A day in the life of a hobby trucker

[NotSteve]

I've been getting lots of emails from people asking how I'm doing so I thought I would post it here.

Actually I'm doing better than ever. I'm not sure if it's because so many truckers are going of of business but I've been in many bad area's that have paid well. I was in Montana the other week and the number of loads available was 250 and the number of trucks within a 100 mile radius was 20.

I think you've heard me talk about a woman broker that I dealt with a lot in the past. Well, she has agreed to find me loads for a 5% fee so she's been doing all my paperwork and I pretty much do nothing but drive. She's been in the business for over 25 years so she knows where to send me and where not too unless the customer pays more for dead heading out. She sure keeps me hoping. She works from home so she has the time to devote to doing this instead of part time when she has the chance.

She's a free lance broker for a few brokerage houses so this works out well for her since she gets new contacts from shippers every time I get a load. My loads have nothing to do with her company by the way. They are all in my name only.

She's looking to taking on 2 more people and possibly make it a full time job since just doing me as turned out to be so lucrative.

I've been doing a lot of long runs at least 2,200 miles. I've also tried to pick a load that's under 30,000 and doesn't take up my whole deck and picking up LTL loads along the way. Most weeks I've been grossing $8,000 to $8,500 on around 2500 miles.

Starting out on a long run with a decent rate starts to add up when you pick up LTL's along the route for $1.00 per mile.

I've been heading up to Canada a lot and getting paid full rate to dead head sometimes over 1,000 miles back into the U.S. to a better paying area. I tell the brokers this and they just about drop dead. I say fine and that I'm not interested. Most of the time they call back. They can't find anyone that doesn't have a criminal record and the proper Canadian paperwork and insurance.

I'll tell you one thing. All the horror stories I heard about heading into Canada is all a bunch of crap. They are not a bunch of Nazi's and it's very relaxed. You show up, walk over to the broker, get your paperwork and your gone. I was led to believe in the past that it was like one mistake and they ripped your truck apart. NOT TRUE. It's easy.

I'm in Cortez Utah at the moment with some very high priced custom machinery headed to the Mexican border. I will be off loaded and another carrier will take it across the border to deliver. The stuff is in excess of $400,000 but they didn't ask me to increase my insurance. It took them 3 extra hours to load me and I was given $300 more for detention. The plant manager came out and made them take parts off and crate them up. He was afraid my tarp would bend the parts.

[DaveP]

"...and possibly make it a full time job since just doing me has turned out to be so lucrative"

So...what exactly are you saying here Steve?

[Kranky]

:shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:

[Rev.Vassago]

"...and possibly make it a full time job since just doing me has turned out to be so lucrative"

So...what exactly are you saying here Steve?

Kinky.

[NotSteve]

Ya know, you perverts. I was thinking after I typed that but then I thought, naw, they won't go down that route. WRONG

[mike3fan]

I'll tell you one thing. All the horror stories I heard about heading into Canada is all a bunch of crap. They are not a bunch of Nazi's and it's very relaxed. You show up, walk over to the broker, get your paperwork and your gone. I was led to believe in the past that it was like one mistake and they ripped your truck apart. NOT TRUE. It's easy.

Just because it hasn't happened to you does not mean that it is crap.

I have crossed the border hundreds of times,and for the most part I have not had too many bad experiences,but I have sat in line waiting to get across the border for 4-5 hours,and after getting my paperwork from the broker,I have stood in the f'ing line to get cleared for 3hrs.

You wanna talk about being pissed off,try standing in a stupid line for that long only because Customs agents get abused at home by their wives and you are the only one they can control.

I have seen the agents going over a truck with a fine tooth comb,but I do think that it is a little over blown when guys talk about the horror stories of crossing.

[NotSteve]

You wouldn't have to stand in line at all if you did the paperwork up front and have all the necessary requirements.

I have PAPS and PARS stickers, SCAC code, FR Canadian insurance filing and Canadian Carrier code. I also file for an oversized wheelbase permit for $30 bucks. My truck is 265".

When I show up to pick up a load my PARS sticker is attached to the BOL. That is faxed to the broker and I don't even get out of my truck when I get to the border. They scan my PARS sticker and I'm on my way.

[solo379]

Most weeks I've been grossing $8,000 to $8,500 on around 2500 miles.

That's between $3.20-$3.40 a mile! Wow! 8)

[allan5oh]

Not bad for a hobby trucker!

[NotSteve]

lol.....Not me though, it's the woman I have finding and negotiating the loads for me. I was doing maybe $2.20 to $2.80 on my own with adding LTL's but she's a lot better then me. I end up saying "YOU SUCK" and hangup whereas she tends to be a little better than myself.

Those last 2 runs were pretty good with lots of LTL right along the way picking up and dropping off.

I have about 28,000 on right now and 15' of deck left but couldn't fill it up due to the weekend so this run I'll end up with $4,900 for 2100 miles.

My radiator is leaking again and so I'm going to have it replaced. I'll bet if I knew who to see in Laredo Texas I could get it done a lot cheaper.

I have a leaking oil pan also and need the gasket replaced.

Both leaks are not bad but they bug the crap out of me. The radiator just plain doesn't look good anymore also and could probably be fixed without taking it out but I'm going to go with a new one and larger if possible. I've never had a problem with over heating but I'll always opt for the biggest I can get.

[Rev.Vassago]

I demand a thread title change.

[BigDiesel]

I demand a thread title change.

Here's one .....

" From desk to authority pt. 5 "

Just an idea....

[Kranky]

How about (from his last post);

but I'll always opt for the biggest I can get.

:shock:

[NotSteve]

For some reason it won't let me change the title or I don't remember how?

[GMAN]

It looks like someone figured out how to change it.

[Rev.Vassago]

I don't like this title. I demand another title change.


EDIT:
A day in the life of a hobby trucker works.
Thank you, management.

[Twilight Flyer]

Ya know, you perverts. I was thinking after I typed that but then I thought, naw, they won't go down that route. WRONG

You thought THAT with THIS group?!?

Bwa ha ha ha ha ha ha!!! :wink:

Seriously, good to hear things are working out for you, Steve.

Now, can you please post a running commentary on what happens when you have a week off? Big Diesel tried that, but we all caught on that he was full of crap and called him on it. We need to see a thread on a true Hobby Time-Offer.

[Rev.Vassago]

With exact numbers too please. No rounding off.

[NotSteve]

Well, I'm sitting here in Eagle Pass Texas about 120 miles away from unloading in the morning. I already have a load lined up about 10 miles from where I drop off going to within 98 miles of my home. It's paying $5,100 on 2097 miles.

Once I'm loaded up I'll make arrangements to have my local shop order a new radiator so it's ready when I get home.

The wind was killer coming across Texas today. At one point I was going down hill with a top speed of 60mph and my foot to the floor. The wind passing by even with the windows rolled up was deafening.

I look Rt 90 most of the way instead of the main roads. I think I left at least 25 dead rabbits along the way. They would wait until I was just passing then they would make a mad dash for my rear trailer tandems.

I've also discovered a new thing to do with the deer. They stand right on the edge of the road and they don't move like I don't see them, right. As soon as I'm within 5 feet of them I lay on the air horn. They jump straight up in the air at least 5 feet!!!!

It's 99 degrees outside right now. I don't know how people without the ability to idle can survive. It must be over 150 inside their trucks!!! It's 73 inside mine at the moment with the Rigmaster running. I discovered that I had to buy the privacy curtains to close off the front of the cab. That cuts down the area to cool by almost half.

[Rev.Vassago]

Well, I'm sitting here in Eagle Pass Texas about 120 miles away from unloading in the morning. I already have a load lined up about 10 miles from where I drop off going to within 98 miles of my home. It's paying $5,100 on 2097 miles.

I repeat: no rounding off. Thx, mgmt.

I look Rt 90 most of the way instead of the main roads. I think I left at least 25 dead rabbits along the way. They would wait until I was just passing then they would make a mad dash for my rear trailer tandems.

They were clearly suicidal. You are the Jack Kevorkian of truck drivers.

I've also discovered a new thing to do with the deer. They stand right on the edge of the road and they don't move like I don't see them, right. As soon as I'm within 5 feet of them I lay on the air horn. They jump straight up in the air at least 5 feet!!!!

That's funny until one of them runs straight for your truck, like the damn deer did when I laid on my jake.