Need info on getting back in.

Same as it ever was

 

but even worse

 

For me most used trucks on the lot are heading into the "danger" zone at this point in their life, so you best have a healthy reserve to even get started, and in no way possible would I want a new truck payment if I'm running off of load boards. Then there's fuel prices right now, it's been almost 6 months of this when I remember hearing the war would be over in 2 weeks. So much still needed to be cleaned up out here, we've seen some action but these are the same folks that allowed things to get so messy out here in the first place. For me age might have something to do with my attitude at this point, if you're young and hungry, full of energy, go for it. At 57 I've been focusing heavily on my exit strategy hopefully in 10 years.

 

This question really depends on what you're hauling.

But as for the costs and upkeep of a truck Not much has changed except everything's gotten more expensive.

 

Choose your path carefully.

"It's hard to soar with the eagles -- when you work with turkeys"

-- L

 

Not sure if I'm the right guy to offer help as I'm on the other side of the world.

But hit your bank up for a business loan application. You may not want it but the process of application forces you to map out, calculate, and allow for what you are asking. Its long and tedious but you will have a very good understanding of what's required at the end.

My situation is I run bulk spring water 40km (25 mile) to bottlers then return. Its boring as bat #### and the roads are crap, however I turn 50k a month of which the business including 1 staff costs 50% of earnings, the rest is mine to share with the tax department.

I run a paccar 2013 X13 emissions truck with 700,00km (435K mile) that has been into me 50K AU this year, plus needs an 80K engine rebuild. So I've gone a pre-missions 33year old truck as the new replacement I picked up for 45K, and spending 80K on rebuilding engine, transmission, diffs, air suspension, glass, rubbers, seat, radio and paint job. The plan is for cheaper operating cost for the next 10 years / 1 million klm. Not get into bed with a load repayment of 1800 a month. I accept however not everywhere will allow you to run such an old truck.

Not sure about long haul and getting every job, I have a situation where I work for the source to run their water. The bottlers are like heroine addicts and always want more. So its really a matter of being reliable and helpful. I am grateful a national carrier with all their accreditation and flash trucks came looking for a take over, but good relationships with working parties kept the monopolies out regardless of the promises. So a close to home repetitive job for a mine, grain co-op or something seems harder to find, but better outcome than hunting for every meal.

good luck with it.

Ps, I'm not so good at it, but get acquainted with Xero or some accounting software your accountant uses. It helps track money in and out and what the show looks like.

 

smokem, the thing that changed the most for us was not the costs, it was finally knowing our real cost per mile before we say yes to a load. We run a few vans out of the Midwest and the first year we did the same thing you describe, guessing at the end of the month whether we made anything. Now every load gets the same five lines: linehaul, fuel at actual gallons, driver pay, insurance and truck payment split per day, and a set-aside for repairs and taxes. That gives us a break-even per mile, and anything on the board below that we just do not touch, no matter how empty the truck is. Takes ten minutes a week once it is set up. If you build that before you buy the truck, most of the "am I actually making money" stress goes away, because you know the answer before the load, not after the settlement.