Walk me through this...

Hi Guys, I really respect and value your expertise and knowledge and I hope you are not offended when I ask for more advice. I know it is not always easy to offer advice to other small companies but I really feel like I am fighting a battle because..
A) I am a woman
B) I am young to own a company (29)
C) I have run my dad's weld shop since he died when I was 22, and things are run completely differently (for instance: We NEVER turn down work, no matter what!)

Here is what I have been doing and I am still in the red after 8 mths...Can you guys kind of give me a run-through on what I could possibly be doing different..

We have 17 trucks and most of our work comes from hauling commodities within a 200 mile radiusw hopper bottoms. These loads pay little (like 11-17cents a ton at 80,000#) but they are our bread and butter and our drivers manage to make 2 loads a day within their legal hours so it keeps us afloat.

As for our reefer run each week, I did the math last night, and it turns out we are not even breaking even..the run is from WI to New Orleans paying $2065 with a backhaul from New Orleans to Iowa back to WI which pays $1700.

I have noticed there are a lot of flatbed loads coming out of WI, so I got 2 flatbed trailers. Should I try to phase out of commodities a little and expand my horizons? Where would you suggest I begin? I got started hauling through a grain company locally and that is how I got into the business last fall. I don't have a clue as to dealing w brokers, load boards, etc...any advice?

If there is one thing I am , it is a hard worker. It is not unusual for me to work 100 hours straight in the weld shop and fall asleep standing up. I have farmed 3 days straight when frost has threatened. Hard work is what I live for. I am not ready to give up, but I need some tools to succeed. I am not trying to make a gazillion dollars. I have such pride seeing my name on my trucks. I can't lose that and I will do whatever it takes.

 

I DID mean bushel..sorry! Thank you for your advice. I think I may trade some hoppers (as per some great advice) for flatbeds and dry vans.

I think we are being pegged as a "cheap truck", which I can nip right now.

As for our reefer run, you guys are so right, we definitely are not making enough. Factoring only the fuel and the driver's wage for the week (900 dollars) we are only netting maybe 300 dollars. After adding the truck/trailer payment, escort service, etc, we maybe break even.