Grossing $5k Per Week

Well select your company a bit better. Shop around, look at what others offer.

 

Depends on what owner operator and company drivers you are comparing. I know quite a few owner operators that are barely getting by. They just aren't cut out for it. I also know company drivers that are making over 90k a year.

With today's market 100k is a realistic goal. But i won't net that much, i just can't keep myself motivated like i was 20 years ago. Guess i lost that eye of the tiger drive. Anymore I'm just not willing to work more than 6 months of the year.

 

I'd even go as far as to say, based on my adventures, that 5k should be a rather minimum for a 5 day 6 day working week if you run a dry van with your own authority to make it worth while.
5k gross example... I was in Green Bay, WI on Monday I took a load to SLC, UT for 4k - paletlzed paper as it was posted on DAT - no much negotiation possible) and came back to Chicago with heavy salt for 1900. on Friday. Gross 5900 on 2900 miles or so. After fuel it is 4400 net. 5K seems doable now but back in Winter time, forget about it.

Appendix;
4400 after fuel does not reveal the whole truth....actual pocketed net might be 3000 only - for this loop here....

 

So TallJoe (thinking out loud here) you're getting gross $2/mile in a non negotiable market - only ways to bump it obviously are more miles or higher rates. Again from what I've seen on the DAT load board $2 for long hauls is decent. Seems some of the shorter hauls there can pay double that but the trade off is more sitting time for loading/unloading.

To take it one step further you've made net $1/mile. A nice nut as long as ALL of your costs (including maintenance fund) are covered.

So what is the low paying winter season, Jan to Mar? If it's just 3 months but you're running 120k miles/year you're going to be pulling decent money NET for the year, maybe $105k?

 

Since the beginning of the year, I've run 85k miles grossed 137K and I have been left with mere 60k so far. That's how bad the Winter was for me, or perhaps I did not know much. But this is my first full year completely on my own when I am not dispatched, so let's say I am learning too. FYI, I also thought that if I could gross 4-5k a week I'd be ecstatic but no, this is a necessity to sustain your livelihood. Better gross at least 4-5k a week to be left with 2.5 or 3k after fuel or else you might not like it for too long.

 

it pretty much costs about 1 dollar per mile to run a truck with authority. Even if it is paid for. The paid for truck, has more never-ending maintenance costs, with a new truck you have less maintenance but the installments with interests instead.

 

Atta Boy!! Your doing good on spot freight- Watch out though- Even after fuel n maintenance-and variable expenses Your Filings on Net 100k in taxes- Good CPA will keep you smiling.

Keep up the Good Work

 

Thanks,
I made sure that when I financed my truck and now APU, I did both as a lease. 36 payments of tax deductions. I paid cash for the trailer, but will take a 3 year depreciation on it. The tax burden is why I don't push too hard, I work only about 20 days a month. Typically 8 on, 4-5 off. But that's changing to a straight M-F. I have been doing the math and I don't see a solid ROI of working weekends.
Work smarter, not harder.