Stevens Transport aviary

Ah got you. So what does everyone estimate their CPM after all of the deductions to necessarily be? I'm sure lease operators get paid more than company drivers, but how can a driver necessarily maximize their profit if it seems so many expenses are being tacked on?

 

I think after or at 1 year you're at. 29 or. 30 CPM company. But if you're clearing .33 contractor, you'd be better off at .29, self employment tax is quite a bit higher. If I'm wrong, we will both know it soon. Lot of good advice goes around here.

 

let me just add that what got me interested in getting my CDL in the first place was that the oil industry out here in west texas is desperate for drivers (but almost all of them require at least 1 year experience +verifiable tanker/off road experience). my original goal was to snag an entry level job with one of the many companies in the area but I'm beginning to think this will be hard to come by

 

@Dujo Yessir... self employment tax rate (15.3%) ... company drivers pay half, Stevens pays half, so you save on taxes. But I'm sure lease-operators get good money too, just hard to see lease-operator, in this situation, get ripped off with all these expenses... or what looks like it to me.

 

MPG MPG MPG MPG! fuel is or can be you biggest overhead. On L/O side, you have to harness your MPG.

 

You are already paying half the self employment tax. Its called Social Security if you're an employee and paid half by you and half by the employer.
So the additional cost to a contractor is 7.65%

 

Its not a rip off. Stevens makes more, the driver (can) make more if they stick to the plan and control their fuel cost. I leased for 2 years before I bought my truck. I don't regret it, made good money and had fun doing what I love to do. (Drive trucks and broadcast trash from my mobile radio station)

 

reposting to put these on the same page... sorry gang

 

can't delete our own posts? aw jeez now i've done it

 

@Emulsified Hence why I said, lease-operators pay 15.3% self-employment tax while company driver's only pay half, or 7.65% of that --- up to $95,000-$100,000 (roughly) social security tax, and then you pay no more until the following fiscal year.

@DUJO It's a bit hard to control your MPG. I'm talking about "rip off" when I see all these expenses being taken out. School costs, APU rental, truck lease payment, fuel costs, the list goes on. Fuel seems to only be only controllable by easing off the accelerator, governing below a certain speed, finding the proper routes, avoiding too many stops and take-off's, etc.

What exactly can you do to control fuel expenses? Not saying you can't but really, it seems like Stevens is charging a lot of expenses.