So, I watched a YouTube Trucker video

Depends on the bennys he gets. If the carrier is covering insurance or his insurance is discounted, fuel card discounts shop/part discounts and more. If your not paying insurance fees or are only paying a fraction of what you would otherwise thats a win. If he is using their authority that saves a ton of money as well. Thats another win.

All those seemingly little things can really add up and offset a pretty big chunk of operateing expenses. I cant and wont speak for other OOs but i know being leased to bones has dropped my cost per mile to operate almost a third. And even with bones cut i end up making less money sure, but i KEEP more at the end of the day.

 

Again it just depends. I cant speak to box freight. But with end dump my average after fees is around $2.9 a mile so far average this year. It was $3.21 last year and $2.33 the year before that. Ive seen loads as high as $23 a mile and as low as $1.05 a mile. So $1.9-2.2 consistantly for general freight doesnt sound bad.

And $210K a year assumeing 48 weeks a year worked at 2300 miles a week income with a CPM cost to operate of say $0.6-0.8 aint bad walk away pay.

 

Rates seem to be about normal to me considering current market conditions.
Seems like he has a better than average percentage considering he’s using the carriers trailer. Typically in that situation it’s around 75%, 85% if you’re using your own trailer. Then again it’s really hard to judge not knowing what the carrier included. At 80% I’d expect to be responsible for a lot of fees…carrier has to make something for their troubles.

As far as contract vs spot, contract would sure provide stability. Personally outside of stability I kind of doubt that there’s much of a difference than spot.

The only thing I see in that is problematic with that drivers situation is low miles. Hope he’s not burning up a whole week sitting at food warehouses and losing miles.

Would be interesting to know what he grossed per week/month before carrier takes their cut.

 

Sadly that’s about normal for reefer/van right now. Good week for me now, burning up a 70 is $7k.. $6k maybe average.

Right now it’s a fluffin roller coaster ride

 

The carrier I haul for is about the same. Leased O/OP, own my own truck.

A few weeks ago I was stuck trying to pick up a loaded tanker to run over the weekend, and the shipper couldn't make the printer work to print bills. Hazmat load, so I need the BOL that shows Hazmat and X under reportable. Called my company and someone at Extended OPS sent me the RateCon for the load, thinking it would be a BOL, which I wasn't supposed to see.

LOL, no that won't work. But I did get to see what the carrier charged!

I got about 60% of the contract rate. I was a little mad at first, but than ran numbers in my head.

The company I contract for charges me about $250 a week for carriers authority and dot numbers, baseplates, HVUT tax, tractor insurance, load insurance, fuel card with discount (usually .50c off pilot price), IFTA reporting, personal property insurance.

If I got 100% of that ratecon on that load, I'd have a hard time paying for all the insurances and taxes, being a single truck operation.

FWIW, I got paid 2.08/mile for that load, 906 miles length of haul. Winder GA to Midlothian OK. 2 days of work, $1999.68 to the truck. But in all reality it was probably a $3.00/ mi plus load. How does that work out for 1099 tax purposes? It's been good for the last 2 years. I won't post my income here, but it's been good. I'm not broke and I ain't getting rich. And it's steady, always there, loads, which you can plan around.

So, it's a wash, you have to consider all the factors, the big picture.

I generally average $5-600 daily revenue to the truck, but I have to pay for fuel.

Personal wants like Health Ins, 401K, Dental, Vision, Life are on my own dime.

 

Lots of factors to consider. I was on a mileage contract at FCC and utilizing everything they provide and that I had access to 2024 was the most profitable I’ve had. Yes I was at other places where you gross a lot more and the top line looks better on paper. But at FCC fuel was significantly cheaper, my physical damage policy was significantly cheaper than what I was paying Great West and had better coverage, I could get discounts on parts at Peterbilt, discounts on tires, etc.