What's really best percentage or miles?

[Cabrat]

I've noticed that the percentage range is all over the map. I've seen some as low as 27% to as high as 80%. How can a guy gauge how much money he can make with a company with numbers like that. Has anyone determined if percentage is better than miles or if you're better off sticking to miles?

[mike3fan]

I've noticed that the percentage range is all over the map. I've seen some as low as 27% to as high as 80%. How can a guy gauge how much money he can make with a company with numbers like that. Has anyone determined if percentage is better than miles or if you're better off sticking to miles?

You have to do your homework when checking out each company, 80% of crap equals crap, but I get paid 62.5% and I avg. $1.90 a mile last year for every mile the truck ran. Also you have to consider how much deadhead is involved a realistic 20% deadhead can make any milage pay much less than advertised.

[Cabrat]

You have to do your homework when checking out each company, 80% of crap equals crap, but I get paid 62.5% and I avg. $1.90 a mile last year for every mile the truck ran. Also you have to consider how much deadhead is involved a realistic 20% deadhead can make any milage pay much less than advertised.

Wow that's outstanding Mike. There is so much hype and bull crap in this industry it gets tiring trying to weed through it. I can see that it's worth it when you find a good combination of all the things you need.

[luckyky00]

Each will have it's own pro's and con's. I get 70% of all loads +fsc. Our freight going out pays 2.02 a mile, so we get 1.72 a mile + .15 fsc. That's the current FSC for now anyways. If we got a flat mileage rate, which probably would be a little over $1 per mile, we'd be better off percentage wise. BUT, when you DEADHEAD....and there's no load pay to get a % of...You get nothing. That's what kills me sometimes. If I were getting mileage..I be getting paid an empty mileage rate at least with no FSC. I guess it kinda evens out..but if you sign onto a company that sends you all over empty, you'll get screwed doing %. Ask them what their average weekly DH is and go from there!!

[Heavy Duty]

Percentage is the only way you can have a chance to make real money. But 100% of squat is still squat. You have to work for a company that knows how to price your service, not one that will take anything offered them and expect you to lose money to service their customers.

You have to know who pays what, including trailers lic. permits, excess fuel tax etc. Pay is usually 65 to 70% with a company trailer 75 to 82% your trailer.

My personal belief is per mile companies keep rates down because the will take a .90 per mile load so they can reposition trucks without having to pay deadhead out of their pocket.

[BanditsCousin]

I'm happy with my 55%

I guess it all depends on what a mileage rate is where you are going to sign on. $1.40 all miles wouldn't be so bad...but how many are paying that? 99% is awsome, but when you pull $1.02 freight, you get stuck.

[GMAN]

I've noticed that the percentage range is all over the map. I've seen some as low as 27% to as high as 80%. How can a guy gauge how much money he can make with a company with numbers like that. Has anyone determined if percentage is better than miles or if you're better off sticking to miles?

I have always done better on percentage. I have looked at the numbers on both sides and for the most part percentage pays more to the owner operator and driver. From the percentages you used I would suspect that the lower percentage is for drivers. You can generate a lot of revenue if you run enough miles, but when you run percentage you can run fewer miles and earn the same or more money. The key is in the rate for which you run.

[solo379]

I get 70% of all loads +fsc. Our freight going out pays 2.02 a mile, so we get 1.72 a mile

You are probably meant $1.41 a mile...?

[heavyhaulerss]

The key is in the rate for which you run. there ya go.. I have always ran for % with the exception of a few times at flat rates. but then I knew the miles so it was not hard to decide if I wanted the load or not. when hauling stee l like I do, you make a lot more by hauling more weight. also if the fsc is higher , than the % would also be higher. higher weight + % + fsc can add up significantly over mile pay.

[Cabrat]

Great answers everyone ...really appreciate the come back.

[lowrange]

Great answers everyone ...really appreciate the come back.

If you're still following, someone making 30% is probably driving a company truck. Company drivers are sometimes paid percentage, too.

[matcat]

The O/O I drive for gets 80% + fsc + deadhead if its over 300 miles.

[still bullhauler]

all right so let the, hit the fan.

I run for 75 percent

I pay everything.

Its his trailer and comany.

long pulls 3700 kms $10,000

short pulls 10 kms $200

worst month total gross $23,000

best month total gross $46,000

total gross for the year $316,000

25 percent of total gross is the companys.

most of our loads are by the load,

will you take this from a to b for this, yes or no.

rember it is you that meets the customer,

you are only as good as your last load.

[LOAD IT]

Percentage will probably work out better for you if the company has high paying freight. If the load pays $10000 from Decatur IL to Los Angeles CA area with several drops in the area and you get 68%. You made $6800. If you take this for $1.20 + fsc you will make about $1.37 per mile on approx 2000 miles plus stops $350, so $2740 + $350 = $3090. Your carrier made more than you did under this deal ($6910). I know a carrier using o/o's on this lane weekly and making nearly $7000 per load. Which is better percentage or mileage? Go percentage, run high dollar freight and make good decisions. Stop thinking like a company driver, you dont need a lot of miles to make money.

[BanditsCousin]

Silly LOADIT. How does it feel to be wrong? If an o/o did that he could gross over 300K in a year, even with a crappy backhaul on a 50 week running year. And we all know that's imposible. Please quit lying to people on CAD

[Rev.Vassago]

If an o/o did that he could gross over 300K in a year, even with a crappy backhaul on a 50 week running year.

Sure could! If a person did it 50 weeks a year, which is unlikely to happen. That's akin to CRE using 165,000 miles as their base line for their O/O's. Sure - it is technically possible, but in the real world, it isn't gonna happen. Especially with specialized freight.

[LOAD IT]

Silly LOADIT. How does it feel to be wrong? If an o/o did that he could gross over 300K in a year, even with a crappy backhaul on a 50 week running year. And we all know that's imposible. Please quit lying to people on CAD

Bandit, I have to side with Rev about your $300K yearly revenue until you prove it. Rev once posted his Tax forms to make his point,....so why dont you? I really hope that you did make $300K, but I think we all would like to see it. Also the scenario I posted, 1 truck could not do 1 load per week, because one load would take 4 to 7 days depending on the driver and the stops, etc. As you already know.

[matcat]

My old Swift trainer DID show me his tax paperwork, his taxable income was $272,000 AT SWIFT a couple years ago. Of course he is an O/O, been doing it for 30 years, and has been with MS Carriers/Swift for nearly 17 years.

[matcat]

Not to mention his truck was completely paid off during that entire year, had no major breakdowns or repair costs, and trained a lot of students as well that year. His year before that was something like $220,000, and was only expecting about $180,000 the year I trained with him. Last year he only made $165,000

[GMAN]

My old Swift trainer DID show me his tax paperwork, his taxable income was $272,000 AT SWIFT a couple years ago. Of course he is an O/O, been doing it for 30 years, and has been with MS Carriers/Swift for nearly 17 years.

That sounds like a lot of money for a mileage carrier.