Operating expenses per mile

My costs last year were $1.84/mile. With the increased fuel cost this year it will be higher.

 

I've been in left field many a times, so here goes yet again.

The actual operating expenses are absolutely none of your concern regardless if you are advocating for the shipper or the transportation company.

I say this because if you are the agent for the shipper your job is to get the freight hauled as cheaply as possible while making a living for yourself

and

if you are the agent for the transportation company your job is to find the best paying freight for them while taking enough to make a living for yourself.

In either case the truckers actual expenses are not your problem or concern...

now if you are a broker who contracts for himself... it would seem you'd want to bid the jobs to the shipper as high as possible and then get them hauled as cheap as possible and keep the difference for yourself...

in this case only, knowing the actual operating expense, would be of use to you...

sorry if that seems rude, it isn't meant to be at all...

its just an observation that there are three people involved here and you kinda have to pick a side as advocate from the middle.... its me and the shipper or its me and the trucker... or its all me and screw everyone... lol

 

Try useing a spreed sheet like the one supplied on OOIDA. This should give you a decent overview of the different areas or daily cost a driver has to deal with on a daily basis. In addition, you can plug in a desired cost, income or mileage. Good Luck!

 

Your operating costs will vary with the age of the truck , they type of trailers you pull and where your pulling the loads.

Rull of thumb is to take your operating costs and divide by .79 that gives you the BARE MIN $ amount you can work for and realize a bit of profit.

 

No memebership required. Simply go to trucker tools then press OOIDA cost per mile spreedsheet, then click microsoft exel 2007 spreedsheet.

 

they want to haul the best paying freight you can book for them, even if they are getting free fuel and have no truck payments.

why??? do you think the shipper cares???? he just wants his freight moved as cheaply as possible!!!

wrong, just take the most expensive per mile cost and pay that guy enough to haul it... the guys with lower expenses will make even more and be even happier.

no it is not like telling a person what an oil change costs !!! It is exactly like having a person ask what one costs and then you asking in return, well how much do you make a week??? ya see we normally charge 29 bucks but if you're a single mom I'll see if the boss will knock it down for you... or we normally charge 29 but since you are a dr. making a 100k, well then for you it is $99...

Quite obviously, if nobody will haul your freight then it is priced too low!!!

Tell them it is too low every single time and when their final answer to you is: "I'm sorry we just can't pay that much, we'll have to call XYZ broker." then you'll know that if xyz can get it hauled for that much then so can you... because quite frankly the shipper isn't doing business with you because you pay your drivers better than xyz, they are doing business with you because you are better for them the shipper, ie cheaper, or can meet a specific schedule they have.

cheap freight is only eliminated when the trucker quits pulling it, not by you not posting it. If you don't post it at the shippers price they will move on down the list to the broker who will...

BUSINESS IS NOT AN ALTRUISTIC ENDEAVOR. you aren't planning on working for minimum wage are you? afterall... somepeople can live like that...