Taking the plunge. My journey as an O/O.

Discussion in 'Ask An Owner Operator' started by Farmerbob1, Jan 7, 2019.

  1. Scooter Jones

    Scooter Jones Road Train Member

    9,551
    19,970
    Apr 19, 2011
    0
    Well, at least you now kinda, sorta, maybe know what you're paying for a gallon of fuel? ;-)

    Crete telling you they have no way including the gallons purchased on a fuel deduction did make me chuckle.
     
    Last edited: Feb 11, 2019
    Broke Down 69 Thanks this.
  2. Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.

  3. Scooter Jones

    Scooter Jones Road Train Member

    9,551
    19,970
    Apr 19, 2011
    0
    Now that you mention Dart, I think it was them.
     
  4. REO6205

    REO6205 Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

    12,586
    56,869
    Feb 15, 2014
    California.
    0
    One of the more common ways of buying fuel is to buy a "block" of fuel, say 1 million gallons at a time. The end user usually buys on the spot market through a fuel broker or sometimes directly from the refiner itself. Most of the big refiners have a sales staff.
    The buyer guarantees that he'll use the block within a specified amount of time and from specified outlets. A large block spread over several truckstops and cardlocks and used within the allotted time is a cheap way to buy fuel wholesale. The end user pays the truck stop or cardlock a pumpage fee...usually a few cents a gallon
    The downside is that if you don't use your block within the amount of time the price to the buyer goes up. Way up.
    Another way is for a large trucking company to buy a block directly from a chain of truckstops. The same rules apply.
    There are all kinds of ins and outs to this way of buying fuel but one thing stays constant...the people refining, shipping, and pumping the fuel all get their cut. If they weren't making money on it they wouldn't be doing it.
     
  5. adayrider

    adayrider Road Train Member

    1,289
    1,731
    May 7, 2018
    0

    I'm the one that said you were fear mongering. The list you put up was fear mongering.
    I'm not a lease operator, I have been doing this for 25 years. With my own authority for 15. My Dad done it for 45. I have never drove a truck for nobody but myself-ever. Bought my first outfit at 24 yrs old.
    I don't treat my 1 man operation as a business, you can call it buying a job but I call it making a living on my terms.
    I have a retirement, insurance, and can take next week, next month, or next 6 months for vacation if I want.
    My wife was a SAHM for 18 years. So I'm no L/O new guy.
    The guys got a good head on his shoulders and is thinking ahead. Chances are he will make it from what I have read. Would he better of getting away from crete? Sure he would, no question about it. Will he make it at $1.30? It will be tough and he will put some wear on the truck though.
    My bet is he will build his confidence in a year or so and make a move.
     
  6. Farmerbob1

    Farmerbob1 Road Train Member

    3,685
    5,784
    Jan 17, 2017
    0
    They probably bought it months ago. I understand that the bigger megas buy fuel in advance of need.
     
  7. TallJoe

    TallJoe Road Train Member

    7,490
    16,266
    Apr 12, 2016
    Chicagoland
    0
    With 500K miles, you can predict the repairs will be popping up soon. I bought one with similar mileage to spend 40K in the next two years. All variety of repairs: DPF - suspension - electrical system. They will never end: about 15k a year is an average for maintenance in my case.

    Roughly .20c a mile for maintenance for the last 190K miles. (2.5 years with own authority) ; fuel .42c a mile but most of it was cash price...did not know about big discount fuel cards.
    If those are all the costs at Crete then from my history I'd have about 60-70 c left minus truck payment, not too much but mind you this is the first chapter of the op's journey.
     
    Last edited: Feb 11, 2019
    Farmerbob1 Thanks this.
  8. Farmerbob1

    Farmerbob1 Road Train Member

    3,685
    5,784
    Jan 17, 2017
    0
    Crete has many puzzlingly stupid practices.

    For example, how they number their stops.

    Let's say you have one pick and three drops.

    The pick is not a numbered stop. Drop 1 is called stop 1. Drop 2 is called drop 2, and drop 3 is not numbered.

    Almost every single shipper or trucking company I have ever heard of numbers their stops with the following rule:

    If you stop and either load or unload, it is a numbered stop.

    Pick 1 is stop 1
    Drop 1 is stop 2
    Drop 2 is stop 3
    Drop 3 is stop 4

    When I asked one of the IT guys why it was done bass ackwards, he told me it was because drivers were getting confused...

    I asked them if it might make more sense to require ignorant drivers to learn industry standards, as opposed to forcing knowledgeable drivers to deviate from industry standards.

    Crete has serious issues with details in their IT support structure. Most of their stuff *works* (except Peoplecrap, sometimes) but there are highly annoying stupidities sprinkled liberally throughout everything.

    Another example. I have to sign in *TWICE* to the employee login on the smartphone app, with the same username and password. Only signing in once fails to gain access.
     
    basedinMN_ Thanks this.
  9. Scooter Jones

    Scooter Jones Road Train Member

    9,551
    19,970
    Apr 19, 2011
    0
    Your background in the industry is unique.

    Unfortunately, his isnt ...
     
    Broke Down 69 Thanks this.
  10. Farmerbob1

    Farmerbob1 Road Train Member

    3,685
    5,784
    Jan 17, 2017
    0
    I spent 3 years learning in the industry before trying o/o.

    I have substantial cash and credit reserves, even after a substantial down payment.

    I bought a truck that I personally drove for 250k miles.

    I *LIKE* to drive. I have no objection at all to running 3500 mile weeks.

    No debt other than my truck.

    No wife, kids, alimony.

    I fully expect to encounter problems.

    I fully expect to overcome them.

    Despite my confidence, I have exit strategies.

    I am reading everything people write here, and I AM learning some things.

    I am even learning from the people who insist that I will probably fail if I do not become an o/o the same way they did.
     
    Just passing by and JonJon78 Thank this.
  11. tramm01

    tramm01 Road Train Member

    8,993
    112,331
    Sep 13, 2013
    Idaho
    0
    Nothing to it but to do it — talking part should be all done.
     
    Farmerbob1 Thanks this.
  • Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.