.95 per mile? What am I missing?

Sounds reasonable. But in the end, it is all about the what you keep. If you have a gig that pays a better rate, and you can net in the end better than what someone else is doing, then yes, the better rate is a good deal. If one doesn't see a better profit at the end of it, then what is the point of the better rate? It just "feels" better, but it isn't actually better. It just is good for bragging rights on what one is getting for the load, but in the end, the results are not any different. The proof in the pudding is not what the front end rate is, but what the back end profit is on a quarterly and annual basis. If the profit for the year getting $3 a mile is virtually the same as the guy who is getting $1.50 a mile, then what really has been gained by getting $3 a mile?

And let's be fair in all of this. A "good" carrier doesn't just have a rate and nothing else. Like I stated, I get lot more than just the rate per mile, and am not saddled with all kinds of fees and costs in doing the work. Just my maintenance costs. And they reimburse all my registration and base plate fees and offer some pretty good discounts on what insurance I need for the truck. It is pretty myopic to look at only a rate and make a informed decision about what is good or bad about any carrier, or even the rate itself. It is always a package deal. Even the customer base and types of loads plays into it. If one is working with good customers that rarely delay you and pay you for it when they do, that have consistent loads year round, very limited dealing with big box stores and grocery stuff, and also do a lot of pre-load so that you just come in and drop and hook and go on your way, then the overall package is even better.

At the present profit rate for this year, my profit will exceed $100K by the end of the year. Not a good deal for someone in NYC or Frisco, but darn good and over twice the average annual income of folks where I live. Even location factors into the package deal.

 

Couldn't agree more my friend

 

disclamer: i only read the title of this thread

q: 95 cents a mile what am i missing

a: the number in front of the "."

 

While you are correct in the profit logic of this debate.. The one factor you're missing out is the part about running 2500-2800 miles a week and home on weekends with a few weeks off a year. You're working way too hard man for the income of the $3.00 a mile driver who's home almost every day.. Off weekends and can take months off if he choses. Keep doing your thing if it makes you happy though. Just chiming in.

 

Give me the recipe to that life style bro

 

I am not advocating for anyone to do the gig I am. I am very comfortable with what my setup is and have no real desire to change much about it. It is stable, consistent, and I can shut the truck off any time I choose any time of the year for any length of time. Not sure how there is a difference in being to shut off the truck and take time off between my setup and the $3 a mile gig you mention. So what if someone can take even months off. Some of us like to work steady and not take a lot of time off except the few weeks a year we already do. I am not even planning on retiring until I can no longer realistically do this line of work. I may just limit how much of it I do in the years ahead. I am over 60 years old, in great health, and have no illusions that I am even nearing retirement. But when I do decide to crawl out of the truck for good, I will find something else to put my efforts in to and get involved in some other work. My dad never fully retired from his business until he died at 87 years of age. He enjoyed going to work and it helped him feel productive and alive. Only his last couple of years did he fully retire. And it wasn't because he had to work. He was quite well off financially and left my mom well set up for the rest of her life. One can only base their assumptions on what I am doing that I have to work all the time. They have no knowledge of what my financial condition is to make an informed judgement in that regard. And I am not about to play silly head games and comparing what toys and property I own in some stupid effort to justify what I am doing to anyone. It works and I am comfortable with the way things are. I like listening to lectures, recorded classes, and such things while driving down the road, so that each day I am "working" it doesn't seem like work. It never does when one is happy with what they are doing, and have a mindset of contentment with their situation. Only those that regret getting up in the morning and trudging to work view work as a bad thing. They have their own problems to work out.

 

Yeah who you run for

 

I agree in my 60's also lovewhst i do but i run percentage and most of my loads including dead bead avg 2.25 to truck ! And wil never tetire turn yhe company over to my chidten yes but tetite no!