[ground_pounder]

Originally Posted by firebird_1252

money is def. there. aparently jan, and feb are the 2 worst months (figures.. when i get all my stuff ready to go..). i personally always stay in touch with people and it seems to have worked out. i have more work then i know what to do with. best part is.. direct no broker. my father and i are taking care of what we can. if things go right i'll have 3 trailers and 2 trucks by the end of the year.

congratz firebird yea id'e rather go on my own and do my own brokering and be my own agent and cut out the middle man. i just can't compute it running for a 1.25 to .90 cents a mile and lasting. i talked to one driver and he said he wouldn't haul nothing under 2.40 a mile that seems fair after all the expences and your milage pay as trucks are cash *****s also.

[ground_pounder]

Originally Posted by Tobytob

Yes, Im pondering running my own authority.. But right now i'm trying to climb out of the hole. The other company I was with had me so far in debt that I had to live off cash advances for the week. Funny thing is i knew this was a bad decision when i saw my first check with them but I had not choice but to stick it out for a few years. Hey but I made it thru 2.5 years with them. walked away last year and now i'm doing better. Some time in march I should be able to step away from this current company and try my own authority. I have a cousin who running his, but he lacks the desire to work. I have no problem working just the money these people are paying. I may rent his flatbed and try a few loads there or step off and get a reefer. Either way something will happen..
AS for FSC. yeah i know they are screwing me, but they pay for reefer fuel and told us up front they are keeping some of it, I have to respect that. They didn't lie to me and i appreciate that. all in all I stay busy with the lanes i like to run and go home when i need to.. If my truck continues to hold up, I think I will be ok.
I know a few brokers in the business right now and they all telling me the money is out there you just have to go get it. I keep in contact with a few account managers as well, who tell me they can get me loaded any time. But i'm sure this is just the normal BS all IC hear. Either way im always willing to give things a try. So we shall see a few months from now..

that was the first thing i did was get my own athority as i don't see myself lasting with a starter co and i like the freedom of driving. even though being a true owner op is still not all about the driver as the driver will still have to go where they don't want to go. i hope that you get out of the hole. the co that you worked for sounds like the one that i almost considered untill i read all the bad rap on em. i have no problem running hard i like driving and am willing to work i don't ned to be home every day or once a week. i thought of reefer but in ca they make it so impossible as ca is not small bussiness friendly and will do just about anything to prevent the creaation of jobs to boost there economy as that would raise more revenue for the state.

[Copperhead]

Well, my 2011 1099 shows over $190,000 revenue. Net came in at around $70K after everything including health insurance and other goodies. Home every weekend. Off on holidays. Two weeks vacation. No... not on a dedicated run or anything. Just keep myself within a 600 mile radius of the house. Guess that getting $.96 - $1.12 a mile base rate is not so bad. You have to factor the entire package and the results and not just look at a cents per mile base rate thing. My only cost to the carrier is $10 a week for the qualcomm. Probably would have a cow about that, but it has a pretty darn good truck specific GPS navigation system in it so I don't need to buy one.

[Creek Jackson]

Originally Posted by Copperhead

Well, my 2011 1099 shows over $190,000 revenue. Net came in at around $70K after everything including health insurance and other goodies. Home every weekend. Off on holidays. Two weeks vacation. No... not on a dedicated run or anything. Just keep myself within a 600 mile radius of the house. Guess that getting $.96 - $1.12 a mile base rate is not so bad. You have to factor the entire package and the results and not just look at a cents per mile base rate thing. My only cost to the carrier is $10 a week for the qualcomm. Probably would have a cow about that, but it has a pretty darn good truck specific GPS navigation system in it so I don't need to buy one.

Who are you leased to, Copperhead?

[ground_pounder]

Originally Posted by Copperhead

Well, my 2011 1099 shows over $190,000 revenue. Net came in at around $70K after everything including health insurance and other goodies. Home every weekend. Off on holidays. Two weeks vacation. No... not on a dedicated run or anything. Just keep myself within a 600 mile radius of the house. Guess that getting $.96 - $1.12 a mile base rate is not so bad. You have to factor the entire package and the results and not just look at a cents per mile base rate thing. My only cost to the carrier is $10 a week for the qualcomm. Probably would have a cow about that, but it has a pretty darn good truck specific GPS navigation system in it so I don't need to buy one.

you got a great deal going for ya. i think i myself would rather stay regeional. as i feel the otr drivers get shafted alot as far as miles.

[Copperhead]

Originally Posted by Creek Jackson

Who are you leased to, Copperhead?

Fremont Contract Carriers, Fremont, NE. Truck 555. Been with them for just over 4 years. I live in Central Iowa, I keep my running mostly between Nebraska and Ohio, and north of I-70. Most of the guys run 48. I got on with them just after they started a Midwest "regional" kind of thing, and that is what I chose. I would say that my revenue is ball park of what most everyone makes. Some more, some less. FCC states out front that $200K revenue is doable by most people. I wouldn't argue with that. And considering they have a good fuel surcharge rate that is recalculated every Monday, and some pretty good discounts on fuel (both in and out of the company network) along with either no fuel card charge or a maximum charge of 75 cents, and the stop off pay is $75 for the first extra and $100 for each one after that, and detention pay is pretty good. On one run, the customer wanted it at 6PM. I got there at the appt time, but they didn't get me done till just before 7AM the next day. I was able to do a 10 hr break (which I needed to do anyway because I was at the end of my 14 when I got there), and still got $375 for detention. The miles they calculate are pretty close to reality. My average out of route miles for each year has come in at a hair over 3%. Base plates are mine, but FCC reimburses 100% to me each year. Nice little perk.

And I have turned down a few loads. There is no just taking what they give you, but the customer base is pretty good so it is rare for me to balk at a load.

[BruceLee]

New guy here. been reading this thread and as a new owner operator am searching to find the best deal I can. I have my own authority now. I have a 98 378 Heavy Spec Pete. I was hauling trash for my first 6 months in New York. 600 mile turn one load a day was paying 1,200 a load less 450 a week trailer rental. It was tearing up my truck and the owner holds 6 weeks back pay and hes on shaky ground financialy. Currenty hauling Propane but with the warm winter and low senority position the good paying loads are scarce.

Heres an ad I'm interested in from local Craigs list and was wondering if any of you guys ever heard of this company or maybe know of someone around the New York area worth working for. Thanks

Owner Operators

Black Dog Trucking

Paying 85% of the total load
Home every weekend if wanted
No forced dispatch
Liberal rider policies
Vans -- flats -- drops -- and reefers
trailer rental @ 95/wk
Paid every week
Fuel card
Base Plate program
Insurance
Excellent health insurance available
Tire program (Good Year Drives @ 240)
Maintenance in our shop @ $25/hr

Gross 4500 -- 7000 / wk

[sjmay]

Bruce,

Email me at [email protected]

Thanks,
Sam

[briar rabbit]

I work for a company out of N.C. I have my own truck and trailer ( flat bed ) I run under there authority.They have there own customers to get loads from so no brokers involved.I pay ins. and fuel and they keep 9% of what ever the load pays.Averages out to be around 1.65 Mile.Home every other night.

[ground_pounder]

ok who gets the loads first the indepandant contractor or the company driver?? as i heard two different versions to this story.