Car Hauling Is Not As Lucrative As It Once Was

As most of you know if you aren’t ready for change you won’t like trucking. Someone will haul the cars and often the only thing that changes is the color of the trucks. The drivers often go from one company to the next that gets the contract. I also truly believe that if some company bids the freight too cheap and doesn’t pay market wages they will not have anyone to haul it consistently. Yes there are some bottom feeders that will, but most professionals won’t.

This may not be “the good old days of carhaul”, but those days are long gone. What I am referring to is the Allied Systems owner ops who often made more than the CEO.

I am not convinced that things are bad. There is still good paying freight at most every company. There is also some junk freight at most every company. Many people realize that I walk to a different beat than many of the people in this industry. My opinion of why it is because I don’t accept failure. If something does not work for me successfully I won’t do it. By successfully I mean well compensated for the amount of time, energy and capital required from me. I am 8 years in to carhaul and 4 years as an owner op.

I happily choose to lease to a large carrier strictly hauling new vehicles. We have a wide variety of freight with a variety of rates and ease of loading and hauling. I haul a very small segment of that freight that gets me home more than any trucking job of my 32 years. It also affords me an income better than what I have had in my 32 years. My income is nearly double my best year at UPS which was the easiest and best paying job I have ever had. Mind you I have not had bad paying jobs in the majority of my adult life and have consistently earned six figures since the early 90’s. In the early 90’s it took two jobs to do it, but once I became accustomed to something I didn’t plan to ever go without it.

I work roughly 45-55 hours a week, 45 or 46 weeks a year and don’t have one single complaint about my income. I also will not ever work for less next year than I did this year and need a modest increase on occasion. A rate reduction would cause a change for me. I hear guys gripe about the rates on this forum and I truly believe their situation could very well suck. My situation does not suck or I would not be in it.

If my body holds out I will haul cars for my carrier for 5-6 more years gradually tapering my work schedule down to part time. If my body gives out tomorrow I will retire. Some owner ops already have nicknamed me Part Timer and I am good with that name. Is this job perfect? Hell no it isn’t, but it is pretty #### good and presently I am not willing to trade it for anything else. I choose to own and operate a carhauler because I want to and don’t do it because I have to. I am an eternal optimist so I believe my situation will be good the rest of my career, but if something happens where it isn’t, I will be ok.

 

You got the deregulation part right, the anti union company/worker mindset hasnt helped. Do you think the big three would have given up anything if the workers just asked for a raise. Here is what you get when your segment of work is considered weak.
Pickup: TX - Houston, 77061
(Houston - Sugar Land - Baytown)
Delivery: GA - Marietta, 30062
(Atlanta - Sandy Springs - Marietta)
Marietta Truck Sales Inc. (122) 100.0%
(770) 422-7009
M-F 9-5; Sat 10-2 EST
Reference ID: A61490
.
2011 Ford Econoline Wagon -
2011 Ford Econoline Wagon -
$300 COD (Check)
813mi @ $0.18/mi

Must deliver m-f 9p-5p or sat 10-2!!!! no exceptions!!!!!

Yet i see a $1625 destination charge on a f150 window sticker, who does the auto maker blame ? The workers, Mary Barras 22.8M compersation for 2018 was just fine. I dont know wtf is wrong with truck drivers. 3 day nationwide work stopage would get attention when the national guard has to deliver groceries on the fourth day. As bad as things are in trucking last year i stopped shopping amazon and walmart i have been paying up if i can find what i want made in America. In some cases it means paying double. Everyone that wants it yesterday for the lowest price is the reason this country got so f'd up.

 

45-55 hrs a week??? You're working to hard.. lol..lol..lol

 

I think the amount of work required to be a owner op isn't for everyone. I think people rather whine about the rates than go find some better rates. Or do what they have to to make it. I can imagine when it sucks and you have a truck/house/car/toy payment to make every month it can be quite stressful. Especially when it slows down or some work is lost

 

lol , go find some better rates . Do you book your own loads ? Im sure eveyone would be an O/O if reality was working 45-55 hours a week and averaging $65 per hour for those hours worked. I read these posts and i see how rates are so low. On the street i hear company drivers & O/O complain. When there is decent paying work i hustle to get the next load when there isnt i hustle to get back home. Sorry i will stay home before taking these #### loads or drive empty to go home. What is do what you have to to make it mean ? Take loads paying 2bucks a mile, id rather fast.

 

being an o/o is definitely not for everyone. new trucks are expensive! insurance is expensive! fuel is expensive! tires are expensive! maintaining a stinger that belongs to you is time consuming beyond the HOS!

 

Ok