What are the worst states for loads for Owner Operators?

My bank account has the final word. He is
happy, so I am happy. Just finished $9000 week. Didn't work the summer, don't plan to
work the winter.
BTW, I have masters in math, so most probably
I'm much better than you with numbers.
Blah...blah...blah...

 

Sure, but to make the big bucks you do have to work hard for it.

 

Agreed, but really all I care about is the results, the back office mechanism doesn’t enter my mind. Its good to know, simply to understand the market. But, as long as all parties abide by the contract, It doesn’t enter my mind often enough to affect anything. As far as contract vs direct shippers, yes but to muddy those waters even more, you have companies like LS, that pay a form of FSC, even on broker freight from a board. That alone pays dividends on that 35% that they get.

 

I wouldn't owner operate for anything less than $1 mile profit.

 

To a point, but there comes a time when the return doesn’t justify the additional expense. I am a company driver now, but if I buy a truck again, I would NEVER run it as hard as I do this truck. And (this is not directed at you specifically) someone can run HARD all they want, but they can NEVER make enough to overcome a bad business model. I got into this all the time when I would have people laugh because I was running my W900 with a 13 speed at 60 or so, in 12th gear (direct). I was averaging about 7.4mpg overall and on certain days, closer to 8mpg. They would say things about if I ran 75, I could get another load or two per week. MAYBE….but that entire week, if I am losing 1 to 1.3mpg, I am making LESS money (net). I would always have to explain it…. running more miles costs money…. Running them faster costs even more for the extra miles, but also the ones I was running anyway. Plus tires, maintenance costs, all go up with the fuel. But just by slowing down, I was getting real good fuel economy for the truck I was driving. Working more costs more, and then the gov takes a chunk of the new earnings… but if you just don’t spend it, you keep it all. The real trick is finding the right balance.

 

Right. All expenses have to be reduced, and decent rates achieved. Like not taking heavy loads over hills unless the rate justifies it. Like not taking a high miles or hot load, unless the rate justifies the depreciation or excess fuel consumption. But with all of that in mind, if you get decent rates, the more you drive the fatter your wallet.

 

@Power Meister , are you dodging my question?

 

That’s cute, but do you KNOW your cost per mile, to the penny? When I had my truck, I did. Just by numbers ALONE, I knew what day my Charge Air Cooler started leaking. That question isn’t a shot at you, but VERY few O/O know what their costs are, and almost no lease purchase driver do. Is that $1 per mile an average or a bottom dollar PERIOD? If that is bottom dollar absolutely… what would you do if you got a SMOKIN rate to FL or Denver, but could only net .80 coming back. Lets say the rate was high enough that you would still average 1.90 net even after the rate coming back out? Would you turn down the real good rate because you can’t find an acceptable rate coming back? Would you run it, and deadhead out, because of the lower rate? Or would you run both, and be ok, since you are still over $1 per mile NET average?

 

LOL. Just some mysterious dude that rides on the wind.

 

The $1 is the average for the year.