Owner Operators: What was your net this year?

That second truck is the killer... my son tried against my advice. the "perfect" driver that he hired abused the equipment, kept the truck like a pigsty, got lazy, his "good" backhauls that he "always' had dried up, etc.

It took 9 months and three speeding tickets for my son to realize he was better of owning just one truck.

 

You weren't an O/O, you paid to work for a company. That's why they call them fleece purchase. Question please, what was your odometer mileage to make that 188k?

 

When you guys say nett are you deducting a driver salary first ?
Depreciation/replacement factored in?

 

For me, net is what's left after legit expenses. That's my pay.
My truck's a 2010 Volvo 780. In 2011 I got paid for 145k miles, but the odometer turned 156k. Guess that's shrinkage (or an 8% profit margin for the company). Maintenance cost were $8200 which included tires, alignment, and a few bling items. I guess I am a company driver with a truck payment.

 

I watching my back on ths post . Isn't "I.R.S." season ? It's a trick thread........ Beside's been in it to long to spill the bean's.

 

I hope you doubled the top ranking on this poll. That is 3000 miles per week. You could not pay me enough to run that hard. Not to mention the added long-term wear and tear on the truck running like that.

 

Well Bill, when you're only netting 22 cents per mile you got to run hard and long to have enough $$ to pay bills, keep groceries on the shelf, etc. That's the kind of tread mill I have been on.

One more week and I'm done with that. Might even switch to another company and run a regional route. 42 cpm, home weekends, health insurance, paid vacation, and no major worries about the truck breaking down. That don't sound too bad.

 

Rvready, if you grossed 188k on 145k miles, not including those 11,000 miles for free, you only averaged 1.29 a mile. Adding in deadhead miles, you only averaged 1.20 a mile. Is your truck paid for? I am assuming being a 2010 Volvo, its not, probably costing you at least 1500 a month for a payment.

While I can understand your frustration, might I suggest what hundreds have suggested before? Consider getting a cheaper truck for $25000 or less with a rebuild, look for shorter hauls, get out of hauling van freight if you are, and consider flatbed, drop deck etc. Just reading through these threads you can see guys making $2.50 per mile or better for flatbed as an average. I have yet to pull the trigger on buying my own truck and getting my own authority, but it is very tempting when I have talked to the shippers in person and been quoted $3.00 per mile up to $3.50 a mile and seen the rate confirmations. Seems when I was a deputy not too long back, people were willing to talk to me and were glad to offer me the business. If you don't ask, you never know.

 

Lease is $549 a week or $2379 a month. That gross included the fuel surcharge and all extras I was able to collect. (extra stops, regional bonus, etc). I have no further interest in buying a truck, but rather drive a company truck. Even better would be to retire but the economy have made a mess of my plans. I'd rather have my rv parked under a palm tree down south, sipping on a cold one.. alas that's not happening any time soon..

 

Thanks for the info, I've decided to start asking that. You averaged $1.20 per mile with a $2400 truck payment, running 3,000 miles per week. You obviously have seen through the company lease purchase scheme. I believe you would make a great O/O with a good percentage company, but totally understand the desire for no responsibility and .42 per mile. Good luck.