Running with JCT, Part Deux

Yes I do understand what you are saying, the only problem is my weekly average is 3100/12k+ monthly and I NEVER EVER buy fuel at the national average, my fuel is 2.65 or less, and lastnight I filled up at 2.38 a gallon. And the other flaw in this logic is we are paid per mile, and although you may buy about 49 less gallons than I do to do my miles, you can't do my miles at 55 or 60, so you have limited your income on your own. Now even if I used your 2500 miles at my average fuel cost of 2.60 a gallon you made a net of 989, and I made 1195 for my 3100 solo mile average.
Next the truck payment and maintenance is .29 a mile no matter what from EVERY load, it does not matter if that load is turned in this week, next week or next month that .29 is already coming out of it.
To get more of your money out of a load you turn in as many as you can in a week so those fixed cost are spread out over more loads my fixed are 400 a week.
I'm comfortable netting average 1195 a week and getting my miles and still have enough time to get a restart in and get another 3k+ in the following week, and just having those hours available opens me up to different loads.
As for me paying off this truck, no THAT is not in my plans, but making money is and my loyalty is to my income 100% and if I need to go into my savings because my miles have dropped I'm not happy and I'm looking for the WHY, and you stated earlier March is our slow month, my DM said the same thing, so I look forward to spending more time at home next March. I'm just not pleased to find this out at the end of March.
Now as for me slowing down, I haven't found a reason why there's only a 49 gallon difference and that Sir is $127 and I make that up in miles and some.
My way isn't for everyone, but it works just fine for me, I am VERY productive, and as long as I'm paid by the mile can get there early and drop the load and pick up another and keep rolling I am going to keep taking my 3100 mile average and $1195 net every week, did I even mention the safety bonus, that's mile based also.
Remember it cost money to make money, and it looks like some people are shorting themselves at every turn over a few bucks of fuel savings. To each their own.

 

Wow! I thought I was in a PRIME thread for a second.

 

The $0.29 only comes out when you turn it in. If you don't turn in any trips for the week, you only get charged your fixed expenses.

As far as your way....that's absolutely fine, its your business. I'm trying to tell you how to increase your profit margin. What you are saying in what we call "company driver mentality." There is nothing wrong with that.....if you're a company driver. You are not. Most people don't make the adjustment properly and that is why they struggle. If you manage your business properly, you will not feel the effects of "slow" periods. You should be able to take lots of time off and never miss a weekly settlement. If you were to be down for 3 or 4 weeks, could you survive that? Would you make a paycheck each and every week that you're not working? My guess is no.

2500/week is what the safety bonus is based off of. 10,000/month.

Feel free to do what you're doing, but I am telling you from years of experience running a business that you need to evaluate your cost and profit per mile. You should be able to withstand any hit for whatever reason while not working. You may want to seriously consider calling Laura Watkins at the office and have her put you in touch with a mentor.

I'm not going to argue with you about which method is better. Ask any one in this forum if I'm being factual or not. I took 5 weeks off last year, went to Europe for a month and never missed a paycheck. I also don't kill myself because my profit per mile is high, so that affords me to "tour" this great nation of ours and smell the roses. Why work 70 hours a week when I can work 55-60 and make more money? I'm not a young man anymore and I enjoy my spare time. I don't sweat it if there isn't a load available today or even tomorrow. My life is stress free out here and that is worth thousands of dollars more in health than in the bank. If you do it right, you can make excellent money, be stress free, enjoy more free time with family and friends and perhaps actually visit some of the amazing stuff out here instead of just driving by and say "Oh yeah, I went by there several times."

There is absolutely no shame in not knowing this stuff. We all started somewhere at one time, but please don't have disillusions about having 2 years trucking experience and knowing way more that someone that's been there and done that 8x longer. I am only trying to help. Take the advise....don't take the advise. Up to you.

Best of luck to ya

 

Why do you say that?

 

I will have to say that I tried that hammer down method then the slow down and relax method and the relax method nets me more and I'm less stressed. I do have to be honest when I'm headed home I run hammer down. I'll take the loss of a few bucks to get to hold my woman a few extra minutes.

 

In all actuality you are a company driver. You work for a company. You just get paid more, but also have to cover operational expenses. Therefore, your pay is influenced by performance (yours and the trucks). Not that there's anything wrong with that. Many people are very successful at it.

Can you pull loads outside the company? Can you sign contracts with new customers? If you answered no to either of these you are not a business owner, you are, at best, a contractor who is limited to only one customer.

I point this out because you say "company driver" like that's not you. Like you are looking down your nose at them.

Want to be a business owner, go get your own authority, get your own customers.

Just don't pretend to be something you're not.

 

Because when I hear people talking about having to drive 55 MPH to make money I immediately think PRIME

 

Hey, there are always exceptions, right? lol

 

I agree, sometimes its not all about the money.

 

Due to my California heritage, I have to run with the hammer down everywhere or I break out in a sweat and develop hives. So I manage 7.75mpg in my trusty rusty '15 beast. If I didn't have just 2 years experience, I'd probably realize how to do better...but for now, and for my own health..I must go fastish.

JCT expecting me to work for free, well there is another issue. As in sit at a shipper for 40 hours waiting on freight with ZERO reimbursement for wasting my time. I won't name the shipper but it rhymes with Spyson. And yes, I asked for some cash to ease my reset-in-the-shippers-parkinglot pain. Denied. Was told that was within the shippers window.

So as they expect me to work for free, they cannot be too surprised when good drivers head for the exit.