What is the bottom dollar per mile we should be expected to haul in a dry van?

Discussion in 'Ask An Owner Operator' started by Straitliner, Dec 8, 2014.

  1. Straitliner

    Straitliner Light Load Member

    70
    39
    Jun 25, 2014
    0
    I try to not go under $2 a mile dry van freight but....................there are people that haul for much less.
     
  2. Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

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

  3. Studebaker Hawk

    Studebaker Hawk Road Train Member

    2,994
    9,709
    Oct 18, 2010
    NW Indiana
    0
    I would haul it for $.50 a mile if it got me to a $4.00 mile load. Individual load revenue is meaningless. What I do over time, minimum 3 months or more is a yardstick I use. Hasn't failed in 35+ years as an owner operator.
     
    jbatmick, MysticHZ, BallC74 and 6 others Thank this.
  4. Tall Mike

    Tall Mike Road Train Member

    7,359
    34,740
    Aug 20, 2014
    New York State
    0
    great advice, always keep the big picture in mind..
     
  5. FLATBED

    FLATBED Road Train Member

    Know your TRUE COST PER MILE , divide it by .79 and you have the least amount you can haul freight at and make a bit of profit and you might still be around next year.
     
    rollin coal Thanks this.
  6. generallee

    generallee Medium Load Member

    512
    441
    Jan 4, 2014
    0
    I shoot for $2.00 average to the truck on a weekly basis meaning I'll run for less out a bad area to get to a good area paying more. It's been working for me as I seldom end up under $2.00 for the week. Often pushing considerably more. This is @ 80% of the load. I'm moving to a new carrier next week where I keep another 8% so I expect those numbers to go up. Only difference is I pay my own cargo/general liability insurance @ $150 a week and $112.50 a week for a trailer instead of $85 for a total of $177.50 per week more in expenses for that 8%. on an average week that's another $350 or so more in my pocket.
     
    Dryver Thanks this.
  7. Dryver

    Dryver Road Train Member

    2,818
    2,575
    Nov 30, 2008
    Sioux Falls, SD
    0
    I'll run my business so it is profitable and sometimes that means taking a load for less than I usually do to get to the load that pays better. So when you hear of drivers hauling 'cheap' freight don't criticize until you know the whole story. I know my profit point and it has to do with a whole list of factors just not what the load pays. So answering your question is irrelevant and a useless number, what may be great for another driver may not be OK for me.
     
  8. generallee

    generallee Medium Load Member

    512
    441
    Jan 4, 2014
    0
    To elaborate a little further, I shoot to net $3000 a week or better on average. The exceptions are weeks I head home. If I'm consistently falling below that goal, I look to something different to change that. By net I mean my settle checks after fuel, trailer lease, and insurance before taxes or any maintenance/repairs. I think it's a realistic and achievable goal for anyone pulling dry van and leased to a carrier. Sometimes I do better, sometimes I fall a little short.
     
  9. Jerry12

    Jerry12 Heavy Load Member

    723
    282
    Sep 9, 2014
    0
    about $2.00 min. $2,000 per week net. (but i hit my yearly goal back in July)
     
  10. double yellow

    double yellow Road Train Member

    5,946
    10,066
    Aug 28, 2011
    State of Jefferson
    0
    I'd rather deadhead 400 miles to a hot zone than take a 50cent load. Its not worth the 4 hours in docks, the 13 cpm worse fuel mileage, the 2cpm higher maintenance costs, the paperwork, the risk of an insurance incident, the risk of any fluke delay popping up and damaging my reputation...

    $1/mile is probably my absolute minimum, but really I'd only consider 200-400 mile runs paying that low and only if they brought me to a $3+ mile area... I break even at $1.30
     
    icsheeple and Straitliner Thank this.
  11. thelushlarry

    thelushlarry Road Train Member

    3,023
    8,999
    Jan 9, 2012
    glasgow ky
    0

    I would do it for $.47:biggrin_25521:
     
  • Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

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