Stepping Out With My Own Numbers

The fuel mileage is definitely a nice cost savings and pays for the increase in payment but I also get a benefit in that I don’t have to visit the shop every time I take time off. No issues out of the A26.
I really want to get to 9. I think the mpg is good for what I’m doing though. My only point of comparison is data from the run on less campaign. They averaged 10.1 mpg during the period but average gross weight was only about 55k. It’s hard to compare fuel with others because the number is so dependent on the operation and a lot of these articles and reports don’t go into detail, they’ll just throw out a big mpg number to try and sell the you on their model.

 

October was a good month at $23,186.00 in revenue, 2.12 a mile on all miles. I know some say I haul cheap but I don’t focus on the rate per mile, I try to balance out rate per mile and monthly revenue in a way that’s gets me the most profit.
Fuel mileage appears to have gone up slightly since the overhead was done. I’ve been resetting the computer each time I fill and checking by hand. The result, so far, has been a .2 mpg increase. I haven’t had a lot of data to use but by the end of the quarter I’ll have a good picture of it’s affect.
Putting the trailer radial on the tag axle continues to improve tire wear in this 6x2 setup over having drive tires there. It’s a huge difference. No more chopping and the tread on both axles is wearing even.
I increased compensation slightly by having the business reimburse me for medical insurance. It’s a tax free benefit. I wish they would get Student Loan Repayment Plans (SLRPs) the same treatment, and I’d do that too.
I sold my old VW Jetta TDI to a friend and bought a new Nissan Titan XD with the Pro 4X package and Cummins 5.0. That thing is nice. Nissan was running some huge deals on them as part of their “market penetration strategy.” I got a whole lot of truck for the same price, actually less, than you’d pay for a loaded GM 1/2 ton or Ford product.
I’m in a good spot right now, finally, and once I absorb the new trailer in March I’m going to look at some small homes in the area; 1-2 bedrooms 900-1200 square feet that are selling for cheap around here. Some of them are really nice homes. No one wants them because anything less than 1750 sq.ft is too provincial for people around here.
I have plans to start my 401k up around June as another way of increasing compensation without paying more taxes. I tend to take things 6 months at a time and reassess. Take it slow and get there eventually.

 

I’m running the trailer tire on the rear axle because it’s a 6x2 truck with the rear being a tag axle or dead axle. Having a drive tire in that position was causing all the tires to wear poorly. I won’t change it for winter, I don’t think it would help any being it’s just a tag axle.
I live in Northwest Arkansas around the Fayetteville, Springdale area. It’s a good spot to be for reefer freight. I’m 32, I wish I would have got into trucking sooner but, if I did I may not be where I am now. Being a dispatcher for 8 years taught me a lot. I kept my ears open and listened to the big wigs when they’d have their conference calls, newsletters, and meetings instead of sleeping through them like a lot of people around me did.

 

I like the guy I’m working with and there’s another small broker in town here I’ve done a lot for. Even when I do use the loadboard I don’t do one and done deals, I’ll only book a load with someone Im set up with, which isn’t very many, or I’ll look at loads offered by someone I’d like to Setup with, there are a few outfits I wouldn’t mind setting up with but the right time hasn’t come up yet to do it.