Stepping Out With My Own Numbers

Being home every weekend is doable. I’m doing that with one of my guys right now, and it works. Where you live has a lot to do with it. Arkansas is difficult. If you love I the Northeast, OH, Kansas City, WI, IL, it’s easier, more options for that kind of running.

 

If it were easy everyone would do it. In the beginning, you may not get home each weekend. It takes a a little time to get used to negotiating and learning the lanes that get you home, building a triangle you can run every week. My goal is 5k+ per week on the guy that goes home each week. You have to know the total cost per month to break even, including your wages, and I shoot for 2k or higher profit. So, if it costs me 17k a month to break even, wages, ALL costs, my goal is 19k revenue. If you live in a place like Florida, it would be tough. Just don’t expect to crush it right away. Rates are still pretty good right now and Spring isn’t far away. Now isn’t a bad time to be getting your authority. I also suggest getting a subscription to either DAT or Truckstop, I use DAT and the apps from Coyote, Uber, JBHunt, etc. Of those, Coyote is my go to, I’m satisfied with them, I have a good rep over there.

 

It looks accurate. I always 10k miles as my benchmark. Running in the northeast, home weekly, 9-10k is pretty reasonable. If you can keep the break even around 17k, you can make money. Northeast isn’t a bad spot, maybe only going as far South as NC, farther south during produce season, as far west as OH, is a lot of options. I don’t know if you have a reefer or dry van. Dry van could work to being regional up there. If you have a lot available to park in you could even do the really short runs, deliver one, pick up the next one, go back home and park, deliver it the next morning to get good revenue per day. There are lots of those kind of loads out there. They might pay 350-600 bucks and don’t work for me, but would work if you can pick, deliver, reload, and be back home the same day. If you’re close to NYC, there’s lots of those that go in and some cheap ones coming back out, really short, could probably make a few hundred over 1k a day.
Have you priced insurance yet? For a new authority in the northeast region your insurance is going to be pricey. I’m paying 1600 per truck right now, based in AR, three years history.
I recommend joining NASTC, as a member you have the drug consortium, fuel card, and they’ll get your authority done for you as well. They also guide you through the new entrant audit process. I think it’s 220 ish bucks a year and it’s worth it. They do insurance as well and can probably get you the best price.

 

If anyone wants good information, I recommend joining the 9+mpg group on Facebook. I post stuff in there about the A26. I’m looking towards replacing the used trucks by summer time or so next year. International does not have a lift axle option. However, I found a company called Norgren that has an automated lift axle system, managed through an app, and has the same features as the Mack/Volvo system. I’d have to order them as 4x2s and do it when they arrive.

Intelligent Lift Axle Control Module - Norgren

 

I let them know what the quarterly says and what I expect. I pay them very well, salaried. I stress to set the cruise and take it easy, you aren’t paid by the mile, you’re paid to be professional.
When I get new ones, they’ll have the cruise control with GPS data that knows the road ahead. These new PCC features, predictive cruise control, features take cruise control to the next level and take much more into account than just speed.
I don’t tie their pay to bonuses. Good luck keeping people if you do that. Drivers hate performance based bonuses. Most employee drivers are there for the act of driving and receiving a wage, not doing the tasks outside of driving.
He didn’t like it at all. However, I do have it setup where he can do 70 for 28 miles a day. That way if he gets stuck behind someone, he can pass them, and resume cruise at 65.
With these trucks, 7.5-8 is probably the best I can get. With new stuff and all the features available, much more is possible and without much driver involvement. The way I drive every day is not something an employee driver is willing to do. It requires a lot of effort.
I’d like to think that at the rate I’d pay, they’d be motivated better to do a good job on the fuel mileage, but that doesn’t seem to be the case; so I program the truck to force them into better habits.