Panther Strait truck RPM, is 1.20 what I should be getting?

What you said has grabbed my interest. I actually spoke with a team that was making 1.35/mile. What is that determines an owners contracted rate? What can the owner do to get a higher rpm? And if I purchase my own truck, either to drive, or contract out a driver, what can I do to get a higher rpm? Are you with panther also, btw?

 

That's pretty interesting. Another .15 a mile would be great! But I'm not really worried about what I'm getting now, so much as I would be worried about what rate I'd get if I was to buy a truck and sign on with an expedite carrier. I want to stay home and drive locally, while contracting out a team to drive a truck (I was thinking tractor; tractors have more freight and with a team, that's my best choice for keeping my truck moving) but I will want a good rate for sure. I don't see this happening for a while though, but it's still something I should be looking into and planning for ASAP.

 

I make a good amount of money each week, more money than I've made doing anything else, and certainly more than I made as a company driver for Schneider (while driving less). It's nothing to complain about, yet you speak of it as if it's pathetic, which means you must be making a substantially larger amount of money doing what you're doing atm. May I ask what it is you do? I'm happy with what I'm making now, don't get me wrong, but the more money I can make the faster I can pay off these debts I have, and so I'm pretty interested in what you are doing. Thanks!

 

ahh, I got ya. Well, at least in my case, I'm only getting 58/42. But I don't have truck payments, insurance premiums, maintenance costs or other fees to pay for. There are some weeks when I don't do so well, but if I drive just 1500-2000 miles for the week I can make $1,000 - $1,500 for that week with just 58% of 1.20. The negotiations can really get you that extra chunk of change (and they really aren't that hard, at least in my cases, the dispatchers almost always offer bonuses up front without me saying anything) I got a $200 bonus for an 800 mile trip because it put me in a dead area. I was able to get an empty move the next day and was moving on a good load the day after (if I recall correctly). It varies, but I had three good weeks in a row (all over $800) but some of it was money Panther owed me from tolls so I don't really count that.

I'm honestly looking for a home daily job though. I still am very much interested in owning and contracting out a driver with one of the larger expedite companies, but I definitely want to be local. I haven't been driving OTR very long (or driving for that matter) but I've found that I just want to be home lately. are you home every weekend at least running that way?

 

bah, I hate it when I forget about a thread I was active in >.< sorry for taking so long to get back. I actually added up my average pay (including the weeks I made nothing from home time) and my average pay is lower than what you make. I would happily take any home daily job, or maybe even home every weekend, but it's difficult, I only drove a tractor trailer for 9 months before losing my job, and most places require 12 months experience. I wouldn't mind driving a tanker, but I'd rather it be a local tanker route. I just want to be home daily, I'm really missing my GF and family lately. I enjoyed being out OTR at first, but I want to be home more often now.