mercer transportation

Yeah same here, and I usually leave it as open as possible, other than perhaps my available date. Before I set the available date though, I check to see what is moving out of the area over the next day or so in order to get realistic expectations of what to look for in advance.

 

I check destinations before I commit too. Areas go hot and cold. Even normally good areas seem to go cold from time to time. But I hate deadhead so I keep my DH miles low.

 

I was checking the destination, but it started to seem like it was more work than it was worth. While areas do go hot and cold, there are several areas that just seem to stay cold and others that stay hot for the most part. I do run high on the deadhead miles, but like I said, I look at it a little differently than most people. It seems to work for me, at least thus far. My avg d/h is probably 250-300 miles, but it's not uncommon for me to roll 400 or 500 miles for what I view as a better load. I assume, though, once I get faster at getting in and out of the customers that will come down. I said it a few weeks ago, it takes me so long that the high pay low mile loads don't benefit me because I net more on the long hauls since I don't waste that time each day or multiple times in one day. I have definitely gotten faster since I started and had someone show me a faster way to do my bungees the other day, so hopefully as I move along this learning curve, I won't freeze my nuts off come winter standing out there for hours on end. If I do, I'm blaming all of you for talking me into doing flat over van. lol

 

If my deadhead was like razorwyr I would jump. Off a cliff. My dh. On last 3 loads. Has been 80, 45 and 12. 6, but loaded miles were 4100

 

Your dh is also costing more. 35 per hundred by

 

Don't know kims or tripac manuals. But Cummins protects their information. If you could provide the web where you can gett the Cummins manual for free I would be very grateful. I have tried but cant seem to find it.Thx

 

Well I've officially applied at Mercer...

 

at just 8 mpg, that's 12.5 gal. At $2.50 (which is way more than I pay on average) it's $31.25 for 100 miles. So I over figure on fuel costs to account for wear and tear. I'm not making money, but I'm not losing money either, unless you are taking into account the money I COULD be making if I were loaded. Like I said though, it's not the only thing I look at, it's just one variable. It also probably wouldn't work for most people, but it works for me and I am doing very well. I don't like the long d/h, but when I tried to reduce it in July, my net revenue dropped noticeably. I know a lot of people said July was slow and we're struggling, so maybe it wasn't what I was doing, but as soon as I went back to the way I was working my loads it went right back up. That is net, not gross, and at the end of the day, this is a business and I want to maximize my net income. It works for me, and I'm more than willing to learn if someone has some advice to bring the d/h down while keeping profit up, this has just been the best way I've found for me so far.

 

I'm in the same boat as you a Razor I calculate the DH which for me on let's say 500 miles is $275 which is over estimating but like you wear and tear is put in. Keep in mind though I only DH that far on loads well over 2.00 PM and $2000 or better loads or if it's taking me home

 

Well I've stated many times I hate deadhead. I just flipped through my book and looks like my avg DH is around 50miles. That is including 2 DHs of over 300 miles that made me do a double take. Then I realized one paid $8k so was worth it. The other paid crap but my coordinator snuck it past me. He is no longer my coordinator. It cost me less then $35 to let the truck sit a day. Not sure I wanna spend more then that for a fair paying load. And to bounce 500 miles seems like it's costing me a lot more then $35. Heck that means I'm driving all day too. Uber is my friend, I'd rather go catch a movie.