The art and theory of deadheading. Thoughts and Opinions.

Well if he runs 4 he made $4000 with 3200 miles if I run 2 for $3000 with just 1600 miles you still think he is doing better you could do 1 more turn which would put me at$4500 with 2400 miles.This really isn't rocket science.

 

Well, I Like the way Tall Joe Thinks here......
TIME, Yes TIME Plays a Vital role in your business plan and Morale.

This Industry has become so strategically balanced to where you simply tear your head off trying to "Think" About the ol' "Work Smarter not Harder" routine

I'm Like Tall Joe- Enjoy Family-Friends- But Also Like to Make my Money too.

The "Use your 70 every week" Work Plan became old a Long time ago-

What works for me Now is the 4 day workweek- I Enjoy 3 Solid days off for Personal projects and Family Time- And sufficing my customers at the same time.

Monday -Thursday- Or Sunday thru Wednseday-

I Tried that 6 day Workweek and You Lose so Much "Life" You'll Never get Back-

 

Of course, if you can do that you are better off. The thing is that return load form Columbus or wherever for $500 - 600 may compromise the reload. Although lately Columbus - Chicago pays about $700 these days (not too bad, if compared to the first half of the year). If you know the shipper and receiver for the back haul and accurately predict when you are loaded and empty that's perfect. Anyway, I think, that this is not a good idea (running empty too much) in the long run. It could work on consistent, almost guaranteed lanes (perhaps contracted). I guess that following the money, yet not too far from home, is the optimal solution and if it is Friday and I am 400 - 700 away from home - just run empty that one day)

 

There are days, I noticed on DAT, that even Indianapolis pays 1000 (200 miles), in the afternoon hours. Well, if that was everyday, good luck dear brokers to solicit me for a back haul to Chicago for 300-400 (BNSF, and CHR in particular). XPO, one day in a desperado mode, paid 1300 to go from Joliet, IL to Des Moines, IA --- did not have to even think of the back haul. I wish it was everyday.

 

I do understand what point your making,I myself run half my miles a week empty,I run for a direct shipper and run there product to home centers I have 2 regions I cover so I made sure the rate for me is enough to cover empty miles.But reality is if I could still pick up

a load back I would do even better but the commitment I made to the shipper is to reload for them in most all cases wouldn't allow time for me to load back.

 

I treat empty miles the same as loaded.I have talked to some on here that are under the impression if your dead heading it doesn't cost you money there very minimum difference in the cost I feel.So if I was thinking about running a customer freight and he wanted to reload. You have to take empty miles back in to it.so if I decided I could make money doing his loads and say I could make money at $2 a mile on a 400 mile run I would want $$1600 to cover return mileage just example you might need more or maybe less. I would want a profit if not I wouldn't commit to reload.

 

You guys blow me away with this dead head stuff. I don't get it. Not like your running upper NE or out west to NW.

Run Chi town to Columbus for 1200. Columbus to Indy for 500, and Indy to Chi town for 600. You could do this turn twice per week then finish up with a Chitown to Indy and back for atleast 1200.

2300+2300+1200= 5800 on prob no more then 2200 realistic miles. Nothing ever goes as planned but this is what I would try for if I was you. That's 2.63 per mile. And!!!... your back home in bed with zero dead head essentially to the house.

Better then even if you turned 4 of the way you would like to do it. That's 4000 on 3200 miles. 1.25/mi. 50,000 more miles per year on your truck! That's HUGE.

That's the difference between taking advantage of the current freight environment and paying your truck off early, or wearing your truck out and barely getting by.

 

Don Hinly "boys of summer"

 

That's just how I run!!! Are you fallowing me?

Friday, picked up Chi. Home for the weekend, dumped 3 stops in Cincinnati and Columbus. Pick in Columbus and delivering to Indy in the morning. Then pick in Indy to Chi and another round. In this 1 round I'll only have 54 miles deadhead. I did lose 127 miles to go to the house for the weekend instead of just going strait to Cincinnati. Cost I'm willing to pay to have a life.

 

Ok good! I must have gotten lost. Gps fault! Haha. I thought you were saying you ran Chicago to Columbus for 1000, then run empty back to Chicago for another load. Rinse and repeat.

Edit Oh oops thought you were TallJoe for a second. Hahahha nah bro not following you, just trying to get this money! I do like your style!