Three years of own authority costs combined.

I drive. I could not afford a driver. I pay myself the least "reasonable" salary to minimize payroll tax the rest is paid as dividend that's taxed less. The Chicago based drivers want to be paid 55c-60c per mile. They need at least 2500 miles a week $40-$50 for additional drops and pick ups.

Indeed. I pay $350 per month. That's very normal here. Some prefer to park on the street and hope they won't get a ticket but I need well lit and secure parking to have a peace of mind when leaving loaded and sealed trailer over the weekend. Living in the area where people park their trucks at their backyards would save me $4200 per year and most likely additional 5Gs in property taxes alone. Moving to live there is not entirely up to me alone.

Yes, that's a valid point. I am afraid that tax -wise the truck cannot be much further depreciated and I would not know how to quantify it as a cost at this point of usage. Also, there is my trailer, I still owe for it about 10K. I could still sell it for 16-17 Gs. So it's about half its value after 3 years. I should have included that depreciated value on the cost side. I did not because depreciation is not an actual cash spent as you go. But definitely, it is a great deal on a cost side, if you buy a new or newer truck and its value melts down every year.

I am at 495K for the three years. I'll see if can get it up to 500K, so at least it looks better..lol What do I have 6 days left?

The point is that the cost side is very consistent and unforgiving, year after year. I can't see all that much room for improvement there. Well maybe more fuel efficient truck and maintenance, that means a new truck but then there the $3K of loan installments. The real question for me is how much the revenue side can be improved. I really envy those who say they are getting consistent $5-6K of gross per week...they are so much more superior to me. I, sometimes, think of equipment change: be it a reefer or an opendeck but something tells me that it would be too easy.

 

It is all in theory:
Assuming I hire a driver to drive my truck;
My break even point : 1.05 operational cost per mile + 85c a real driver ( I guess here: someone who is paid on W-2 with workers comp and no health insurance. ) = 1.9 per mile + X (corporation profit margin)
If I had a fleet of 5 trucks, I would want the X to be at least 30 cents: So I can sit in an office, smoke a cigar and manage. LOL
Then I'd need 2.20 on all miles. The dynamics change when you have new or leased trucks and then the maintenance and perhaps fuel costs per truck are becoming less but loan or lease installments are 25-30K a year and also insurance would be significantly higher as well.

 

There are full OTR days, partial delivery and pick up days, "go to repair shop" days, do your paperwork days...
I am not sure...I am not OTR more than 200 days per year but I am much involved with the work even when I am at home. So it is hard to quantify it. I agree, the numbers are not compelling to keep at this from a financial angle only.