If you dont want to go home every week or month...

Why not become a IRT? That seems ideal for your demands, unless you don't want to drive on ice.

 

There isn't a Walmart DC up there you can get a job with?

 

Sounds like bedbugging should be your game. Longest I have stayed out was 7 months. For instance I start a load next week, And will probly stay out till september. Thats not saying I wont get home during that time, But since I already live in the lower 48, I am bound to drive by the home for a night or two every now and then. Is that a long time out? Sure it is. However I just took January, February and March off at home.

 

I am an O/O, What years did you try it? 10 years ago the money was terrific. But had been droping steadily 8 years. We are talking from a 80k take home high for me to a 20k (was a bad year with repairs on top) low. In 08/09/10 the only reason I survived was I did not have a truck payment.

While I am a firm believer in the grass is not greener on the other side, some agents/vanlines do have there advantages and disadvantages. It used to be military jobs, but these days its more pack and loads, atleast for me. It also depends on how you drive to. June/July/Augest you gota work hard, Since your looking at ~60 percent of your income in those 3 months alone. No summer vacations.

I defenatly do not suggest company drivers.

 

The problem with highering lumpers to do all the loading and unloading is it costs you in the end. I am not saying you dont use them, you have to since you cannot do all the work yourself. Its that xtra man you have to have costs you. Lets say you hual 4 jobs per load every two weeks. 1 xtra man @ 120 per load and anouther at unload per job means Thats almost $2,000 in a months period.

Also having somone else do the acual loading part means they are not as inclined to maximize your cubes, So instead of averaging 28k lbs per load you might only get 25k lbs per load. And that last portion of the wieght you get on is your biggest profit margin. Not to mention claims. you have a much higher incentive to load everything so nothing gets damaged since if you damage it you pay for it. Where else if they damage it you pay for it.

I prefer to load everything myself. I still go in and smooze with the shipper so they like me. and I still go in and do the inventory (on larger jobs if possible I like to go in the day before and inventory and prep). And while I am doing this I have my lumpers padding and preping so when I finish the inventory I can hop on the truck and everything is ready to load quickly. Granted it does not always work out perfectly And somtimes you have to have a guy load for you as time permits.