marketing-and-sales-for-owner-operators

I work 19 days per month. That's ALL I want to work. I enjoy my home time with my family.

My fixed expenses, (including my draw and estimated taxes) is about $55,000 annually. That means every day I am working I must earn $245 per day in revenue to sit. JUST to break even. If I drive 1 mile that day, It's still $245 because it's a work day. Plus 84 cpm for maint and fuel. Every mile I drive that day must add 84 cents per mile. So if I drive a full day, it's still $245 for fixed costs and another $504 for fuel and maint. Comes to $749 I must earn on that load. Just to break even.

I can't in anyway put that $245 to any mileage because it was that yesterday and I may have only driven 350 miles. Tomorrow, it'll be the same and I might only drive 534 miles. But it's ALWAYS the same EVERY day that I am working that truck. Even if I am parked in a truckstop on the road doing a reset.

Looking over the course of the month, it's really about $4600 that needs to really be covered for fixed costs. So if I only drive 4000 miles for the month, but can earn $12,000 revenue, I have earned $4000 net revenue after paying fixed and variables. If you drive 10,000 miles that month, you'd have to earn $4600 (fixed)+$8400 (fuel & maint [miles *.84 cpm]) + $4000 (profit) = $17,000 to make the same net revenue.

I have had SEVERAL consecutive months where I drive 3600-4400 miles in a month and grossed $14,000 to the truck AFTER I paid the carrier I am leased to. How can I justify trying to drive 10,000 miles when I know I can do less than half the miles and be home multiple times a week.

I don't have the added road food cost, the variable maint and fuel cost to deal with, my equipment is used up less and will last longer as well.



And so long as I never try to put myself on that idea of, "I gotta turn miles to make ends meet." I will keep my miles down and still make my net profit I want each month and still pay the bills and get ahead.

 

How did you cost and expenses exceed or come
close to 80k a month? Was your freight from load boards or direct?

 

Whom are you asking? Disregard, I went back and found the comment you were referring to.

I get mine from boards and lately more repeat work from past brokers.