manage to muster in a week from your plan.

 

He's just taking a dollar amount times some miles and thinking, wow look at all that money. If he only knew...

 

I understand what you are getting at, but a 30-50 mile dead head on a 200 -300 mile load at 2.70 freight is pretty well hit by that dead head.

Yet a 50 mile dead head on a 1400 mile load isn't much to a 1.90 freight.



Let's just say right now, frustration level is not at an acceptable level.

 

I get that.. I had a 1,050 deadhead miles over the past 8 days out of 3,338 to where I'm at right now. My loaded miles only rate was $3.30 a mile to the truck. That's called thinking outside of the box, doing what others won't bother with, and doing it better than a lot that are already doing it. If I limited myself to thinking when I started doing this that it wasn't possible it never would be happening in the here and now. But like I said, a book could be written.

 

I am hoping to put a lift kit on the front axle of the trailer. But dang those "$400" projects keep adding up.

Mainly so that those light loads can be put on 4 axles instead of 5 making it a lot betting handling truck and safer for operating. Will save wear on that set of tires as well. Seeing it more and more.

This week I had 800 miles. 400 of it dead head. My next load is 1200 miles with only 40 dead on it. I made as much "overall" on that 1200 mile load as all those 800. I can do it in 2 days instead of 3.

 

If you want to write it, i'll read it.

 

If I did that where would that leave me? Anyone else's results may vary. You just can't teach some things. One thing I do know, the only limitations a person has - are the ones they put on themselves (A. Lincoln).

 

I got a 20 in my wallet......so 20 dollars richer would be my guess as to where you are left. Lol.



Honestly knowing what i know now from reading around here i highly doubt that i would have bought a truck like i did. Much less pull containers with it. A lack of research and misinformation can do that. However now that im in it, im determined to do what i have to make jt work. Come Nov ill have enough exp to be able to take the truck somewhere else. Landstar or similar system is what i want.

Your prospective is completely different and the more i read and think about it the more it starts to make sense. Just trying to gain as much knowledge as i can in order to use it to benefit my particular situation.

 

That right there is payment enough for me. I was in your exact situation in a deadend lease paying 95 cents a mile practical miles (still short!!) plus surcharge (it was $1.40 when I left last Sept) on loaded miles and 90 cents empty with no surcharge on empty miles. I knew going into that contract there was no money in it. The reason I did it was because I had been a company driver with that company for 9 years and knew those people and the freight very well. I figured out in two years time how to take care of the truck and keep it going. Looking back now I should have ditched them much sooner, that said I still think highly of that company and am greatful for what I did and learned there, and also the money I made in a company truck. But it was time to move on and I knew that time would come. I wanted to work on a percentage and get the best rate possible through my own means, whatever it took. I read about guys on here the rates they could get. It inspired me that it was possible. The fact that you see this and are seriously saying to yourself, "I am going to Landstar" makes all the time I spend on here worth it. One less guy out there who finally got it and decided to quit working for nothing. I see so many smart operators on here who I know are in the same deadend lease like I was 95 cents plus surcharge - who with only some effort could make so much more. They leave so much money on the table.. I don't knock them for what they do and understand but at the same time if they were to be inspired to something better, then that is a good thing. It's not easy out here like this - you've got to have your thinking cap on - but it IS possible.