Struggling as an Owner Operator in this economy.

Are you keeping yourself from making money? You are pulling a flatbed, right?

A good friend has a truck he can only scale 46k, won't tarp, won't run NE or west of Denver, and is struggling.

That box mentioned earlier would drive me nuts. I pick those loads noone else wants, and seem to do pretty good.

 

The first load I ever pulled was Fort Worth to Billings. Then I was stuck because I could only scale 46,900. Finally found a load to Tucson I could load. I pulled 2 loads with my combo. Deadheaded home and traded to trailer in on an aluminum. Said I wouldn’t buy tarps. I now own 2 sets. Every flatbed in the country is now running the I-10/20 corridor and rates are in the toilet here. I don’t even try to haul around home. I leave for Montana on Tuesday and I’ll stay in snow the whole time out. Yes it sucks tarping in freezing weather but not as bad as hauling crap loads for under $3.00/mile.

 

If you won't tarp in winter you are missing out on most of the available loads.
Roads are salted in the winter and most customers don't want that on their product, especially steel.

 

@Big Road Skateboard and @AgPilot1 yall are men who do it the way I love to. Hang around for the good stuff going to areas no one wants to go and enjoy the area and make good money. I would normally only go to the “normal” places if it paid really well.

I can’t really be gone from home right now so I just parked it and enjoying the time at home. Probably do some end dump again for a lil while and I am in the process of setting up my dog kennels set up and will reduce my insurance on truck and train dogs for awhile and let things sit until rates improve. There are still a few goods loads to those great places but that is about all that is worth it right now it seems. So thankful my junk is paid for as well.

Hang in there @pumpkinishere do what it takes, Park it and do something else for the time being or find an area your needed.

 

I’ve got a set of 8 foot drops I’ll let y’all borrow if you swing by DFW area. If it keeps you in The money.

 

I'd be looking elsewhere. I'm a load board cowboy too, haven't tarped a load this week, plum ran my as's off, but I'm at 10,100$ since Tuesday.