Finally got my own truck

Discussion in 'Ask An Owner Operator' started by BoyWander, Jan 1, 2017.

  1. CaptainDaveG

    CaptainDaveG Road Train Member

    1,478
    2,358
    Jul 31, 2014
    Fremont Wi
    0
    He emailed a few months ago. Stayed he was dying. Lost both trucks, the Viper. Haven’t heard anything since.

    Be Safe Out There


    Captain Dave
     
    nofreetime and Rugerfan Thank this.
  2. Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.

  3. BoyWander

    BoyWander Road Train Member

    1,411
    2,125
    Jul 22, 2011
    Michigan
    0
    I have my own fuel card now, have had it for a couple of weeks.

    I get discounts at TA/Petro but the bad thing about it is that their coffee is subpar to PFJs.
     
    Lepton1 and Farmerbob1 Thank this.
  4. Bean Jr.

    Bean Jr. Road Train Member

    5,336
    9,353
    Mar 30, 2014
    0
    But they have parking.
     
    Lepton1, BoyWander and Farmerbob1 Thank this.
  5. Lepton1

    Lepton1 Road Train Member

    12,647
    25,584
    Nov 23, 2012
    Yukon, OK
    0
    I get the best of both worlds. With my fuel card the deepest discounts are at TA/Petro. It varies by location. This morning was a record $0.77/gallon off list price.

    The best of the other world is bypassing coffee from any truck stop (except of course for Caribou Coffee inside the Joplin Petro). I grind and brew my own coffee in the truck. The place I normally get beans up and changed roasters. The new roaster sucks dog balls. Casting about and experimenting until I can find that "BAM!" bean again with the big flavor.
     
    BoyWander and Bean Jr. Thank this.
  6. Bean Jr.

    Bean Jr. Road Train Member

    5,336
    9,353
    Mar 30, 2014
    0
    Likewise. My carriers fuel card is flat twenty cents at PFJ and Loves, but variable at TAPetro. I can go where it's ten cents or go where it I get sixty five cents per gallon. Who can pass that up?
     
    Lepton1 and BoyWander Thank this.
  7. sky603

    sky603 Bobtail Member

    1
    3
    Jan 10, 2019
    0
    Midwest Trucker, Lepton1 and Tug Toy Thank this.
  8. 2 CHAINS

    2 CHAINS Light Load Member

    241
    197
    Sep 8, 2018
    0
    I got a discount of .90 in PA . But my avg is .60
     
    Bean Jr. Thanks this.
  9. BoyWander

    BoyWander Road Train Member

    1,411
    2,125
    Jul 22, 2011
    Michigan
    0
    Hey all! I'm alive!

    Just wanted to check in.

    My God are rates terrible.

    I go to a good area and asking for $2.50/mi might as well be asking them to chop off an arm.

    I'm glad I didn't "make relationships" when it was busy because I wouldn't be able to afford this downturn.

    I'm blaming a few things for this.
    New owner ops who jumped in and don't know their costs, carriers running for cheap and paying imported labor cheap and on a 1099, and the trade tariffs on China.

    Even when people are calling on your truck, they don't want to pay anything.

    And they're like "this isn't like it was last two years" and I'm like "So why are you begging for my truck?"

    If you're new, here's a piece of advice.

    If someone is calling on your truck, there is absolutely no reason to quote less than $2/mi and it doesn't matter where you are or where it's going.

    You should still be aiming to average $2.25+ loaded mile.

    And no that's not on 1000 miles a week.

    I don't mind running 3000+ miles in a week. But I'm not gonna do that for $5000-5500 gross. I did that the first 4 months after I bought the truck and not doing that again.

    You can call and beg for freight every single load and still avg $1.60/mi but that's company driver pay when you actually add up your expenses.

    I've also been in the market for possibly selling my equipment but I love it out here. I've had some low-ball offers and I'm not interested in that.

    In 3 months my truck will be half paid for. Hard to believe.

    Anyways, just wanted to check in. I'm in college basketball mode lately and can't wait to fill out my bracket.

    Hoping my Wolverines can keep up this recent offensive renaissance because with their top-of-the-nation defense, a trip back to the title game isn't out of the question. Also high on Wofford, but who isn't??

    Go Blue!
     
  10. Midwest Trucker

    Midwest Trucker Road Train Member

    5,768
    20,578
    Aug 31, 2018
    0
    Welcome back! We missed you.
     
    Tug Toy, Bean Jr., flood and 2 others Thank this.
  11. Scooter Jones

    Scooter Jones Road Train Member

    9,551
    19,970
    Apr 19, 2011
    0
    Then how in the world are these guys doing it on $1.00 a mile plus fsc of $0.29 a mile leased onto some mega carrier?
     
    Tug Toy and Bean Jr. Thank this.
  • Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.