BD69: The Owner Operator Chronicles

Well, I floored it yesterday and I hope I can avoid doing that in the future. Fuel mileage dropped like a brick down to 5.79. It was very windy in Tennessee and Kentucky and I'm sure that didn't help matters either, but 58-61 is the sweet spot for this truck. At the yard with a load to Columbus, Ohio, about 750 miles, that doesnt have to be there until Monday morning, so I'm taking the rest of the day off and goofing off here in town. Vape shop, Wal Mart...that kind of stuff. Tonight I'm going to Johnny's and having a big steak.

I got my first settlement sheet today and I'm digesting those numbers already looking for ways to run more efficiently. That said, I'm very pleased with the outcome especially considering I could have run two more loads in the time I sat due to the license problem and weather. I'll be sharing those soon, once I've finalized my metrics.

More later...

 

Ok. Numbers.

Fuel represented 26% of gross revenue, obviously the single largest expense.

48% Gross went to service various other categories i.e payment/ins etc.

26% Profit.

Now on the surface these percentages aren't that impressive, but it was a short cycle for me, shortened further by setting on the yard for 4 needless days. That time represents 2 loads that, after fuel and maintenance escrow, would land squarely in the profit column.

Morehouse requires .07cpm maintenance escrow, I'm funding that at .12cpm to build the account up a little faster.

So what does it all mean? I made, in a short cycle, 44% more, after estimated taxes, than I made in a full average pay cycle as a company driver.

So, that's what it looks like out the gate. As I get more used to breaking down the numbers I'm sure I'll get a little better at presenting them.

More later...

 

Quite so. My thinking was to post figures after each settlement so those wiser, and more experienced, could watch and point to things that I could improve on or point out data points it may not have occurred to me to track. I'm quite pleased with my first cycle, but I'm sure not under the illusion that there's any pattern to discern at this point.

 

Well, got to meet @Panhandle flash here in Omaha. We went out and grabbed a steak and were going to go out for a little while but i had to cut it short due to my schedule accelerating some. Real nice guy, wish we had a little more time to hang out.

Not alot else to say, getting all my last minute stuff done so I can take a nap before going out to make a truck payment.

More later...

 

I am so sick of wind I can't hardly see straight. Last year it was snow. This year it's wind. Always a dam cross wind. All the fuel penalty of a head wind with the addition of a safety issue. Blowing 35 gusting 50+ on 80 in Iowa today. Doing a quick 30 in Brooklyn on my way to fuel in Le Roy, Illinois.

More later...