is it possible or easy to gross (not pocket) $800 a day for o/o?

I am a lease operator and my base rate is $1.04 per mile. After fuel surcharges are counted, I usually do just over $1.40 per mile. Because of the surcharge, my fuel cost from my $1.04 is only 30 cents per mile. They take off 6 cents for my maintainance fund. After that, I have my lease payment, and that's it.

When I ran as a company driver, my cheques were around $1500 in the bank. Right now, I do way better. Some times are better than others, but averaging around double what I got as a company driver.

 

If your numbers are solid your the exception to the rule when it comes to leases. Good job!

 

They are pretty good. I just mentioned my usual numbers. They can vary slightly.

My next trick is to figure out how to best get my fuel costs down. It may come as my truck gets broken in, it only has 59,000 miles on it. My mpg has been creeping up and even at 80,000 pounds on a fairly even surface I can get upwards of 9mpg out of it if not a bit more. The hills really kill that, though, bringing my average down.

 

Sure.
We will agree to disagree. I know what I HAVE DONE and I know what I HAVE SEEN on paper for yearly statements....
I rather sit for a month and work my balls off for a few weeks and make more in those two weeks them otr oo makes in a few months.
BUt thats just me 2 cents.

 

Desert, not trying to nit pick or anything but your first post on the front page you said you average 12k miles a month? Basically broken down to 3k miles a week. How do you run dry van freight dealing with lolly gagging shippers and receivers getting 3k miles a week on elogs? Maybe I'm over looking something here (then again I know very little about elogs) but getting stuck at a customer would kill driving hours and at times end up stuck at the customers location for 10.

As to the OP, yea it can be done as long as your wise in load decisions and staying careful and smart on how you run the truck but its not an everyday thing.

 

Im not saying I wouldnt get into one of those areas its just I really like the variety and quantity running van freight here at LS. I have been at the top in this industry twice and money is nice but its not all there is. For the new guys they will find it difficult to get into those niche areas anyway,other than maybe oilfield.

I know guys in all areas of the industry and there are some choice jobs. My pick would be working as a studio teamster in So Cal. I know a few that work 6-8 months a year and make well over 150k. They drive to the studio pick up the truck,drive to the shoot location and sit until its time to come back. They get fed and are treated very well by the crews. Gravy,nothing but gravy but even with my connections and back round its a long shot.

 

Actually its more like 12,500 but since were not nit pickin. Thats 446 miles a day on average. I pick loads that average well under 20k and 1700 miles per run,I do alot of drop and hook,probably 90/10 here lately. My agent network is solid and its very driver friendly freight. I really never have issues with shippers or receivers. Remember at Landstar we book our own loads,maybe Im just good at it. With the logs I stay off line four....nuff said.

 

You need to deal in exact numbers both with your revenue and when talking fuel mileage. Those of us that are serious about fuel dont give out spreads when we talk mpg. You may see 9.0 one day then 6.0 another day,but whats your true 30,60,90 and lifetime average? Remember an average is one number.

The only real way to track your mileage and measure your progress is to have good solid long term numbers that are measured the old fashioned way,gallons burned for the miles you run. The best way to do this is to track each and every tank either on paper or by using a software program. I use fuel gauges,its free,its simple and it provides a ton of helpful information. Once you see this information you can find your weak spots and set goals to improve them.Trip computers,qualcoms,GPS units and most others ways fuel can be tracked are just not reliable. Fuel is our number one expense and its the easiest to control,fuel is money.

 

Desert, those are great numbers. You are in the top 5% at LS and that is even more impressive based on your location and the number of mile you run. I have had them roll their numbers out to me on more than one occasion and your fellow BCO's would shive you in a second to get your little black book.

To the OP, $800 gross should be a minimum starting point but needs to be adjusted based on where you are running. Since Desert has been rolling out numbers he we can use LS as an example. If that was your number with them you would be in poverty level (assuming typical miles). When you look at the typical garbage mileage lease should be grossing near that then it should be easy.

BUUUUUTTTTT, it really is about net. I had plenty of $650 gross days on 100 mile loads. I would net more than a mile lease that ran 500 miles.

Drive less, make more.

 

I do keep track of everything. How many dispatched miles, how many miles the truck actually ran, where I fuelled, how much I took, and my odometer reading. All in a spiral bound notebook. My mpg average since I got the truck is 6.3. That is for 6 months.