How bad it's really is?

[solo379]

Economy is down! Housing market crash! Outsourcing! Trucking companies going bankrupt!.....
Yet, by reading all this forums, almost everybody, doing great, and making tons of money!
Any reasonable explanation? Or i smell fish?

[Orangetxguy]

Economy is down! Housing market crash! Outsourcing! Trucking companies going bankrupt!.....
Yet, by reading all this forums, almost everybody, doing great, and making tons of money!
Any reasonable explanation? Or i smell fish?

Not making "ton's" right now...but making enough to pay the bills at home, keep the truck repaired, pay the taxes..and maybe play a little.

If fuel were say....47 cents, like the truckstop sign in "Smokey and the Bandit" showed last night...I would be "keeping" alot more...if the rates were what they are right now.
$1,800 out of todays settlement for fuel. $2,600 last week.

Having a hard time there Solo??

[Twilight Flyer]

If fuel were say....47 cents, like the truckstop sign in "Smokey and the Bandit" showed last night

It was $1.96 on CSI the other night.

[RostyC]

It's bad all over but worse for some more than others. Everybody I know is slow. I won't even look at my numbers over last year, I did after the first quarter and felt nauseated. This is construction btw, but if I ain't building it yall ain't hauling it.

There's a big commercial outfit that I sub jobs from and they are dead. They have nothing starting. However, their bidding like crazy and even had to hire another estimator to keep up. It's weird really, I wonder if the big money sees commodity prices falling in the near term and holding off a bit. I don't know.

I think the rebound will be slow, this is a bad one.

[BigDiesel]

All 3 three of my trucks are busy. Just finished w/ watermelons the past 5 weeks. Nursery's second season has started for the next 4 weeks..... Apples are starting to hit, so two trucks will be running back to the Point every two weeks.....

[NotSteve]

I think it all depends on each individual. Some people have large families to support and others have huge truck and trailer payments along with other loans.

I think a lot of people tend to include their personal bills when crying poverty when in fact they would be doing pretty good if it were not for that.

I've always stated in this forum that I do not have a family to support or any bills so I'm pretty lean.

There is a ton of BS said in this forum for sure when it comes to money and tons of info left out. I think many that will state they get this much per mile going to here but that's only 2% of the time. The rest of the time they get paid something else but won't post that! Some of the more senior people would floor you if you really knew the truth. They also preach but DO NOT practice.

Myself, I don't listen to much advise on here or I would be sitting at home for 11 months out of the year. Many people will state that "I would tell them this and that and if you don't like it then go pound sand"

Like I have said before. I've done a few LTL loads and averaged around $3.00 per mile but it was tough putting those together.

When fuel was higher a month ago I was averaging $2.00 per mile on the long runs. Now it seems $1.90.

You can whip out your spreadsheet and do the math on those figures above based on 2,500 miles per week. I'm single and no bills so I'm doing pretty freaking good!!!

[solo379]

Having a hard time there Solo??

Not really, i even do a bit better than last year.

But it puts a lot more pressure on me, and i feel like I'm walking on the razor. All in all, it's definitely not a good time, yet if you read that, and some other trucking forums, it's seems like only lazy is not making money in trucking.
So, naturally, I've started wandering, what's the reason, for such a confused messages?

[Maniac]

Here in chemical land we are busy, it is a good sign of the economy because it means that manufacturing is doing good. Chemicals usually slow down first.

Maybe its just who I work for? I don't know

Where is the manufactured goods going? I don't know, BUT they ARE going somewhere.

I delivered to a mattress manufacturer today in Jersey, they are running 3 shifts Midnite sunday to midnite friday.

My numbers for this yeafr are the highest they have ever been for this time of year, yet I know they are artificial, because of the fuel surcharges, but on the other hand my actual fuel cost AFTER the surcharge is UNDER a buck a gallon.

From now till the end of the the year Dana has ALL the build spots at Brenner tank, he can't get them built and delivered to the customers who want to lease them fast enough.

Me personally, I have a "little girl" with 1 year of college left, and then a few years left on the mortgage, but not really spending like I used too.

[devildice]

[quote="Orangetxguy"]

If fuel were say....47 cents, like the truckstop sign in "Smokey and the Bandit" showed last night...

I watch the show last night too and seen that.......boy do I wish it was that cheap

[Malaki86]

If fuel were say....47 cents, like the truckstop sign in "Smokey and the Bandit" showed last night

It was $1.96 on CSI the other night.

Could you imagine how cheap fuel was when my company's phone number was "8"?

[GMAN]

Things have been something of a roller coaster for me this year. I had to go pick up one of my trucks that a driver abandoned in California and hurt my leg on the trip. That slowed me down a bit. I have had a very good summer until the last couple of weeks. I have had to take the past two weeks off due to my wife having surgery, so I can't be sure what I could have done had I been able to run. I have some seasonal freight that will kick in in about 2-3 weeks that pays pretty well. It should keep me busy through the middle to late November. Everyone I talk with is off right now. Part of it is the usually business cycle slow down we see this time of year. The other side is the general slow down we are seeing across the country. We should start to see some improvement after labor day.

One reason I have been able to do as well as I have is because I am willing to go pretty much anywhere the rates are good. At times it has helped that I have had a step deck. There is no way that I would go to the West Coast for $2/mile right now. Rates coming out will likely be quite a bit lower and you may need to sit in order to even get the cheap rate. It doesn't make good business sense to me. There are those who go, but I see no reason to run West for $2/mile knowing you will likely not get as good a rate coming back. I can make more money on the East Coast.

[RostyC]

Here in chemical land we are busy, it is a good sign of the economy because it means that manufacturing is doing good. Chemicals usually slow down first.

Maybe its just who I work for? I don't know

Where is the manufactured goods going? I don't know, BUT they ARE going somewhere.

I delivered to a mattress manufacturer today in Jersey, they are running 3 shifts Midnite sunday to midnite friday.

My numbers for this yeafr are the highest they have ever been for this time of year, yet I know they are artificial, because of the fuel surcharges, but on the other hand my actual fuel cost AFTER the surcharge is UNDER a buck a gallon.

From now till the end of the the year Dana has ALL the build spots at Brenner tank, he can't get them built and delivered to the customers who want to lease them fast enough.

Me personally, I have a "little girl" with 1 year of college left, and then a few years left on the mortgage, but not really spending like I used too.

No it's not just you, I talked to a guy the other day that drives for Shipley, it's a small outfit with 16 trucks and they haul latex, he said they are very busy. They are a 48 state operation.

[solo379]

My numbers for this yeafr are the highest they have ever been for this time of year, yet I know they are artificial, because of the fuel surcharges, but on the other hand my actual fuel cost AFTER the surcharge is UNDER a buck a gallon.

Same is here, but somehow, it doesn't make me happy....

[mike3fan]

There is a ton of BS said in this forum for sure when it comes to money and tons of info left out.

Ironic post of the year.

[Orangetxguy]

[quote="devildice"]

If fuel were say....47 cents, like the truckstop sign in "Smokey and the Bandit" showed last night...

I watch the show last night too and seen that.......boy do I wish it was that cheap

LOL...I remember when you could get diesel at the 66 station in Dillon MT for 23 cents a gallon....1974. And ranchers thought that was expensive fuel!!!

[Orangetxguy]

My numbers for this yeafr are the highest they have ever been for this time of year, yet I know they are artificial, because of the fuel surcharges, but on the other hand my actual fuel cost AFTER the surcharge is UNDER a buck a gallon.

Same is here, but somehow, it doesn't make me happy....

I haven't been all that happy a camper either Solo. I made some great $$$ from June 27 through Aug 18. The only reason I took some of the loads I did haul, during that period, was because the FSC was so decent. There are still plenty of "Dog" rates being pushed on us...and a lot don't work even with the FSC. I turned down a lot of loads this year because the rate and FSC together just didn't make sense.

In general, I haven't made close to the money I feel I should be making...but my bills are paid...so I will stick it out where I am...unless a better offer shows. A couple look good...but man...taking the chance is tough, when you need to allow for a 3 week lag in changing decals and plates before working, and getting that first check.

[wot i life]

Economy is down! Housing market crash! Outsourcing! Trucking companies going bankrupt!.....
Yet, by reading all this forums, almost everybody, doing great, and making tons of money!
Any reasonable explanation? Or i smell fish?

Fash! Thats where money is lad! http://www.wri.org/publication/content/8224

The whole world needs more fash! More fash, more fash fairms and therefore, more trucks to carry fash to factories for processing.
Wot may joke around but Wot is no frigging fool mate.
Did you know, the Chinese consume 33million tonnes of fash per year?
Take Wots advice and get yourself hauling fash.
My last year on heavy haulage I made £30,000
This year hauling fash I am on target to make £35,000
And get this...I`m getting a new truck which is only a rigid 26tonner!
Smaller truck, less hassle, job security etc etc etc...and increase of salary????
Haul fash!
(Downside highly unsociable hours, but hey, you`re a trucker!)

[Orangetxguy]

Fash! Thats where money is lad! http://www.wri.org/publication/content/8224

The whole world needs more fash! More fash, more fash fairms and therefore, more trucks to carry fash to factories for processing.
Wot may joke around but Wot is no frigging fool mate.
Did you know, the Chinese consume 33million tonnes of fash per year?
Take Wots advice and get yourself hauling fash.
My last year on heavy haulage I made £30,000
This year hauling fash I am on target to make £35,000
And get this...I`m getting a new truck which is only a rigid 26tonner!
Smaller truck, less hassle, job security etc etc etc...and increase of salary????
Haul fash!
(Downside highly unsociable hours, but hey, you`re a trucker!)

See...Now that goes to show, that WOT does not watch "Deadliest Catch" !!!
:shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:
You just went and upset any "Fasherman" on this side of the pond, that reads this forum there WOT !!!


Over on this portion of the big ponds...plenty of "Fashfarms" ...in fact to many!! And....the fash are processed at sea...frozen out there...and put on the trucks at the dock..ready for the market. For fresh "fash" they horse the bins on into the dock..and on to the airport.."flying fash" to market...so to speak!!!

[allan5oh]

The company I am with, has many steady customers with long term contracts that pay fuel surcharge. My company pays a good surcharge, and pays it on empty miles as well.

That being said, all miles, I'm probably around a buck a mile after fuel. Considering I have few other costs, my profit is very good. Last year it was 77 cents for all miles, this year it will be higher. Having the truck paid off helps.

My company is also hiring, I'm thinking of putting a driver on within a couple weeks. Wish me luck.

[solo379]

Wish me luck.

Good luck! I guess you are gonna need it... :wink: