flatbed vs. dry van

On my calculations, $1.00 is gas money with about half of it left over for maintenance and coffee.

 

You missed my point. I'm saying that's all it is. $1.00 isn't crap. No, i'm not having to be a slave to a truck. I'm a few steps ahead of you on this. I've been doing this for 30 years and four businesses. Unfortunately, there are a lot of drivers who have to learn what is involved in making a profit and getting paid. I make about $800.00 a day, net without even getting up out of bed. I didn't put myself here by being the average idiot. I'm an extra smart idiot, lol. A lot of guys make tons more, I'm just saying, I'm going into trucking for multiple reasons, to add it to what I have now and give me more of a job in my business. I don't need to make a living at it. On the other hand, if I can't clear 5k a week for the weeks that I do work, on top of what I already earn, between my rental properties and my current business, I won't stick with it. it will be a sort lived venture, but hopefully a very enjoyable journey into a different set of challenges and activity than what I'm used to. I'm optimistic I can do this without having worked in trucking before, with my own authority right off the bat.
That' s the confidence I have in myself, especially with no real pressure other than what I artificially create for myself out of my desire to be a winner within myself. I have no kids, no family, once my folks are gone. I can be a nomad so long as I've got internet, a cell phone and a mobile office with printer and scanner set up.

 

Yeah, I can see you are right. $13560 in insurance alone for the year. Id say so. I don't know if you're being sarcastic, or just pointing out a fact. The thing I hate about write offs, is that you have to spend the money, so you know longer have it, in order to write it off as an expense or cost. I try to avoid write offs, unless its consistent with sound business spending, that I need to do anyways. Let's see, the truck gets written off over 5 years, but if you pay cash for it, as I will, I may part with say 30k and I'll still pay taxes on 25 of that 30k the first year. Naturally, fuel and maintenance are biggies. A lot of businesses go out of business because they have more write offs (more expenses) than they do income, to offset it.

Believe me, I'm not doing this for the write off. I'm not that rich! I'm hoping to "semi" retire, but who knows. It may be fun for only a few months. I did that with insurance adjusting. It was fun while it was fun, chasing storm damage as an adjuster. It was decent money, but like being a slave for short stints of a month at times. I kept my business at home going, from afar. It allowed me to make investments and pay off my home back then. It's nice to do something when its not required to keep food on the table.

 

I'll try that. Thanks.

 

The numbers seems to make it quite possible. Let me tell you how I figure, bear in mind, I'm going to haul a 48' flatbed, not a van. 600 miles a day x 6 days = 3600. I believe I can get $2.00 a mile all miles, conservatively, considering 1.20 on some of the local loads to escape into GA, LA, AR, TN, MS,. going where the load boards are telling me. $7200. Under my plan, not deducting for the truck, as I'm paying cash out of my retained earnings already, as well as the trailer. At 2.50 / gal and 6mpg, fuel is 600 gallons or $1500.00. That $5700.00 using my numbers. Sometimes, I'll expect 10k weeks. Sure, I have maintenance, say 10%, deadhead of say 10%. So, I'll need to do a bit better than 2.00. I see some loads paying over 3.00 per mile in good areas over say 700 miles. How will this not work out to 5k per week. Also, understand, I"m able to go hard when I'm out, because I will only drive 6 months, based on when the best months present themselves, or I feel like driving. You thing it can't work out for me at 5k per week average net profit, for the weeks that I drive?

I can only make a case for how I think it can work. I hear yes You can made a lot of money, and I hear, no trucking on load boards sucks. The consensus I'm drawing from this, is that people have territory and pride to protect. Then there's people who do it, day in and day out. Occassionally they chime up and it gives me cause to think i could be onto something.
It sure as heck isn't as complicated as some will make it. I hope you're wrong, but respect your opinion, as well.