Instant O/O and Load boards

Between 75 and 80 cpm depending on number of miles and fuel prices.

I also have some tolls, meals, lodging, and light expenses thrown in there towards the break-even. Fuel, Truck, Trailer, Insurance ONLY breakeven is somewhere around 65

 

Today I have my first inconvenience with Eclipse. My settlement should have been about $2500 today and I saw that $1150 was transferring to my account so I called.

Turns out there was an 800lb discrepancy in weight from shipper to receiver on the big load (high dollar) that I hauled last week. When this happens, they hold it back until the actual time the shipper pays (about 2 weeks) to make sure there is no claim filed. So this kind of sucks.

About that load, it was peanut hulls. Two things were unusual here, one me and the guy behind me, our tare weights were very low. Both of us weighed in about 1k lighter than we've ever seen before. But I didn't think much of it because the net weight should still work out. Anyway the shipping docs don't have stamped scale weights, it's just a net weight number written in without the supporting documents, so I also suspect an arithmetic error at the shipper. Well it looks like I wait because of it. I certainly had no use for a half ton of peanut hulls.



I'll summarize Eclipse again since they seem to be under the microscope here. Basically there is no shortage of freight, and they pay quickly. This is what is important to me. As far as rates, they are right in line with everyone else for LOADED miles, however the deadheads can and do eat in to the rates. But, all I pay to eclipse is the standard 10%, and for that I get all my loads, fuel cards, and factoring (for 2%).

I think I have the most efficient setup with them. Getting the trailer eats another 10% and really digs into the profits. Add the down payments etc and that is another hidden percentage over time and it's real easy to start upside down for a while. These are the growing pains that M is having, on top of having to support another driver. They basically closed out WallyGator by making the startup too excessive especially with the deadhead to NE from FL to pickup the trailer which was expensive enough. They also wouldn't front fuel for that. He could have done it but it didn't make much sense.

In my case I had my trailer locally, got my fuel card in the mail, and shot out to grab a load. It was easy as pie. I wish others were having the same experience. These Hopper trailers seem to really be expensive though compared to dries and those who own them seem to be able to rake it in pretty easy when you need one.

 

To clarify, my break-even does NOT include any driver pay. With 50 cents I'm in the $1.20's.