flatbed vs. dry van

You haven't been paying attention. As I said, I am not going to run every week. I also said, I will likely run only 26 weeks ("1/2 the year, I said). I don't plan on being cheap. I won't take what's on the board for say, 1.50 a mile, except in Florida, I may have to to get to a better lane. For you to assume I know nothing about lanes, seems a safe bet, but you would be wrong. There may be a crisis for many right now. The market will weed out people who work for less than their fixed costs first, and then secondly those that don't cover their variable costs. Let them run for $1.65 / mile. It won't last and their trucks will be available at a bargain soon with a for sale sign in the window.

who is making fun of anybody? I didn't say anything about doing something every week, ever. I try to help people when I"m in a position to do so. I'm also learning, even from those who dismiss the idea of success. I'm nobody's enemy, that I'm aware of anywhere. I apologize if I come off knowing something. I get that there is pain. Every industry has it, at different times. I will make a decision based on market data, my observations on the load board (yes, I'm a subscriber, even though I'm not "out there" yet, just to learn) I often play advocate, but there is a method I have that works for me. How will I find time? I will do like I did as a storm season insurance adjuster and work when I want to so I don't exhaust myself. Rates will go back up as long time truckers retire and others realize they had it better and can't handle the lower paying freight. We are in a cycle, I believe. that will recover, provided the economy stays in growth mode. Vote Trump and we all have the best chance of seeing better days. Bless all of you guys, even if you think I'm headed for disaster.

 

Hey Dune-T,

You're right. After doing some soul searching, I expect I will rarely run 3,000 miles in a week. 2,500 likely. guys tend to assume if a number is represented it is implied to be every week, or most of the time, or something. Maybe running 26 weeks in the first year. After that, we'll see if its been reward enough for me to continue on. I'm not old, but I'm 55 and used to a somewhat leisurely life that can and does get to be stale, believe it or not. Everyday, I'm seeing more of what the guys are referring to as "tough" as I follow some truckers on youtube and follow the DAT truckers edge pro, trying to learn the lanes, so I don't hop into this and plop down hard earned cash foolishly without direction. I can make mistakes in here and it costs me nothing! I estimate my cost, owning my truck and trailer to be around $1.00, not paying myself anything. It will probably me 1.25 because I will only drive 26 weeks or so of the year. There is no question for me to do what I want, I need to be well above 2.50 all miles. Can I do it? With a FlatBed, maybe from what I'm seeing, but maybe not. I know where the spot market is. It's not there, right now.

 

I just saw this post and that may be very sage advice. Here's my thinking (honest, I think): Since, I'm looking at this to augment my well established business, not as a life supporting business, I'm going to run when I want to run and no more. I may find an employee to drive my truck (when I get it), but I probably won't as I've always been more of a do for myself kind of guy, than a great, trusting manager to delegate authority. If I thought Trump wouldn't win re-election, I wouldn't go into trucking at all. I would only buy 1 or two more house to add to my rental homes, and try to hang on to what I have and find another hobby.
I'm betting (and hoping) that trump will be re-elected, conservative gov't will not favor the epa, will continue to favor capitalism and business expansion. I'm also hoping that Amazon will be broken up, but that's a side note, that I think would help some of our industry who ships freight. A very cautious individual, as I am not that much, would wait til the election to go into trucking, given good status quo for themselves currently. Last year wasn't terrible, as I understand it, but this year has progressively gotten weak, at least in the spot market, for 80% of frieght. Tell me if I'm wrong about that, please. Barring any change in fundamentals of the trucking industry, don't you believe this is a normal down cycle that occurs every so many years? That's my thinking, but I'm trying to learn what else may be affecting the trucknig industry. It certainly isn't Uber, Prime or Amazon is it? I mean they have lower costs than the rest of us, but still they have huge overhead to run their larger infrastructures. I do need to save another 30k before going in, minimum. that could be a very good quarter or two quarters if my business is slow. That savings I need to get good equipment for cash. I already have 25k available to invest, so I'm saying 55k to buy maybe a 20k truck, 10k in improvements if needed and 30k for a flat bed, maybe less if I can get a deal from someone closing shop. In earnest, I won't be ready till the end of August or most likely. The more I look at it, the more I realize I need to have a very good trailer and a well serviced truck. I absolutely will not finance either. in order to keep my fixed costs low.

Time flies and I am dealing with my folks, with one that is very sick (At Moffitt all day today) and I am the one to carry that torch for them. I promise, I will know more about this by the time I"m really ready. I'd like to see the exodus start to slow down. Right now, I fear its just getting started. I reserve the right to learn and correct yesterday's mistakes! Thank you for your positive, yet cautionary advise. I'm hearing you.