What's the best week you'll ever have for take home $$$?

It happens often that one good week is followed by a weak week. A good week could be also followed by a weak month. Two good weeks, then a week of maintenance makes them rather average too. A week is not any unit of measure here. It is rarely on week by week basis.

 

Good times didn't last long. Rates tanked after July 4 and haven't rebounded yet, even in my sector. Directs are the only thing keeping me out here.

 

I think, a general rule of thumb is that clearing 2000 - 2500 after fuel (I would also add tolls here) on weekly average should be an absolute minimum goal, especially running under your authority. It does not mean at all that you will get to keep all of that. As a matter of fact another general rule of thumb, or I should say a scientifically frivolous formula is that you get to keep half of what you gross annually. It definitely applies to me...200K gross means 100 - 110K after operational costs or 180K - 80 - 90K...etc That money still includes your driver's pay and any other allocations such as truck replacement fund/truck payments, IRA accounts, health insurance (if part of the business cost). Perhaps, new truck payments could aler the way it works but not too much as the expected maintenance should be minimal as compared to a used truck (also much less down time, thus potential for higher revenue) and the replacement fund should be minimal or none before the truck is paid off. @Scooter Jones is an example of minimal repairs costs with a brand new truck purchase.
My personal view is that a solo owner operator, with a dry van and or even reefer keeping 80 - 100K annually as a result of 180-200K gross while balancing it with the home life quality does a fairly good job (I am there myself). I do realize that a bunch of company drivers will say that they make as much as being hired employees, that is great but they are blessed with a good job and very few CDL holders can hope for finding it.

 

Different areas of the county and even just different people , has different needs as far as take home pay. Lots of OOs are retired military and drawing a check, to some of them trucking is somewhat of a hobby and just something to do that pays it's way and a little more.
You do not see many rich truckers, and in my way of thinking if a guy plans on hauling general freight, just the same as hundreds of thousands of other trucks are doing, he will general not make much over what a good job pays, and a lot of times less.
With my road truck, I haul a companies over flow, instead of leasing to them, it pays me at a very minimum of 30% more per load, but I am the first to go home when freight slows. At the end of the year I will make about the same as them with company signs on the door (most years) but with a lot less time and miles on my truck. It all depends on what a guy wants and the way he looks at things.
I can make during the summer 2500 to 3000 after taxes driving a company truck, I am not above parking mine when freight is slow and driving a company truck.

 

They tank every yr 1 week after the 4th . Companies recalibrate. Dont go home at the end of a QTR rates always go up. And there is a certain holiday end of Aug that automatically lowers capacity raising the rates for 1 week only last yr over 3.25mi Metro areas. Its a trend works everytime has for yrs

 

Moose season doesn't change rates here, but since I just run the freight they have extra, it guarantees me work.lol