So you want to "own " your own company

Are the 2004 cummins motors any good? Also does that cummins motors eat up erg valves?

 

I lease to Combined out of Oregon hauling glass for 75% of the load and 100% of the fuel surcharge. The fuel surcharge pays more than the average company drivers per mile pay. I have been doing this for 3 years and have had no problem with them. If I owned my own Glass trailer I would get 83% of the load. No Qualcom, no governed truck. Everything has it's up's nd downs but I would never go back.

 

Is Combined's flatbedding any good? I wanted to check them out as well.

 

Flat bed is good if your over the road, if your dedicated its all glass.

 

Looking to lease to Schneider or Landstar, paid on % and pick your own load. I would be interested on your feedback on these two companies

 

Any O/O's out there that own both truck and trailer that AREN'T leased on with a company? Was told about a tanker driver that started out with his own truck and renting/leasing (?) a trailer, went directly to the companies like ExxonMobil, BASF and Nalco, started hauling mainly dedicated routes for them until he had enough saved to buy his own tanker and now hauls all 48. Was told that they will pay the same amount to an O/O that they would pay to a company like Schneider, SC, QC etc. but instead of only getting 65-70% (if leased with a truck company) the O/O gets all the money. Anybody got any info about running like this?

Also, if anybody could provide any info about running with Heniff that would be great as well.

 

If you are skilled enough to land a dedicated contract with Exxon or whoever that is how you make money potentially. If anyone else finds out you are doing this then they will try to steal that contract away from you when it is up. The only owner operators I have found that make money are the ones that have dedicated hauls for a specific company. These guys running for 75% of the load aren't making any money. The loads are cheap enough that you can't afford to give up 25%. Combined Transporation is a a cheap company. Just look at their equipment.

 

don't let the mercer boys read your post. they're perfectly happy donating 25%
along with the other carriers.

there IS a service to be had though. sometimes, that 25% donation is worth it.

 

I have heard of situations where the revenue is so high that giving up 25% would not hurt the bottom line. An example is hauling windmill towers. Everyone and his uncle hauls windmill towers now. It use to be very profitable and it still would be if you didn't have to give up 25% or more. The only thing prevent people from hauling windmill towers was the $140k cost for the trailer.

Bottom line is if you make $2.00 a mile and you give up 25% then where are you at after fuel and all the crappy deductions these big companies hit you with. If you own your own truck and a load pays $2.00 a mile you know exactly where you are at. I use to work for ATS. Not the greatest company in the world. They had workmans comp fees, QUALCOMM fees, accounting fees, bobtail insurance and regular insurance(both were overpriced), and I can't remember the rest. Lots of fees.

 

There are owner operators who lease to carriers and are doing very well. That 25% most charge is not all profit for them. They pay the insurance, compliance and dispatch costs. They also act like the bank and usually pay before they have been paid. So, you don't have the costs of a factor or quick pay, you don't have to pay for cargo and liability insurance, log books, etc., Benefits can include discounts on tires, repairs and fuel. Some carriers pass along fuel discounts of $0.50/gallon or more. It costs a lot of money to stay on top of receivables, compliance, recruiting, billing, etc., Somebody has to pay for all those services. You can get your own authority, pay your own insurance, get your own loads, pay full price at the pump, pay full price for tires and repairs (or negotiate your own discounts), pay a dispatcher or get your own loads, etc., There are costs involved in running any business. There are advantages to leasing to a carrier. I am not pushing to lease, but it is better for some rather than to do everything themselves. Most carriers calculate and file your IFTA and other permits, such as your IRP, UCR, etc., Some pass along the cost of base plates and permits, others absorb the costs. One advantage to leasing is if you ever have a major breakdown and don't have the funds to make the repairs, some carriers will lend you the money and deduct the costs from your settlements. If you were on your own you would need to find the money or shut down your business. Giving up 25% of the rate sounds like a lot of money until you break down some of the costs of operations that are included in that fee. Another consideration are the rates. Many carriers have contracts with their own shippers that protect owner operators from dramatic seasonal fluctuations in rates. Some owner operators are getting as good or better rates leased to a carrier as they would running their own authority. I have run under my own authority for many years and prefer that to leasing, but it isn't the right choice for everyone. I think that I do better on my own, but that isn't true for everyone who runs under their own authority.