Decisions decisions

Dice1 · Jan 16, 2013

I agree and if it is a pure business decision, it will be aero trucks all day long.

Love my 9+ mpg Volvo 770 too!

Steve3662 said: ↑

We have nine trucks right now fixing to be eleven by April 1st. I will say I am going with all Volvos because of the fuel milage difference. I have ran different trucks hauling the same loads the Volvos some are 780's and some are 670's are getting between 6.4-6.7 mpg hauling doubles. The next truck is an international 4400, a columbia and a century thats getting 6.0mpg. The next is a t660 that is getting 5.7mpg. The next is a freightliner Coronado that is getting 5.5mpg. Then last and the least is the Western Star 4900ex that is getting 5.0. These are all hauling the same loads pulling doubles. The Western Star and the Coronado are set up the same with Detroits and a 13 speed manual. The century and Columbia are set up the same as the Western Star and the Coronado with exception of a 10 speed manual transmission. The T660 has a cummins with a 18 speed transmission. The international has a cummins with a 10 speed. The Volvos have either a 455 or 500 d-13 depending on which model and the 12 speed I shift transmission. I was a big anti autoshift person until I actually drove one for awhile and now I love it. I ran into the same thing with my drivers until they drove one and now they all want it. The argument of I want control over when to shift or whatever is out the window on the I shift because it does have a manual mode to it. You just press a button and it shifts up or down. So that dog don't hunt on an I shift. So lets look at the figures of the exact same loads for a Volvo vs a Western Star with a big hood. I will go with the lowest volvo at 6.4mpg vs the Western Stat at 5.0 mpg. That is a difference in 1.4 mpg. We run at minimum 200,000 miles a year but I will go on a solo figure of 100,000 miles per year vs a difference in 1.4 mpg. So the Volvo at 100,000 miles at 6.4 mpg will use 15,625 gallons of fuel at $4.00 a gallon that is $62,500. The Western Star at 100,000 miles at 5.0mpg will use 20,000 gallons of fuel at $4.00 a gallon that is $80,000 in fuel. That is a $17,500 a year difference. Kinda makes my decision for me being a business.

As an owner operator you can no longer look at things from just a drivers stand point. You have to look at it as a business. In an industry that profit margins are low $17,500 can break you. Lets say you get that long nosed truck and your fuel bill is $80,000. Where are you going to lease to? How much do they pay? What is the average pay if they pay percentage? Most percentage companies I've seen say somewhere between $1.64-$1.71 to the truck for all miles. You have already used .80cpm in fuel alone. Then you have your standard deductions for plates, insurance, trailer payment if applicable, and so on. Then you have your truck payment of somewhere around $3,000 a month for a new truck at $140,000 and you are lucky enough to find a rate of 5.5% over 5 years. Then you can look at maintanence cost which I will use 10% of your budget for maintenance costs that's $17,100 a year. Then you have to provide into an emergency fund then pay yourself. Boy after all this that $17,500 in fuel savings looks better than that long nosed flat top Pete.
Click to expand...

BigBadBill · Jan 16, 2013

jrboyce83 said: ↑

Im in a 09 cascadia with dd15 and avg 5.7
Click to expand...

Get it to the shop fast. Something is wrong with that tractor. That's a 7 MPG truck running hard.

BigBadBill · Jan 16, 2013

OP, easy answer, this is a business first. Once you have a track record running it as a business then you can start moving towards the shinny stuff.

But I will warn you. Once you have comfort and space it is tough to pay extra money to go smaller and get beaten up.

Cowmobile · Jan 16, 2013

blacklabel said: ↑

First truck....

Buy the fuel efficient body with motor and trans i like

Or

Buy the flat top i want

Where is the easy button.
Click to expand...

Buy what you really want, no sense in being miserable driving some ugly bubble truck everyday if its not what you want..

Cat sdp · Jan 16, 2013

BigBadBill said: ↑

OP, easy answer, this is a business first. Once you have a track record running it as a business then you can start moving towards the shinny stuff.

But I will warn you. Once you have comfort and space it is tough to pay extra money to go smaller and get beaten up.
Click to expand...

I specd a new Volvo and the price was more or less the same as a kw. Same spec.... Volvo might have the milage benefit , but their not cheaper.

At least if you buy 1 at a time!

blacklabel · Jan 16, 2013

Ive drove flat top petes, w9 studios, columbias, volvo 780, and im in a pete 589 now, its to big. I like a narrow body with a hood.

Maybe buy a t-600 first?

And i dont see me pulling much freight under $2a mile, thats just turning the wheels.

My friend has 6 trucks and he says when he was driving he had what he wanted and the other guys had aerodynamic trucks. But now he stays home and books loads, all areo trucks now.

Thats where i want to be.

rollin coal · Jan 16, 2013

Haha!!! careful what you wish for.. I don't envy anybody having to manage a fleet of overgrown whiney babies lol...

blacklabel · Jan 16, 2013

His are all bullwagons, not to many whinners

rollin coal · Jan 16, 2013

Riiight, the last of the real cowboys... Lol.... truck driver is a truck driver. Whiney babies are a dime a dozen behind the big wheel, bullracks are not some sort of special exclusion to that.. you sure have a story book view of trucking, nothing some real world exp won't correct..

Cowmobile · Jan 16, 2013

rollin coal said: ↑

Riiight, the last of the real cowboys... Lol.... truck driver is a truck driver. Whiney babies are a dime a dozen behind the big wheel, bullracks are not some sort of special exclusion to that.. you sure have a story book view of trucking, nothing some real world exp won't correct..
Click to expand...

No, you whine to much pulling a rack you'll be to hauling freight in no time, where whining is a requirement..

Log in or Sign up

Forums

Find Trucking Jobs

Decisions decisions

Dice1 Road Train Member

Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

Wait, employers can't reach you!

BigBadBill Bullishly Optimistic

BigBadBill Bullishly Optimistic

Cowmobile Medium Load Member

Cat sdp . .

blacklabel Heavy Load Member

rollin coal Road Train Member

blacklabel Heavy Load Member

rollin coal Road Train Member

Cowmobile Medium Load Member

Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

Wait, employers can't reach you!

Log in or Sign up

Useful Searches

Find Trucking Jobs

Decisions decisions

Dice1 Road Train Member

Wait, employers can't reach you!

BigBadBill Bullishly Optimistic

BigBadBill Bullishly Optimistic

Cowmobile Medium Load Member

Cat sdp . .

blacklabel Heavy Load Member

rollin coal Road Train Member

blacklabel Heavy Load Member

rollin coal Road Train Member

Cowmobile Medium Load Member

Wait, employers can't reach you!