Rate per mile questions

To get an approximate number of rate per mile for operating costs, how many cents per mile do you calculate for fuel and maintenance (tires, fluid changes, etc..) for a Ram 3500 and 40ft flatbed?

 

It differs between trucks and owners of said trucks.
Do you plan to buy top brand tires or used tires? Synthetic or reg oil? Oil changed every 5/10/15 thousand miles? OEM or aftermarket filters?
Do you run 26k or over?

17" tires are regularly done after 40k miles. Cost of tires/40k= your tire per mile costs.
Cost of filters and oil/ mileage intervals = your oil change cost per mile.
Ect....

Figure out your costs and then you can calculate your per mile cost.

 

Gotcha. Thanks for the info. I imagine it would be more cost effective to run new tires and best quality fluids to prevent problems that put you off the road. No road-no money.

How many miles would you say you average each year?

I appreciate your time.
Andrew

 

I have been running less than a year. On average a hotshot should hit at least 100k miles a year. 10k +/- miles a month.

 

Everything 24k said is correct. I gotta disagree on the mileage per year. That is more dependent on how much overhead you have. More overhead=gotta run more miles to cover it. Minimize your expenses and you can run less and be home more while paying yourself the same salary. That’s the logic I follow and I love staying home for 2 weeks at a time and not worrying about bills

 

I agree with you. some run 60k a year and some clock 120k a year depending on what their goals and needs are. So 100k average is pretty much what the hotshotters I know run per year.
So far I'm 10.5 months in business and at 65k miles on the odo.

 

Both you guys have a good handle on the rate per mile question. I wish I had a the same view when I was starting out. I was listening to the wrong people. I remember telling my wife I don’t see how you make any money doing this. And I was running all over the country.

 

You’re right, the average hot shot is a knucklehead though lol

 

I listened to you and you’re advice is doing me very well. Thank you for being there

 

Dang I must be a part timer lol Average 44,000 miles a yr and home every night