How to make it as an owner operator

Here is another great link to information about rates and current trends from DAT. Its free information you need to follow.

http://www.dat.com/Resources/Trends-and-Reports/Trendlines.aspx

 

So what rate are you charging? Or should I ask how much per mile?

 

Well wihout reeading this whole thread I will state my case. Telling guys NOT to work weekends is just plain insane. Take your home time when you can. Everyones margin of profit is different,and everyones idea of making money is different. I am sorry but operating on a 4 day work week is not gonna net you good profit. Especially if you have payments to make and mouths to feed. Weekends are a good time to get out and not be bothered by traffic, or scalehouses.It's all about the pre plan. If you take a load that picks up Friday and delivers monday afternoon and it's only 400 miles away then truly do you belong in business anyway? The best advice is called common sense and do what works for you. EVERYONE gets taken for a ride on a load every now and then. Its part of the deal. I would agree less miles more money. Thats why I do a lot of LTL. But the fact of the matter is if the rate is right then ya got to turn the key to the right. And I don't care if it is Christmas Day!!!!Thats what you as an O/O bought into.People need to realize this BEFORE they buy one. The only thing you have in this industry is your service that you can provide. And that my friends is 7 days a wek 24 hours a day 365 days a year. That is what will set you apart from people like original poster. While he gets pennies to work Monday through Friday 5 days a week. You can get dollars for running on the weekend. Eventually, he will lose his contacts and they will then move on to the guy that provides SERVICE.

 

You can work Christmas and the other 364 days a year if you like, but thats not what I signed up for.

 

Well then I guess you can't really cry broke now can ya? Not saying you are. Just saying as an example. You signed up for that you just haven't figured it out yet i guess. This industry stops for nothing. How do you think these mega carriers CEO's got where they are? By sitting home all the time? At some point someone in that company busted their butts. And that my friend is why they get 4 bucks a mile and you get 2 if your lucky.

 

The CEO's got where they are because of all the people below them. Working 365 days a year will leave you wore out and lonely. If thats what you want then more power to you. As for me I like spending time with my family, not living my life for some customer.

 

I'm not sure about the mega carrier CEO thing. I doubt the CEOs work weekends or holidays. Seems like they make money off the backs of the drivers. And who wants to be like the megas anyway?
I take 4-6 weeks off a year and no saterdays in the winter.
You can't take it with you, and life is short !!

 

At some point in time. Granted it may have been many many years ago, someone busted butt working.They built their business. They didn't just wake up one day and have 1000 different accounts. That was my point. It just kills me how many people think that by buying a truck that they are gonna have all of this off time and not work as hard. YOU WORK HARDER!!!! And sometimes make even LESS than a company driver. That was my point. I wouldn't want to be a mega carrier or like a mega carrier either. I was just using that as an example.

 

Actually the longer I do this I seem to work less. I have taken off 8 weeks already this year.

 

I dont think anyone has told anyone else what to do here.

I laid out how I run things.

Why do guys like you come into a thread and try to stir up crap by posting things that HAVE NOTHING to do with the theme of the original post or discussions?

Well I didn't really read ALL of your post either but I will make MY point anyway. You sure are a "Super Trucker" with whom I do not rate to share my place in this magnificent industry which you have clearly mastered and made your own. I will obviously never reach the high pedestal you are sitting on.

I am clearly lazy and inferior to you.

You sir, are my new god. I bow down to you and kiss your feet (which may actually be hard to do since you obviously never get our of your truck because you work 27/7/365 and the rest of us are just sheep, right?) LOL

You are right. I am a fool. I work for pennies while you work for dollars! LOL

Yes you are now my god now and I worship you and all of your wisdom!! Clearly I have no idea what I am doing.

Where do guys like you come from anyway?

Oh that's right you come from the super trucker planet where all truckers work 24/7/365 because that's what it takes to make it!! LOL again

Dude, you called me out so I am calling you out! Go be a wannabe troll on some other thread or better yet, start your OWN thread and try to help out others with your god like wisdom! LOL some more!