What kind of rates are ya'll getting?

you got a dispatcher with your own authority ? mercer has non forced dispatch, you never take anything you don't want to pull.

and after having authority, the difference is far greater than in just dollars and cents, most look at as giving away 25 percent, but when you take away for insurance, log compliance, drug testing consortium, cargo insurance, factor fees, the percentage brokers take, and figure in fully paid ifta, fuel discounts, and the tire discounts, and other discounts even on pm service. plus keeping up with all the paperwork and compliance, if you are leased at a decent place you aren't looking but at a pittance in difference.

there are 2 ways looking at that, I did it all myself for 15 years and running a total of 8 trucks the last 5 years. having your own authority isn't the easy street many portray, it s a lot of work done right.

 

$1.80??? Seriously, that is good? I remember $2 being the mark to shoot for in 2007. No wonder why rates to the truck will NEVER GO UP. Wow.

 

a few things. I'm talking all miles, measured by my odometer, which I've made sure is accurate. I also have stated I do better than that number. my point was, if that was all I could get, I could still make a good living pulling for that rate.
competition is what keeps rates stagnant. right now there is still a good profit margin at current rates, and they will remain flat until costs go up so high that there is no profit margin.
the market has changed from the 80's and mid 90's. we can either sit around talking about the good old days of trucking, or adapt to the realities of today's market.

 

yes and no. using myself as an example, I could buy a brand spanking new truck and still do well. I seriously considered ordering one to take delivery this coming January but in the end after a month of consideration, I chose not to basically because I have no desire to work enough to make it even out. I like my 4+ months off a year.

 

i can see pulling a van. on flat land. with light loads.getting 7+ mpg and doing good with 1.80.

pull a open deck. heavy. in the mountains. getting 5 mpg. and that 1.80 don't work out.

and i could swear that talk on this forum a few years back. was about the going rate of all the insurance needed running about 10g.

 

Yes sir. I run a dedicated dispatch for a local company in town right now. I get paid 48 hours from when they receive my bills. Which is why I'm running for them don't have to worry about factoring or any of that crap. I can't lease my truck onto a company unless I go with Werner swift crest, etc. Can't even lease to mercer they won't take me. Even with a perfect record and no accidents in the past 6 years. Stupid insurance companies run this industry as far as I'm concerned. Little too young still.

Yes having your own authority is a lot of work. I have talked to a lot of drivers that leased on, and I've talked to a few that have their own authority like I do. You get a different answer from everybody. There are a lot of guys that are leased on that would rather have their own authority and there are a lot of guys that have their own authority that want to lease on. Now the drug testing, and discounts you mentioned I don't have to worry about so much. I have a few connections still pay a good chunk of change for a PM but 90% of the work I do myself so I only pay parts. And I get good prices on parts from one of my local shops. Log compliance isn't bad at all. Its not hard at all just keep things straight and you're fine.

No its not easy, no its not fun, but there's a lot of us out there that do it. Now then I will say this I'm running dedicated dispatch right now, got to Iowa wendsday pulled over at a rest area and was pissing blood. Called dispatch and said I'm coming home and going to the hospital. Got home an hour later and went to the hospitol. They weren't happy about me Turing around but a broker would've charged me for that problem. I can't help that I've got a screwed up kidney but it still would've cost me. So there are some good things about being leased. This company I run dedicated for has lease drivers, there are pros and cons to both but I prefer dealing with my own stuff and not worrying about a company. Its easier to deal with a dispatcher only than a safety director, log office, etc etc. Its not for everybody but sometimes its the best route.

 

When I drove 160,000 miles a year I had no life and got no sleep most people don't think much about it when there making $365,k a year I didn't I was only profiting $.33/mi after everything leased to a carrier.


Best thing I ever did in trucking was get a CPA 2nd best thing was getting my own authority! This year I'm all about RPM I've only drove 27,000miles this year and hit $100,k in June. I did $4,400 this week did five loads and been at home every night in my bed and only put 1,085miles this week.


"it ain't bragging if you can do it"

 

Drug testing is $99 a year not much cost there my insurance is under $6,000 a year load boards ITS,and DAC run $149 a month for both.