Double Yellow's Company Driver to Independent Thread

Discussion in 'Ask An Owner Operator' started by double yellow, Nov 5, 2014.

  1. rollin coal

    rollin coal Road Train Member

    13,270
    26,732
    Mar 29, 2008
    TN
    0
    Caps on your own casings, if you take care of your tires, are just as reliable as virgins. Taking care of them not only means properly inflated at all times but also not abusing them like some of these dufus heads driving over curbs and boulders to bump a dock because they are too dumb or lazy to do a proper approach and set up. You know the ones. The clutch gets popped and the cab rocks side to side. Also, recaps on a large fleet's trailers many hundreds or thousands of trailers, dropped, hooked, pulled by all sorts of drivers rookies, vets alike. Those tires take a lot of abuse from drivers who are again, just dumb, or don't care. Not a good application for recaps. I used to pull trailers like that all the time at my old company and would blow about a half dozen trailer caps a year. With my own operation in 3 years I have never had any problem with a cap on the trailer or the tractor. For the one truck owner they are a really good way to save money. But not if you abuse tires.
     
    csmith1281, the454kid, Grijon and 6 others Thank this.
  2. Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.

  3. MACK E-6

    MACK E-6 Moderator Staff Member

    48,739
    225,074
    Sep 19, 2005
    Baltimore, MD
    0
    Some of the holes you're may be expected to get into can contribute to this due to poor design on the customer's part.

    Sometimes jumping a curb can't be helped, but do it GENTLY.
     
    csmith1281 and jman82 Thank this.
  4. rank

    rank Road Train Member

    9,918
    113,503
    Feb 11, 2010
    50 miles north of Rochester, NY
    0
    Absoltuely. And healthcare. And holiday/vacation pay.
     
  5. rank

    rank Road Train Member

    9,918
    113,503
    Feb 11, 2010
    50 miles north of Rochester, NY
    0
    Do you pull that trailer all the time?
     
  6. rank

    rank Road Train Member

    9,918
    113,503
    Feb 11, 2010
    50 miles north of Rochester, NY
    0
    deleted. wrong guy
     
    Last edited: Nov 9, 2014
    Obscured.By.Clouds Thanks this.
  7. dca

    dca Road Train Member

    6,834
    11,427
    May 31, 2011
    Earth
    0
    No sir I do not.. tire pressure was fine.. looked alright too.. held air for approx 20 miles before it blew. the tire didnt shred into several pieces .. it was 27 miles to the shop where it was replaced .. it was the type where you ccan see the glue.. I've had fenders an walls beat up pretty good in my personal vehicles .. I don't luke recaps period ..
     
    ironpony Thanks this.
  8. rank

    rank Road Train Member

    9,918
    113,503
    Feb 11, 2010
    50 miles north of Rochester, NY
    0
    What did your gauge say?
     
  9. dca

    dca Road Train Member

    6,834
    11,427
    May 31, 2011
    Earth
    0
    ...... 110 ... compamy politics
     
  10. rank

    rank Road Train Member

    9,918
    113,503
    Feb 11, 2010
    50 miles north of Rochester, NY
    0
    LOL. See you never checked that's why it blew. I did a switch with one of our company drivers a while back. I watched him do his post trip on the trailer he walked around and did that useless little toe tappy thing on the trailer tires. Then I did my pre-trip and found a flat tire. Yep....all blow outs are the tires fault.
     
    rollin coal Thanks this.
  11. double yellow

    double yellow Road Train Member

    5,946
    10,066
    Aug 28, 2011
    State of Jefferson
    0
    That's definitely true, but on the opposite side of the equation they're not totally writing off a new truck & trailer in 5 years. Even if they trade it in, it has some residual value...


    I'm a saver so I "set aside" nearly everything. I don't have a fixed amount and I don't divide it into separate maintenance, tax accounts, etc. Because I am a sole proprietor (this year -- next year I'll go LLC/s-corp), I do have to pay 15.3% FICA on all my profit (up to ~$120,000 -- which I won't hit this year). A corporation only pays FICA on "salary" eg $36,000 for a driver. The remaining can be taken as a distribution which is still taxed for income, but not Social Security/Medicare.

    So near the end of each quarter I go over the numbers and determine my preliminary tax liabilities and then see how I can best minimize them. It will often make sense to use that 15+% overlay to make some long-term upgrades. I didn't even have my authority when my 1st quarterly was due & still hadn't yet reached profit for my 2nd. My 3rd (the 4q) will have profit so it makes investing in wide singles, tracking down some side fairings, etc more appealing.

    As far as income tax, aside from the per diem deduction (lowers taxable income by ~$14,000), I also invest the maximum into my solo 401k ($17,500 + 20% of income up to a combined $52,000) & ira ($5,500 if I can keep my MAGI under $60,000). This means I, as a single taxpayer, can earn $100,000/year & still qualify for government subsidies (and that's not even the end of the deductions). Chalk up another win for central planning!

    Next year I will just take this year's total tax liability and divide it by 4, paying that amount each quarter. At the end of the year I will owe, but I won't be penalized for under payment...


    My personal goal is to retire as an evil 1%er (net worth $8.4 million) by the time I'm 50 so I can enjoy 30 years of fending off attacks from people who watched 40 hours of tv per week yet think its not fair that I have more than them...

    I'm 33 with a net worth of $110,000 so I have my work cut out for me. But if I can add $100,000 to my net worth each year, increase my contribution by 10% each year, and earn a 10% real return -- I'll have over $9m when I'm 50. Granted, that is a very tall order (especially since this year has been a stutter-step), but it is within the realm of possibility. To meet my goal, I'll have to absolutely minimize my tax liability (e.g. investing $100,000 - mostly tax deferred - & living on $20,000).

    My general investment strategy:

    Retirement tax accounts: Invest in dividend paying stocks & ETFs (11.6% 25-year average for s&p500), & REITs (12.7% 25-year average)

    Taxable brokerage accounts: Invest in non-dividend paying stocks (Berkshire Hathaway -- 14% 25-year average, Markel -- 15% 25-year average)

    Multi-family real estate: At today's interest rates & with 20% down (requires excellent credit to put that little down), the right property at the right price can pay off its own mortgage (while covering its expenses) in 15 years (a ~12% return). That's the big picture... Individual months, quarters and years can require significant capital inflow so it increases your cash reserve/available credit requirements.

    My business: Example: For $4,000 I can get 8 half-used wide single wheels & tires which would lower my fuel costs by 8% ($4,800/year) & last 1 year (20% return). And unlike most owner/ops, I also plan on investing significantly in R&D. I've had my hands tied by a standard legal agreement I signed giving Con-Way first rights to any intellectual property I created while under their employ, but that agreement will expire at the end of this month. Most of the growth I am projecting over the next 17 years will come from this (probably sounds like a lunch counter story, so we'll see how this plays out).

    [TABLE]
    [TR]
    [TD][TABLE]
    [TR]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD]odometer[/TD]
    [TD]loaded mile[/TD]
    [TD]rate[/TD]
    [TD]$/LM[/TD]
    [TD]$/AM[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD]Weight[/TD]
    [/TR]
    [TR]
    [TD]Lodi to Phoenix[/TD]
    [TD]1476240[/TD]
    [TD]810[/TD]
    [TD]$2,100.00[/TD]
    [TD]$2.59[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD]45k[/TD]
    [/TR]
    [TR]
    [TD]LV to Hanford[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD]375[/TD]
    [TD]$750.00[/TD]
    [TD]$2.00[/TD]
    [TD]$1.30[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD]45k[/TD]
    [/TR]
    [TR]
    [TD]Corning to San Antonio[/TD]
    [TD]1478424[/TD]
    [TD]1850[/TD]
    [TD]$3,248.25[/TD]
    [TD]$1.76[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD]45k[/TD]
    [/TR]
    [TR]
    [TD]Ennis to Gering[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD]997[/TD]
    [TD]$2,450.00[/TD]
    [TD]$2.46[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD]10k[/TD]
    [/TR]
    [TR]
    [TD]Platte to Jackson[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD]786[/TD]
    [TD]$1,500.00[/TD]
    [TD]$1.91[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD]45k[/TD]
    [/TR]
    [TR]
    [TD]Jackson to Plainview[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD]875[/TD]
    [TD]$2,300.00[/TD]
    [TD]$2.63[/TD]
    [TD]$1.88[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD]30k[/TD]
    [/TR]
    [TR]
    [TD]Las Cruces to Sparks[/TD]
    [TD]1483471[/TD]
    [TD]1129[/TD]
    [TD]$2,200.00[/TD]
    [TD]$1.95[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD]35k[/TD]
    [/TR]
    [TR]
    [TD]Stockton to Red Bluff[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD]179[/TD]
    [TD]$650.00[/TD]
    [TD]$3.63[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD]45k[/TD]
    [/TR]
    [TR]
    [TD]Redding to Bellevue[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD]597[/TD]
    [TD]$1,600.00[/TD]
    [TD]$2.68[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD]5k[/TD]
    [/TR]
    [TR]
    [TD]Kent to Davenport[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD]2096[/TD]
    [TD]$3,650.00[/TD]
    [TD]$1.74[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD]15k[/TD]
    [/TR]
    [TR]
    [TD]Fort Madison to Houston[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD]968[/TD]
    [TD]$2,150.00[/TD]
    [TD]$2.22[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD]40k[/TD]
    [/TR]
    [TR]
    [TD]Houston to Liberty[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD]756[/TD]
    [TD]$1,300.00[/TD]
    [TD]$1.72[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD]40k[/TD]
    [/TR]
    [TR]
    [TD]KC to Terrell[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD]518[/TD]
    [TD]$1,100.00[/TD]
    [TD]$2.12[/TD]
    [TD]$1.77[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD]45k[/TD]
    [/TR]
    [TR]
    [TD]Irving to Roswell[/TD]
    [TD]1490622[/TD]
    [TD]486[/TD]
    [TD]$1,325.00[/TD]
    [TD]$2.73[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD]40k[/TD]
    [/TR]
    [TR]
    [TD]El Paso to Yuma[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD]557[/TD]
    [TD]$1,325.00[/TD]
    [TD]$2.38[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD]45k[/TD]
    [/TR]
    [TR]
    [TD]Tolleson to Ladson[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD]2168[/TD]
    [TD]$3,500.00[/TD]
    [TD]$1.61[/TD]
    [TD]$1.56[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD]35k[/TD]
    [/TR]
    [TR]
    [TD]Clarkton to Flagstaff[/TD]
    [TD]1494558[/TD]
    [TD]2512[/TD]
    [TD]$4,350.00[/TD]
    [TD]$1.73[/TD]
    [TD]$1.77[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD]40k*[/TD]
    [/TR]
    [TR]
    [TD]Flagstaff to Carson[/TD]
    [TD]1497013[/TD]
    [TD]497[/TD]
    [TD]$650.00[/TD]
    [TD]$1.31[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD]25k[/TD]
    [/TR]
    [TR]
    [TD]Commerce to Vacaville[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD]408[/TD]
    [TD]$950.00[/TD]
    [TD]$2.33[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD]15k[/TD]
    [/TR]
    [TR]
    [TD]Selma to Walton[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD]2274[/TD]
    [TD]$4,750.00[/TD]
    [TD]$2.09[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD]40k[/TD]
    [/TR]
    [TR]
    [TD]Nicholasville to Marlow[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD]906[/TD]
    [TD]$2,300.00[/TD]
    [TD]$2.54[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD]10k[/TD]
    [/TR]
    [TR]
    [TD]OKC to Rock Springs[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD]965[/TD]
    [TD]$3,000.00[/TD]
    [TD]$3.11[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD]45k[/TD]
    [/TR]
    [TR]
    [TD]Rock Springs to OKC[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD]965[/TD]
    [TD]$1,200.00[/TD]
    [TD]$1.24[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD]10k[/TD]
    [/TR]
    [TR]
    [TD]OKC to Rock Springs[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD]965[/TD]
    [TD]$3,000.00[/TD]
    [TD]$3.11[/TD]
    [TD]$2.19[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD]45k[/TD]
    [/TR]
    [TR]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD]1504242[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [/TR]
    [TR]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [/TR]
    [TR]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [/TR]
    [TR]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD]28002[/TD]
    [TD]24639[/TD]
    [TD]$51,348.25[/TD]
    [TD]$2.08[/TD]
    [TD]$1.83[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [/TR]
    [TR]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [/TR]
    [TR]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD]Deadhead[/TD]
    [TD]13.65%[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [/TR]
    [/TABLE]
    [/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [/TR]
    [/TABLE]

    The 40K* from Clarkton to Flagstaff dropped 20K at the first stop 500 miles down the road...


    Average gross weight per mile: 60,700 lbs
     
    csmith1281, Woobie, eurotrash and 5 others Thank this.
  • Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.