What do you think an o/o or independent should PROFIT?

[Heavy Duty]

Buying a truck or trailer can take a day.

I must be doing something wrong. It always takes me 3 - 4 weeks to trade trucks and move everything ove

[Rev.Vassago]

Buying a truck or trailer can take a day.

I must be doing something wrong. It always takes me 3 - 4 weeks to trade trucks and move everything ove

It took me 2 1/2 months to find and purchase my first truck. That must be because we are leased to a company. Independents can pull it off in a day.

[rank]

Geomon gets it. So does Mike. This is what separates the trucker from the trucking company.

HEY! What about ME?????

:? :wink:

I thought that was understood. 8)

[geomon]

Charged wrote:

Weeks 1—2

4 days of company orientation
3 days of hands-on load securement training
5 days of equipment familiarization
Lunch provided during the first week
Paid $300 salary per week
Weeks 3—8

6 weeks of over-the-road training with a certified trainer
Paid $350 salary per week

found here: http://www.tmctrans.com/driversC.asp

Getting setup for the load boards takes a few minutes.
Buying a truck or trailer can take a day.
You'd have to wait 3 weeks for the authority.
It takes a few minutes to find a load and a few more to book it.
Not sure how long it takes to get approved for insurance maybe a couple of hours?
Equipment can take a few hours.

This isn't rocket science.

A 10 second glance at the TMC website showed that you need a full yrear verifiable experience to lease on with them. Where'd you get the above info Charged?

ps..Charged, I'm kinda glad you don't work with rockets :wink:

[Rev.Vassago]

A 10 second glance at the TMC website showed that you need a full yrear verifiable experience to lease on with them.

He couldn't manipulate things his way by comparing leasing on vs. independent, so he switched to company driver vs. independent.

[charged]

I believe that discussion is pointless! Let the man to find out on his own, what the "independent", with no experience, actually makes....

I know what an independant with no experience can and does make.

[Rev.Vassago]

I know what an independant with no experience can and does make.

And where is the guarantee that all "independants" (sic) with no experience will make that same amount?

Oh wait - that's right. You already said there are no guarantees. So in reality, you know what one independent makes. And you don't really even know that, because you are guessing on a lot of his numbers, rather than taking the time to find out the correct ones.

[charged]

Charged wrote:

Weeks 1—2

4 days of company orientation
3 days of hands-on load securement training
5 days of equipment familiarization
Lunch provided during the first week
Paid $300 salary per week
Weeks 3—8

6 weeks of over-the-road training with a certified trainer
Paid $350 salary per week

found here: http://www.tmctrans.com/driversC.asp

Getting setup for the load boards takes a few minutes.
Buying a truck or trailer can take a day.
You'd have to wait 3 weeks for the authority.
It takes a few minutes to find a load and a few more to book it.
Not sure how long it takes to get approved for insurance maybe a couple of hours?
Equipment can take a few hours.

This isn't rocket science.

A 10 second glance at the TMC website showed that you need a full yrear verifiable experience to lease on with them. Where'd you get the above info Charged?

ps..Charged, I'm kinda glad you don't work with rockets :wink:

The point is no one hires a new driver with no experience and pays them $4-6K a month. I don't care if that is leased on or hired as a company driver.
It is possible to make that money as an independant w/o experience.

[Rev.Vassago]

The point is no one hires a new driver with no experience and pays them $4-6K a month. I don't care if that is leased on or hired as a company driver.

Well, since you've provided no proof of that, but rather are waiting for others to do the real research to back up your claims, your point is irrelevant and baseless.

It is possible to make that money as an independant w/o experience.

Not really. I think that claim has already been debunked quite nicely.

[GMAN]

No two drivers run the same. It doesn't really matter whether they are company drivers, owner operators or independents. You cannot make general statements that are valid for everyone in every situation.

[Rev.Vassago]

You cannot make general statements that are valid for everyone in every situation.

Well, he can - it's just they won't be correct in any way, shape, or form.

[charged]

No two drivers run the same. It doesn't really matter whether they are company drivers, owner operators or independents. You cannot make general statements that are valid for everyone in every situation.

I assumed these drivers would be running legal. I also said that a new driver cannot make $4000-$6000/mo unless he or she is an independant. That is very specific.

[GMAN]

I would never say that a new driver could not make $4,000/month, but it isn't likely with most companies. I would also not say that all new independent will clear $4,000-6,000/month. Being in business doesn't guarantee you a certain amount of profit. In fact, you are not guaranteed a profit at all. An independent should make at least $4,000/month, but it is not guaranteed. I have met a few independents who were not earning that much. If you run cheap freight you may not make that much money. There are independents going out of business every day because they don't know how to run their business. We are living in one of the most challenging times in modern history. If you are going to make it you must be at the top of your game. You cannot run cheap freight and survive. You also cannot spend money frivolously and make it. Keeping debt low is paramount. With low debt and decent rates, you can survive a slow economy.

[Back on the Road]

Let's try this, then:

9,000 mile = $9000. $9000(12) = $118,000. Now this is profit, and you can choose the best definition, including or not including drivers' pay.

Seriously, I was hoping to be close to being out of debt by the end of the year. It seems I've made no progress these last four months and the truck just keeps putting demands on me. The latest, a tandem on my tractor, it looks like rubber was shaved off flattening them and making the ride bumpy, I don't know why. I MUST think about parking the truck.

Seriously, if I can't make the equivalent of $70,000 net before taxes, why am I incurring these risks? Why am I paying self employment taxes and health insurance (or should be paying health insurance)? I'm not trying to make this thread about me. I'll just watch the responses to making $118,000 profit after driver's pay, should be interesting. 8)

Lowrange,

You sure got me confused and after reading your posts I'm wondering if the tax man isn't knocking on your door ?
I am not a O/O, (Hope to be soon) was a company driver for years, and worked as a Manager for the Federal Gov. I am trying to educate myself by every post I read both positive and negative ones however, I call your 118,000 dollars per year Gross money. Deduct all your expeses to the truck, which should be an Irs deduction on your business for tax purposes. Deduct /pay yourself a salary, and I believe wether you are incorporated or an LLC that will determine tax brackets, then your net pay would be your pay after taxes. Just trying to make sense out of your gross figures and profit ?

[Rev.Vassago]

I'm sure glad the hobby trucker is gone, and his minion Charged appears to have left with him. Hopefully issues like this will be easier to explain now.

[The_Tucson_Kid]

I was sorry to see him go. I followed his progress for several years off and on. The last thread was down right bizarre in that the posts were increasingly erratic, aggressive, and had a hint of desperation.

#2 called it right when he said it was a slow death. Can you imagine 200k in equipment and gear depreciating over several years much like trying to sell a new car after it is driven off the lot, the value takes a massive plunge.

I thought most folks comments were actually very helpful but he seemed to be unable to process objective info slightly colored by folks just being themselves.

I work with a guy right now who is 74 who had to go back to work because he started a business with his retirement money and it went south. Dying at a desk, what a deal. I wonder if Steve is not facing a similar fate. I would not wish that on anybody and hope he makes it work out.

The concept of profit and ROI vs. buying a job that only creates a wage and no more is a critical concept that many never quite grasp and down that road lies ruin.

[deep dixie blue]

The concept of profit and ROI vs. buying a job that only creates a wage and no more is a critical concept that many never quite grasp and down that road lies ruin.

I'm a lot better off owning a job than the poor bastards whose job owns them.

I don't have any illusions of getting rich driving a truck, but I make a good living doing something I love while seeing this beautiful country of ours. Nobody tells me when to go or where. I make my own destiny. You can't measure that with financial ratios.

While the great masses of men live lives of quiet desperation, I roll on down the road with a smile on my face and a few more dollars in the bank.

[GMAN]

And for everybody else, the question I have is this, considering self-employment taxes and no benefits, are you making more than you could as a company driver? Ok, if you are, you have risks, capital investment and a whole lot of work a company driver doesn't have. Are you making $20,000 more than you would as a company driver?

If you are incorporated then you can provide yourself benefits and deduct the costs as expense under the corporate umbrella. You are an employee of the corporation. You can pay yourself a salary, set up a 401k or any type of retirement program you wish. You could pay yourself a small salary and take any profits as dividends. You are not required to pay social security or self employment taxes on dividends. At least not yet.