Well I made it out

[sup]

Congrats on running now from a fellow FL carrier.
We run reefer and it's really horrible down here.
You should sign up for the loadboards though, ITS has the better paying ones. JMO.

[RostyC]

Congrats merrick4, and good luck to you. Business can be fun and rewarding, also frustrating sometimes. Always be willing to learn.

[no_worries]

I'm pretty impressed with the price you got for the unit. The trailer price is higher than I remember but that was almost 18 months ago, before the manufacturers instituted significant increases due to higher prices on commodities. For a good overall unit, $58,000 is certainly in the ballpark of what's reasonable.

[person]

You have done a lot here getting started. An excellent accomplishment.

Did you have $7200 a year in your budget planning for finding loads? I don't think many single truck companies pay that much for that single task. Does that amount include anything else?

[geomon]

With a year's experience, how difficult was it getting liability insurance? Who did you end up going with? Did you have to sell the house to get it?

[merrick4]

You have done a lot here getting started. An excellent accomplishment.

Did you have $7200 a year in your budget planning for finding loads? I don't think many single truck companies pay that much for that single task. Does that amount include anything else?

Actually my plan was to lease on to CRST Malone flatbed, and I got to talking with the individual and he pointed out, which is true, that if I got paid 75% of the load which is what they paid, then I'd be paying a hell of a lot more then $7200 a year. I forget the figures we went with but figure if I grossed $100,000 a year, well that's $25,000 right there I'd be paying CRST.

Actually I didn't want to go with this guy for the simple reason is I knew him and liked him and I never get involved with people I know. You know the saying "good fences make good neighbors".

As to if it includes anything else, well I mean I got my equipment with him as a reference. I don't think I would have paid the prices I paid if I went there alone. I bought the APU at the same price he got for buying 5 at a time. Also basically if I have any questions whatsoever about anything, then I call him.

You make a good point though, but yes in short I did plan on that expense.

[merrick4]

With a year's experience, how difficult was it getting liability insurance? Who did you end up going with? Did you have to sell the house to get it?

It's late now and I want to get to bed but to answer real quick (I will post exact figures later), I paid about $13,000. Liability was with a company called Aequicap. I think they are out of Florida though I'm not sure. Progressive handled the Comp and collision. I see Lloyd's of London on my policy too but I'm not sure what they are for. That might be for the cargo.

Wait I just looked real quick, total for liability and cargo was $7860.69. For the truck and trailer was actually about $6000 more. I will post later the exact figures. Remember this was higher as I have newer equipment.

[merrick4]

I'm pretty impressed with the price you got for the unit. The trailer price is higher than I remember but that was almost 18 months ago, before the manufacturers instituted significant increases due to higher prices on commodities. For a good overall unit, $58,000 is certainly in the ballpark of what's reasonable.

no_worries, I think I read you are from Florida, if so and you are going to buy the reefer unit, PM me if you want and I'll give you the place where I bought the stuff from. Real nice guy. Actually I paid by credit card and then the wife called me and she was apologetic but said that the fees would be too much and that the husband shouldn't have said I could pay by credit card. She thought I would be mad but I understood. I was surprised that he let me do it.

I actually saved money by getting the trailer and reefer unit separate. Wabash would have done it for me but then obviously marked up the price. I see a lot of Utility trailers out here (in my big one week ) but I went with Wabash as the walls have some material (I forget the name) that are less prone to punctures. Also they have some type of material on the top that I believes dissipates heat.

[merrick4]

Okay I finish unloading tomorrow AM. These six stops weren't bad at all. I did five today real quick. Honestly I pulled up and they pulled the pallets. No wait whatsoever.

So my first week, I billed $3600 plus $90 for unloading. I've spent about $1300 on fuel which was a bit higher as I started out on empty from the dealer, well not empty but low. This leaves about $2300 but I need to figure out my expenses. It's a little hard to figure out as I got creative with the finances. Technically the insurance is paid for the year and I have no payment for the trailer and APU, I do owe the money but like I said I got creative. I forgot to add the total miles I drove this week (hub miles) was 2900 for a total of $1.24 a mile. I have been trying to figure out this Drivers Daily Log program. It has a lot of features that help to track a lot of stuff.

As for my expenses remember that I have all newer equipment with less than 2 years on my CDL so all that coupled together and my expenses are going to be higher than a lot of other people.

I'm hoping this week will be better though I've enjoyed it. I like being out here and seeing new things. Also went to a Meijers tonight. Never been in one of those. Think they are a lot bigger than even Super Walmart.

[glockboyz]

MAYBE THIS MIGHT HELP.

Pickup Location: LUDINGTON, MI
Drop-off Location: ROSENHAYN, NJ
Mileage: 846
Pickup Date: 7/27/2007 (Friday July 27th) Any Time
Equipment Types: Reefer, Van
Load Quantity: 1
Load Size: Full
Load Weight: 45000 lbs.
Oversized: No
Overweight: No
Team Preferred: No
Payment Amount: $1650.00
Company Name: DEER LAKE TRUCK BROKERAGE
Company Location: HOWARD CITY, MI
FMCSA Lookup: MC 409474
Contact Name: Bruce, Lori
Contact Phone Number: 800-430-0007
Date Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2007 12:05pm EDT

Pickup Location: GRAND RAPIDS, MI
Drop-off Location: BALTIMORE, MD
Mileage: 652
Pickup Date: 7/27/2007 (Friday July 27th) Any Time
Equipment Types: Van
Load Quantity: 1
Load Size: Full
Load Weight: 30000 lbs.
Oversized: No
Overweight: No
Team Preferred: No
Payment Amount: $1350.00
Company Name: ACTION PRO LOGISTICS LLC
Company Location: WEST OLIVE, MI
FMCSA Lookup: MC 445288
Contact Name: Rick
Contact Phone Number: 616-890-5153
Extra Information: No touch, Del Monday 10 am
Date Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2007 12:43pm EDT

Pickup Location: PALMYRA, MI
Drop-off Location: FOREST PARK, GA
Mileage: 702
Pickup Date: 7/27/2007 (Friday July 27th) Any Time
Delivery Date: 7/30/2007 (Monday July 30th) Any Time
Equipment Types: Reefer
Equipment Attributes: Refrigerated, Std Length 48'
Load Quantity: 1
Load Size: Full
Load Weight: 0 lbs.
Oversized: No
Overweight: No
Team Preferred: No
Payment Amount: Call
Company Name: PLATINUM LOGISTICS
Company Location: LINCOLN PARK, MI
FMCSA Lookup: MC 589616
Contact Name: Paul/ Steve
Contact Phone Number: 734-692-2900
Extra Information: Contact Denny 734-692-2900
Date Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2007 3:56pm EDT


Pickup Location: NEW ERA, MICurrent Weather Forecast
Drop-off Location: MONROE, GACurrent Weather Forecast
Mileage: 875
Pickup Date: 7/27/2007 (Friday July 27th) Any Time
Equipment Types: Reefer, Van
Load Quantity: 1
Load Size: Full
Load Weight: 42840 lbs.
Oversized: No
Overweight: No
Team Preferred: No
Payment Amount: Call
Company Name: JLI BROKERAGE
Company Location: MUSKEGON, MI
FMCSA Lookup: MC 578556
Contact Name: Heidi
Contact Phone Number: 231-638-7134
Extra Information: Delivers Sunday
Date Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2007 9:42pm EDT


Pickup Location: GRAND RAPIDS, MI
Drop-off Location: MANTECA, CA
Mileage: 2261
Pickup Date: 7/27/2007 (Friday July 27th) Any Time
Equipment Types: Reefer
Equipment Attributes: Insulated, Refrigerated, Vented
Load Quantity: 1
Load Size: Full
Load Weight: 39000 lbs.
Oversized: No
Overweight: No
Team Preferred: No
Payment Amount: Call
Company Name: WEST GATE LOGISTICS, LLC
Company Location: FRESNO, CA
FMCSA Lookup: MC 609481
Contact Name: Kenny
Contact Phone Number: 559-217-3096
Date Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2007 3:17pm EDT

call these brokers and try to get at least $1.80 a mile for dry and $2 for reefer.

[geomon]

Glockboyz...what service did you use to pull up those loads?
Thanks

[Bigmon]

Actually my plan was to lease on to CRST Malone flatbed, and I got to talking with the individual and he pointed out, which is true, that if I got paid 75% of the load which is what they paid, then I'd be paying a hell of a lot more then $7200 a year. I forget the figures we went with but figure if I grossed $100,000 a year, well that's $25,000 right there I'd be paying CRST. :Quote

Keep in mind that CRST Malone will do a lot more paper work for you and they take care of collections. Your dispatcher gets paid whether you get a load or not. Something to consider. If you're happy with the arrangement then that's all that matters.

[no_worries]

You'll be happy with the Wabash. Every manufacturer has their little quirks and features that are "exclusive" but when it comes right down to it, they're all pretty similar. I live in CA but I used to do a lot in FL. But when the time comes I may get those names from you anyway. I'll go anywhere to save a few thousand $$.

[glockboyz]

Glockboyz...what service did you use to pull up those loads?
Thanks

www.getloaded.com

[pepe4158]

Thank you Steve and GMAN. Steve if you go back and read over your orignal posts and now read what you write, well it's amazing. You seem to have reached a comfort level. Me I feel like a fish out of water, but I know in time that comfort level will come.

I do want to ask a queston, how do you send your bills out? I don't see any mailboxes at these truck stops?

----yeah pain in the butt, I find a post office in the dinky towns, that I can park close to, always ask anywhere i can park that monster close enough to walk over :-p

Welcome to the fish pond...I feel like a little guppy sometimes trying to keep getting swallowed up by the big boys, but I have made enough to keep myself solvent for next year so far (even with all my bone-head mistakes too numorous to mention)...even barring a big emergrncy like seizing an engine :-p

[no_worries]

Even if there's not a big blue mailbox, the truckstop still has outgoing mail. They usually have a basket behind the fuel desk. Just ask and they'll drop your mail into it.

[merrick4]

Keep in mind that CRST Malone will do a lot more paper work for you and they take care of collections. Your dispatcher gets paid whether you get a load or not. Something to consider. If you're happy with the arrangement then that's all that matters.

Not sure what you mean of paperwork, but as for when I'm with a new broker, I don't swap papers, they do that for me. As for collections, I'm running with his contacts mostly so I'm hoping that collections will be at a very minimum. My first load was actually with CH Robinson, and the money should be in my checking account this Monday (minus the 1.5% Quickpay fee but that's worth it I think for just faxing in everything, no mailing)

I appreciate the comment though. I will say this frequently, I appreciate all comments, whether negative or positive cause this is not personal. Besides as I don't know any of you, it's kind of silly to be arguing on a computer with strangers.

Anyway, I'm on my next assignment. At first blush it looked good, but I'm not so sure. The dispatcher has been doing this for many years but he was never a driver (the owner was) and I think that one needs to be a driver to understand a lot. Don't get me wrong I'm not bad mouthing him cause I don't know him enough yet. Well let me just tell you the load and you see for yourself.

It was a load picking up in Corruna, IN and going to Laurel, De. I'm not sure about all that practical miles, or trucker miles but I just put in into my GPS program and it came out to 660 miles. It was a flat rate of $1350 which was about a little over $2.00 a mile. Also it was just cardboard boxes so it was light.

However I had to deadhead 180 miles to get there and then when I put it in my program and looked on the map I saw I had to run a lot of toll roads and especially the Penn. turnpike which is costly. That's what I meant about the dispatcher not being a driver, he doesn't know about tolls etc. So I avoided the tolls and got down to 70 and then into W. Virginia and over to Maryland onto 68 so that added to the miles and also that I68 is steep. So it ended up total about 900 miles so that brought it down to $1.50 a mile.

(By the way, when you guys get a quote from a broker and they tell you say $1.50 a mile, does that always include deadhead or is that usually left out?)

The good thing was that there was no wait at the shipper and I was worried about State Road 30 in Ohio to avoid the tolls but I liked that road. Another problem is I go wicked slow. I mean like 55 to 60 so things take longer though I'm getting good fuel mileage.

Anyway I also had to pickup at the same place I was dropping off the cardboard. I'm to get a load of Watermelon and it's going back to detroit. That is a distance of 617 miles at $800 and obviously no deadhead. That comes to $1.29 a mile and puts me back in a good area. The problem is 617 miles in on toll roads so it's more like 656 miles and back with a heavy load on that steep I68.

I asked the dispatcher why so low on the melons that shouldn't that pay more that the cardboard? He said yes, but he was just seeing $2100 dollars for the weekend and back in a good area. Actually after fuel this weekend takes care of my weekly expenses so what I do til friday will be more or less profit. I know everyone breaks down expenses by the mile. I read that it costs $.85 a mile to run a truck but I have it down to what I need to make a week. That is after fuel, insurance, truck payment, broker fee, and I set money aside for the trailer too.

Anyway so I figure a total of 1600 miles for this weekend at $2150 which gives me a total of about $1.34 for all miles. One plus is that this is another CH Robinson load so I'll have my money in a few days.

I guess the key thing is what I asked above whether when quoted on a load if the deadhead is figured in at the start?

Oh by the way Glockboyz, thanks for the posted loads. Right now I'm going to just stick with the guy, remember it's only been 8 days. Part of the deal is he runs my truck. The benefit to him is, as he told me, he has more trucks to offer.

Well so far that's my weekend. As always looking forward to hear any and all comments.

P.S. I was wondering what happened to you Pepe? I guess the Cingular block.

[GMAN]

Merrick, when a broker quotes the mileage and rate it usually doesn't include any deadhead miles. You need to figure the deadhead yourself to see if taking the load makes sense to you. I have gotten the broker to kick in deadhead money on occasion, but it isn't the norm. I always run the miles myself before committing to a load. Some brokers use short miles. If you take a Landstar load, they usually use short miles. I just allow enough on my rate to compensate for the difference. If you plan on running a lot of CH Robinson loads, you don't need to have a dispatcher. You can post on their load board or one of the other load boards and brokers will begin to call you. I think you can do as well or better on your own rather than paying this guy to dispatch you. But, we all need to do what makes us comfortable.

I think most owner operators and carriers approach this business backwards. Brokers and shippers are setting the rates, in most cases. The carrier should be the one who establishes the rate. If you refuse to haul cheap freight, rates will come up. It can take time to find the better paying loads.

[person]

ok. The comment that I'm about to make is for the purpose of others saying what they think of the comment. That's all. Not claiming anything else.

It appears, from what you've posted, that you could use CH Robenson online loadboard and pick your own loads. No doubt you read and reason as well as the guy that is doing it for you for a price. Even better in some areas as you've stated. Then you wouldn't have to wonder about being sent anywhere and second guessing what is going on with the guy. No doubt there are owners who need their services. I think you need to heavily consider if you are one of them. And then as you are into this longer, you will feel comfortable adding more load boards and getting more into your load choices.

[person]

oops. I cross posted Gman. I didn't know he was on the spot with the expert advice.