Whats of the point of being an owner-operator for .90 a mile.

It cost $1.08 a mile to operate a truck

 

I show most brokers and even direct customers no mercy these days. There is a few small outfits that did help us out when the times got real tough, so they still get a fair shake, but every 1 else we run spot market rates on every load, and have since 2008 when the times got tough. We had shippers and brokers ask us to all but pay them to let us haul thier freight in 2008-2010. Now, they get the same treatment and have for years. We do a bang on job, been in business many years, never had a cargo claim, have only had 2 accidents, both minor, drivers with the skill set to achieve that kind of record are available, but they don't come cheap.

 

a couple years ago my former dispatcher tried giving me a load & touted, it pay's a dollar a mile, this was really about 2-3 years ago. I told her.. a dollar a mile might sound good to you sitting on your chair just from using the phone, but not me. I left not long after.

 

Great thread. I really want to buy a truck and become an owner operator. I haven't decided whether I'd want to lease on to a tanker company, or get my own truck and trailer and authority. I keep seeing all these adds for O/O's advertising from a low of $.90 to a high of $1.86. Even at $1.86 I can't see how it would be worth it. Also, is it just me or does it seem like the lower the rate, the newer a truck they want you to own? Oh, yes not a newbie, been driving safely thirteen years. Just tired of driving other people's junk and feeling like I'm no better off now than thirteen years ago when I started.

Adam

PS. I would become a fan of rap music before I would do a flease-purchase, you have to take your hats off to the Mega's though. They figured out how to underpay drivers and become truck dealers at the same time.

 

Maybe your truck costs $1.08 a mile. Double that and I'd still be in the red 15%

 

I'll say, a 1.08 a mile covers my drivers wage and at this point fuel (barely) what about,

tolls, insurance, bonds, interest on truck/trailer payments, truck/trailer payments, replacement cost, breakdowns, workers comp., taxes, IRP, HUT, IFTA, tires, scheduled maintenance, Permits, office payroll, office overhead, straps, chains, equipment, tools, etc,etc.


Oh yeah, and at some point in there a bit of profit would be nice.

 

Some of these guys will stick up for these carriers paying .90cpm + FSC too. Saying things like, "well they pay for my permits and tag, tolls and scale receipts." Who cares, that adds up to about what in a year, $3000? On 100,000 miles that's only .03, on 130,000 miles it dwindles to .02cpm. So .90cpm + .30cpm FSC, + .03cpm for some freebies is $1.23 per mile. But hey, at least they can sit at the counter in the truck stop and say that they are an owner operator. I think a rookie starting out with Werner makes more than these so called owner operators.

 

seriously?? Then you need to find something different to do.. I'm a lease guy with Schenider, and if I were running $2+ a mile, I'd be banking over $3k a week. As it is, I can bank $2k on $4-$4,200 a week.

 

Wow. So reinforce the image of a guy working hard for less and telling folks they don't know what they're doing. Great plan, stick with it.

 

Hell I spend 3k a week on fuel lol