What would you do? Owner operator job options

I have been sitting at the house debating on what I should do. I got offered my old run back, but with different contract stipulations. Here are my two options, and I really would like to know which route you guys/gals would take if it were your choice......

Option #1. Stick with SNI and run their Choice Board. So far I have managed 2,100 miles a week # $1.99 mile. Next week is going to be better tho, should avg 2300 miles and $2.11 for all those miles. I get to plan my own freight, home when I want, work when I want (so if I want to be home holidays ect I can be) so on and so forth.

-Down side is pulling the van box with a flat-top truck (not going to get ANOTHER truck, so don't say that just yet) and the fact I have to go to several customers and pick-ups each week. And sometimes loads cancel.

Option #2... I go back with my old dedicated gig. Run IL to Corpus Christi, TX and back. Load pays $2,050 plus FSC for ALL miles to the truck on 2,500 miles (their FSC is at .60 right now, which equals out to about $3,500 for the entire trip). Weight is 15k down and empty back. Same customer, same shipper every week pulling a dry bulk tank (my truck gets about 6.2mpg on this run) but I am the only guy on the run and I only deal with 2 people (customer and my dispatch to fax my bills to)

-Down side is that it is a very sensitive load. If the plant has a shut-down or something happens, I can sit for a week w/o a load. Also, it is not gurrateed time off, maybe only 34hrs for a re-set and that is it. Working weeknds, holidays ect.... But the freight is light so there is much less wear-n-tear on the truck but the run in the winter time is a nightmare with absolutely no weight in the trailer.

I have only recieved 2 checks here with SNI but they were equal to what I made doing the other run ($1,700 bring home). I just have to do a little more work for them, but I do get to stay more local and also take weekends off and anyother time I may want to. And the option to take longer hauls and make more $$ is there, where-as the old job, I could run some liquid stuff on say a day off, but it would not be the best paying stuff as I have no equipment on my rig to pump it off, so D/H is all I can do. Plus, if my run is due up, I might not be able to run extra stuff as needing the re-set for the next run. So I'm limited on income

If I stay with SNI, then I do plan on getting a different truck around this fall/winter as the 5.4mpg is killing me, and if I'm going to run regionally, an older Century or something along that line will do.

 

very ture Kelly, but the only thing holding me back from going to the old job is mainly the pay. It is a set rate. Sure, it is hard to find a job where you can make $3,500 for 4 days of work, but I will also be limited to that pay. 4 loads a month (sometimes 5) and I have some bills I am wanting to get paid off to free the choke my monthly payments have on me. But then, it is gurranteed, but can change at any time. Just a odd delima

Also found out the SNI is giving us .20 cents off per gallon of fuel we buy at the Pilot/Flying J, so that is a good reason to stay, plus i can use their shops for repairs at about $60hr labor rate.

 

I understand, and the flexibility we have is really the only thing that keeps me thinking about sticking with SNI.

As for your fuel costs, it due to all the heavy freight you run, but where you are at, you don't have much choice, unless you go out OTR and stay out a week or 2 at a time.