CRETE - A Year in Review

You asked why not do this - I pointed out the reasons JD gave me, and with which I concur, why he's not doing this and why I'm not exploring that option.

There are positives, and I mentioned them in passing. As I said, a lone O/O under his own authority *can* make a greater profit than someone who buys a tractor and leases it to a carrier such as Crete. Of course, the greater profits tend to come from more specialized types of service, such as stepdeck, livestock, refrigerated, equipment hauling, oversize/heavy haul, etc., but one *could* conceivably make more profit with authority and a dry van trailer than what JD and I are making by pulling around Crete's trailers and letting them handle all the compliance paperwork, IFTA reporting, etc. etc.

I'm just not willing to put in that much more time and effort for the possibility of maybe making a little extra money. I couldn't put up with the smell of being a bull hauler. I'm too lazy (and fond of my teeth) to fool with chains, binders, straps and cheater bars. I hate cold storage warehouses. I don't like the idea of having to shut down at sunset (and/or on the weekend, or during certain hours of the day, depending on what state/county I'm in). So, I pull around a 53' cabinet that belongs to Crete.

Oh...having bought my truck in late July, I'm making $0.517 per mile net profit after all expenses so far YTD. That's from the monthly P/L statement I get from my accountant. That's 3.7 cents per mile more than a company driver at the top of the pay scale, or 10.7 cents per mile more than I was making at nearly the bottom of the pay scale. My miles were off in September due to being down with transmission ills for a week and a half of unplanned downtime, but frankly, at nearly $0.52/mile, I can afford to have an 8,500 mile month now and then.

 

I got an application in to another company today. It's a small one and they have a yard not 5 miles from the house. It's hauling hazmat exclusively and there is a lot of Canada involved but they will start me at .49/mile. They pay $30/hr for detention, $125 if you don't get at least 1200 miles over a Fri, Sat, Sun period, and $35 a night for every night you stay out over 14. Thing is I really don't want to do this but I feel I am all out of options. There is nobody left to talk to in Lincoln, my terminal manager is pretty much useless and I'll be ###### if I'm going to stay out 4-6 weeks at a time for 2500 miles per week. I'm literally dreading sending in my availability message next Monday because they will probably just send me back to the east coast where there is no freight.

I'm 52 y/o and for the first time in my life I can't see the best direction to take. It's almost like I'm paralyzed. I just don't know anymore.

 

I told my wife much the same.

There comes a point where it's not worth it to me to work for Crete. I'm beginning to feel that if I'm going to drive 400 miles/day, then I'll sleep in my own bed everynight, and save the $$ I spend on OTR expenses.

2800 miles in five days and I can take a 34-hour reset? - I'm in. 2800 miles in seven days, nothing but constant short runs in NY, NJ, PA, OH and New England? - I'm out.

 

Sounds like a good job, so I wouldn't worry about making the switch.

I've come to realize in my research of potintial business partners that specialized hauling is where the money is to be made. Only problem for me as an o/o is that no one wants to hire from my area (SOTEX).

Best of luck to you!

 

I would think a lot of companies would want to touch you in that area. Doesn't a lot of Mexican import/exports go through there???

KH

 

This is SOTEX, where the Mexican work force is willing to do a job for cheap and drive ratty equipment. This inturn drives down all feight rates in this area, even in some specialized work.

 

Well said!

 

Hey JD just noticed you might want to spell check your sig line.lol

 

We may have crossed words the past few days, but I do wish you the best and hope this works out. The numbers look good.

 

This is a little disturbing. When a Veteran Cretan has THIS outlook, it is enough to make one wonder. Only advice I'd be qualified to add is to break out of the paralysis and take action. If you have good time at Crete, and see a trend (based on your experience), I'd make the switch, were I you.