Estimate for mileage in a year

[oldnavyparts]

Hello all,

I'm doing some calculations to compare potential earning between companies with differing pay scales. I am assuming an average week of 2500 miles, with 48 weeks of the year being on the road. This gives me a total of 120000 miles for a calendar year. Does this seem a safe enough guess for a new driver?

I am looking for information to help refute these numbers, or bolster them, either way. Is 2500 miles per week a rather safe figure for OTR, where the driver (myself eventually) stays out for three to four weeks between trips home? I assume two to three days at home, then back out on the road again for another three to four weeks.

Thanks!

[Sealord]

120k - 135k/year is a good estimate. BOL

[marcel27208]

75-80k

[oldnavyparts]

marcel27208: why such a low estimate of 75 to 80k the first year?

Thats barely running 1600 miles a week...am I missing something obvious here?

[yoopr]

Standard Mileage for a year with a decent company should get you around 120,000 with Slow downs figured in.

[marcel27208]

marcel27208: why such a low estimate of 75 to 80k the first year?

Thats barely running 1600 miles a week...am I missing something obvious here?

i run as little as possible and im home everyday

[oldnavyparts]

Well the home time makes all the difference! I see now. I just could not figure out how a figure that low would work OTR. Some companies even have a minimum amount of miles they want you to run, so I was a little confused. Thanks for clearing that up.

[rubberducky]

mileage will vary I wouldn't count on a set minimum.

[oldnavyparts]

rubberducky: I am well aware that mileage will vary based on a large number of variables that are outside of my control: breakdowns, holdup at shipper/receiver, HOS rules, traffic, weather, blown tires, sudden sickness, etc etc etc. That list can be endless.

I am in the planning stages, trying to weed out companies based on pay, and so forth. I have created a spreadsheet where I am charting the pros and cons of each company: pay, insurance, etc. I am using the mileage feedback I get here as a baseline to calculate potential earnings the first, and subsequent years I am employed at company X.

Obviously I don't want to shoot that number too high, because real world slowdowns will make a big difference between what I calculate as my earning potential at a company and the actual earnings from said company.

For instance, if I can drive at 65, but traffic will keep that average closer to 55, then I am taking the 55 miles per hour as the number, instead of the higher number. Also, for mileage, I am figuring 2500 miles per week, which seems to be an attainable average number. The average is more important than the individual weekly total for me. Since the peaks and valleys of my production with relation to mileage will average out to around 2500, that seems to be a reasonable number to make calculations with.

Taken a step further, at 55 miles per house, 2500 miles per week means that I am only behind the wheel for about 45 hours each week. The rest of my on duty time could be devoted to customer site issues, pre and post trip, fueling, etc. I know I might be erring on the side of caution with these numbers, but it gives me a much better real world picture.

Any input would be much appreciated. Thanks!

Sorry for the edit. I can't spell, and don't have time from work to mess with spell check!

[Malaki86]

Most companies route you at 40-45mph.

And, yes, 2500 is a good number to figure on per week.

Something else to figure in: the average miles per load. If you're running 400-450 mile loads, you're going to be doing a load/unload (or D/H) at least 1x per day, which cuts into your time.

[Uturn2001]

If you are trying to figure some kind of yearly budget I would use 2000 miles per week, 102,000 per year. In this biz you are better off figuring a little low.

[LOAD IT]

rubberducky: I am well aware that mileage will vary based on a large number of variables that are outside of my control: breakdowns, holdup at shipper/receiver, HOS rules, traffic, weather, blown tires, sudden sickness, etc etc etc. That list can be endless.

I am in the planning stages, trying to weed out companies based on pay, and so forth. I have created a spreadsheet where I am charting the pros and cons of each company: pay, insurance, etc. I am using the mileage feedback I get here as a baseline to calculate potential earnings the first, and subsequent years I am employed at company X.

Obviously I don't want to shoot that number too high, because real world slowdowns will make a big difference between what I calculate as my earning potential at a company and the actual earnings from said company.

For instance, if I can drive at 65, but traffic will keep that average closer to 55, then I am taking the 55 miles per hour as the number, instead of the higher number. Also, for mileage, I am figuring 2500 miles per week, which seems to be an attainable average number. The average is more important than the individual weekly total for me. Since the peaks and valleys of my production with relation to mileage will average out to around 2500, that seems to be a reasonable number to make calculations with.

Taken a step further, at 55 miles per house, 2500 miles per week means that I am only behind the wheel for about 45 hours each week. The rest of my on duty time could be devoted to customer site issues, pre and post trip, fueling, etc. I know I might be erring on the side of caution with these numbers, but it gives me a much better real world picture.

Any input would be much appreciated. Thanks!

Sorry for the edit. I can't spell, and don't have time from work to mess with spell check!

Looks like you are doing your homework. I'm going to add a suggestion and then you run the numbers. You assume staying with one company for the entire first year. Assume staying at first company long enough to find a company that will start you at a higher rate per mile with limited experience, dont apply until you have thoroughly checked them out. As a brand new driver larger companies will get you miles because they pay you less, after a few/several months the miles drop because they have new rookies running for cheap. This is about the time you need to have that other company in your seabag. Jump ship and you will get the miles and the pay increase. What kind of old navy parts are ya?

[uglymutt]

120k - 135k/year is a good estimate. BOL

Yathzee, wanna play again, yup if yer runnin less than this yer not making much more than a 16 year old at McDonalds... whoever said 80k must work for USXpress or JB Hunt, that would only be 1500 miles a week for 52 weeks, not good enough to make rent and high speed porn uhh I mean internet....

[oldnavyparts]

LOAD IT: Is this a wide spread practice within the industry, to turn out new drivers, pay them a lower wage for a while, use them until they are eligible for more pay, then cut the miles for that driver? Wow. Hadn't thought about it from that angle, but I imagine it happens, and makes sense, from a purely profit making standpoint. So in effect, what you are saying is have another company (perhaps smaller company that pays better, treats employees better) lined up, and jump ship before they screw me too badly? What a cutthroat freaking industry. Know what I mean?

As for my moniker on this website, its just a userid to register here. I am neither old, in the Navy, or missing any parts. I was sitting at the computer, trying to figure a screen name to use for this website when I registered. There was an Old Navy bag and an O'Reilly's Auto Parts bag on the floor from a shopping trip my wife and I took earlier that day. I just concatenated parts of the two names together, and came up with this ID. Sorry there is no cool story behind it.

Sealord: I pay extra each month for high speed internet just so I can surf the archives of classadrivers.com!

Malaki86: I have been looking at Roehl and CFI out of Joplin, MO. I am hoping they will not be doing a lot of these little runs like you said. I don't want to get stuck with a company that does regional runs, the national runs are better, for the miles.

Thanks all for the input.

[LOAD IT]

Well I guess I will call you 2 Bags. You are right, they will use you up so be prepared to go to a better company when its time, dont start looking too soon, the big company will find reasons to screw up your DAC if they know you may leave.