avg miles?? per month???

[gcal]

would some of you folks please post up avg. miles worked in a month and if you run with a company leased or get loads from load boards?

I am trying to compare and see if running with a company and leasing a truck to them if you make more or if you run your self and get loads from the net if you can stay busy. NOW i know i can stay busy for cheap rates but im looking at 1.50 per mile to keep me doing 10k miles a month.
is this common and possible or am i having a pipe dream???

[BanditsCousin]

Its a dream if you aren't aggressively pushing for more. I do well over $1.50/mi leased as an o/o. Guys like Stevebooth will do a flatebed load for $1.40 under his authority.

Load boards aren't where the good paying fright is, 99% of the time. You'll need to secure your own shippers for high rates. Leasing is easier and more secure.

Answer this- how much experience do you have, and in what commodity (hhg, tanker, flatbend, container........)

[BanditsCousin]

10,000 miles a month is doable in almost any kind of niche. However, you seem like you wanna be one of the guys that run miles, when you should be doing awsome paying shorthauls, running 1/2 the miles, and making twice as much.

Rephrase your question so that you are asking how to hit a certain amount of revenue, at the LEAST amount of miles. Maybe I'm just lazy because I'd rather run less and make the same as the hard runners :wink:

[gcal]

Its a dream if you aren't aggressively pushing for more. I do well over $1.50/mi leased as an o/o. Guys like Stevebooth will do a flatebed load for $1.40 under his authority.

Load boards aren't where the good paying fright is, 99% of the time. You'll need to secure your own shippers for high rates. Leasing is easier and more secure.

Answer this- how much experience do you have, and in what commodity (hhg, tanker, flatbend, container........)

i worked very little otr for gordon and did local two years for a company here in poor land aka portland and also did local container work with my own truck last year under a broker. needless to say that was a freaking waste of time and i wouldn't recommend to any one to pull containers.
why?

[gcal]

10,000 miles a month is doable in almost any kind of niche. However, you seem like you wanna be one of the guys that run miles, when you should be doing awsome paying shorthauls, running 1/2 the miles, and making twice as much.

Rephrase your question so that you are asking how to hit a certain amount of revenue, at the LEAST amount of miles. Maybe I'm just lazy because I'd rather run less and make the same as the hard runners :wink:

your right.
what i wanna do is a 15 a month before expenses. and i figure that if i run for a minimum of 1.50 a mile for 10k miles i will do that. now if i get lucky i will get something for 1.80+ and be able to run less that month. my goal is a minim of 1.50 and 10k miles in a month. @ 6mpg + taxes, insurance, plates, truck payment, trailer, road expense for me, and 750-1k a month in service need or not i will put it aside, i should be ok. or at least make a living till i secure a decent lane.

[GMAN]

The only way you can make at least $1.50 or more leasing to a carrier is to find one that pays percentage and runs for decent rates. If you only want to run for $1.50, you can find loads in that range from the load boards. You can find loads on the boards for less and more than that amount. It depends on where you run, what you haul, and how good you are at negotiating. Rates in the Northwest tend to be lower than some other areas of the country, however if you want to stay West, then you could probably do better than running coast to coast. I know of some who offer rates around $2/mile running in the western U.S. Those rates are for flat bed, so if you plan on pulling a van, then rates could be lower. I haven't kept up with most of the van rates, lately. I know of some who primarily run I-5 and do very well. Most trucks want to head East when they hit the left coast, so most rates are lower. If you want the higher rates, and live in the Northwest, you will want to stay West of Denver. Remember, it isn't about how many miles you run as it is about the rate. When you run your own authority, you have the flexibility to find your own shippers or look for those brokers who have the better paying loads. There are many who run their authority who primarily run off of the load boards. Rates can be all over the place. It is up to you to find the best rates.

[LOAD IT]

GMAN and Bandit have given you very sound advice. Gcal you have to stop thinking like a driver and think like a business man. What I mean is dont worry about amassing miles, worry about amassing revenue $$. Set a per day revenue goal for your truck(s) then work towards that everyday Monday thru Friday. I commend you for asking the questions and I can see you are planning for 2007. Good job and always remember that the man who fails to plan, plans to fail. Stay on your own authority and control your own destiny. You can do it if you hustle and keep your daily goal in front of you everyday.

[yoopr]

over a years time a Average of 2,500 miles a week and that includes time off and slow times

[rank]

One truck does about 2,000/wk (Kingston ON-Philly-Toronto-Kingston 2X per week). The other does less....a couple of Kingston - Rochesters.

Backhauls usually take us from Philly, Baltimore, NYC into Toronto. I've been getting rates ranging from $2 - $3/mile. These are steps and double drops with some OD loads in there too. Don't expect those rates from a van...or even a skateboard. I'd say if you're going to live off a loadboard, you've gotta have a lightweight 53' step deck, tarps, load levelers, wide load lights and a 10' spread to even have a chance. Oh, and it helps to have somebody watching the boards for you too.

[rank]

...actually I saw a really cool trailer a few months ago. A double drop combo by Manac. Throw some load levelers in there and that would be a pretty versatile trailer too.

[gcal]

my plan is or was to run west coast and make a income of minimum 15k to the truck. but i will tell you the truth i am petrified of depending on those load boards. i have no security blank with those since i have never used them. i am almost thinking about buying a nice day cab and running power only loads for schnyders power plus program or maybe even getting a trailer and running oregon to washington shorth trips.
but what ever i do i AM going to keep my plates and insurance under my name. I am NOT the guy to work for someone else i never have been and never will be. its just a matter of going big (otr with a nice truck and a 1.10. min to run the truck) or staying on the porch with the puppies and running local (which i came to a 95. cpm to run the truck but i can only make about 1.20 so it really doesn't sound that good either.
i am about as confused as they come.
over the road with a 8k min to just run the truck (plates, insurance, trailer, truck payment, maintaince, road tax's, internet web site bill's)
or local day cab light truck with a 430hp at least and yanking cans again but this time spicing it up with power only loads from the boards and maybe even getting a trailer to pull some short runs here in the north west.
some one shoot me or help me make up my mind before i go and do something stupid.

[Bigmon]

Steve is getting 1.80 and people here were jumping all over him. If you get 1.50 put on helmet and boxing gloves when you post it here. :?

[rank]

You have your own authority pulling local containers now? But then it seems you don't have a truck yet. It's late, I'm confused. Mostly to lazy to read the posts again.

You should be able to get a used step deck for about $25,000. They seem to hold their value well so if it didn't work out you wouldn't lose your shirt.

I haven't a clue about rates out there on the left coast, but have to beleive you could hit your target of 15,000/month with a step deck (if your truck doesn't break on you). Even better once you get to know some brokers and better yet if you can follow the rates around the country.

Just don't spend too much on the truck. We just bought a '98 T8 with a 410 N14 and studio bunk from an old O/O who's moving into the office. 200,000 miles on the rebuild and it's a nice clean tight truck. $15,000.

If you can keep your expenses to $1/mile and average $1.30 for all miles and do 8,000 miles a month, you'd net about $30,000 in a year (before taxes and all the health stuff you guys have to pay). That's probably less that what you're making know but at least you will have tried. And who knows you might average $1.50.

But you've got to keep the expenses down IMO.

[rank]

Steve is getting 1.80 and people here were jumping all over him. If you get 1.50 put on helmet and boxing gloves when you post it here. :?

I think Gcal was talking about $1.50 for all miles but I'm not sure.

[gcal]

i have my authority, still. i was running an old pos truck pulling containers and was getting loads from a local broker who was charging me 20% (yea i know i was stupid) it came out to 1.28 avg (loaded one way and empty back using schnider trailers.
anyway my truck took a crap and i sold it so now i am debating weather to pull local (Oregon and Washington) and be home at night with a day cab or getting the authority for the west coast and getting a sleeper to do otr. problem is i really need to be home alot due to home life so that is why i am thinkn9ing the best thing for me and my situation is to get a day cab and run local power loads only and also get a trailer (park it until i need it) to do a load from the boards here and there to help off set the low rates i get from this broker or at least till i land a good lane that i can depend on.

and yes 1.50 per mile would be my total avg WORST CASE situation. loaded and empty. thats my goal. what i would like to see is at least 1.85 (thats what i posted my truck up on the boards for to see what i get in response) now if that is far fetched that is were you guys come in with all those miles and years of driving.

as for step decks...i have never dealt with one and wouldn't know were to start. getting my own trailer period is worrying me cause all the experience i have is driving other peoples rig and using other peoples trailers that were drop and hook. i have done a live load and unload only a hand full of times for gordon trucking but that was it after i left there i never touched freight again it was all drop and hook for crap rates.


basically my problem is do i risk it all otr and load boards or stay put do what i know and have experience and settle for less. my family situation is that if i go my wife has to quit her job and deal with the kids but if i stay around i can afford to make less cause she will off set the bills with her income. so i am worried i will not make what i plan on otr. but local i know i will make little but it will be enough till i get either a lane local from some one worth a crap or get a trailer and figure out how to go over the road.

come on throw me a bone and some advice.

[rank]

OK I get it now Gcal. Sounds like you should be home.

I really can't comment on anything other than steps and double drops. Maybe I'm wrong but I think van rates are too low for anybody to make it off a load board with van.

I would watch the load boards and call about the day cab loads in your area to see what they pay. A few weeks of this will tell you about the rates and how plentiful the loads are. I find that the more expensive the product, the better it pays. i.e. machinery pays better than lumber and steel.

THen do the same thing with the regional loads. THen you can make a decision. If your wife does quit her job so you can go regional, I think she would have to look after the dispatching, billing and permits.

Working regional, I beleive you could safely assume 8000 miles a month at a cost of $1/mile before taxes and benefits. All you've gotta do is determine if the rates and quantity of loads in your area will support your financial needs.

Sorry to ramble. Hope this helps.

[gcal]

OK I get it now Gcal. Sounds like you should be home.

I really can't comment on anything other than steps and double drops. Maybe I'm wrong but I think van rates are too low for anybody to make it off a load board with van.

I would watch the load boards and call about the day cab loads in your area to see what they pay. A few weeks of this will tell you about the rates and how plentiful the loads are. I find that the more expensive the product, the better it pays. i.e. machinery pays better than lumber and steel.

THen do the same thing with the regional loads. THen you can make a decision. If your wife does quit her job so you can go regional, I think she would have to look after the dispatching, billing and permits.

Working regional, I beleive you could safely assume 8000 miles a month at a cost of $1/mile before taxes and benefits. All you've gotta do is determine if the rates and quantity of loads in your area will support your financial needs.

Sorry to ramble. Hope this helps.

every little bite helps. thanks and no that is not rambling to me it is information for me and i need as much as i can before i make another decision.