How would you like....?

[solo379]

How would you like, to work for a company (company driver) who will pay you $1.20 a mile, plus the usual benefits, but will deduct a fuel cost from that?

[Malaki86]

Do you get the fuel surcharge too?

[solo379]

Do you get the fuel surcharge too?

No. but it's just for example, and for the current price of fuel. If price will go up, so will your pay.
And I'm talking company driver, you drive a company truck, and everything else is the same.

[Fredog]

Do you get the fuel surcharge too?

No. but it's just for example, and for the current price of fuel. If price will go up, so will your pay.
And I'm talking company driver, you drive a company truck, and everything else is the same.

if you dont get any of the fuel surcharge, then you shouldnt pay for any of the fuel

[TK THE TRUCKER]

It depends on the truck and what the fuel mileage it can get. Does it have a company supplied APU ? Paid HHG,practical or actual miles ?The weekly national average is $4.64 right now and if the truck got 6 miles to the gallon it would be about .77 per mile for fuel leaving .43 cents per mile, not bad. 5.5 MPG like a 379, .84 CPM leaving only .36 CPM, CRAPPY ! 6.5 MPG, .71 CPM leaving .49 CPM in your pocket, looking better !!!! Definitely a viable solution for companies to cut down on idling, unnecessary OOR miles, and other wasted fuel. I get about 6.2 averaged out with my company truck so I would be making .45 CPM which is more than I make now. Throw in 150 unpaid miles on a 3000 mile week and now we're down to .41 CPM, still not too bad. i know I can squeeze out more MPG too, I'm pretty heavy footed 0 to 65. All this based on the national average for this past week. My company gets anywhere from a 5-35 cents off the pump price, most of the time 10-20 cents off, different at each fuel stop regardless of brand. Fuel smart and select fuel stops with the best discount and really make some money! 8) 8)

[jonp]

thats an interesting question. I drive a truck with 800,000 miles on it. its been well maintained but because i run a flatbed up here in the northeast fully loaded i get around 5-5.2mph and thats with an apu so i would not go for it. over the road with a newer truck....maybe depending on the freightlanes/loads etc.

[Malaki86]

As heavy as our loads always are and where they go to (in and out of central WV), there's no way I'd take a deal like that. I average 4.5-5.2mpg.

If I was hauling somewhere besides the northeast, I'd consider it.

[solo379]

OK! So basically, it didn't sounds like a bad deal, depending on a surcomstances?
You see, that $1.20 a mile, i figured with at least 6mpg in mind. Keep in mind, a lot of times, that number could be improved, if you have a good incentive!
In another words, the real question is not about $1.20 a mile, this number could be adjusted accordingly. The question is;- Would you like to be paid that way? Thanks for all the responses! 8)

[Malaki86]

Another question on that - is that pay before or after the fuel taxes? Who's responsible for that?

[solo379]

Who's responsible for that?

Of course it's the carrier! They are responsible for everything.

[Windwalker]

I can understand the idea of making the driver do everything he/she can to conserve fuel. The less fuel used for the run, the more pay the driver gets. Unfortunately, the figure of $1.20 a mile could be a bit low, depending on a variety of circumstances. For example, where does the company run? In mountains or on flat ground? What kind of trucks? What's the gear ratio? What kind of loads do you pull? Flatbed loaded with steel or dry van loaded with potato chips? If you're going to pull "HIGH, WIDE, AND HANDSOME", that's not enough.

[solo379]

Unfortunately, the figure of $1.20 a mile could be a bit low,

That was just for example...but you've got the idea! 8)

[solo379]

The friend of mine, come up with that idea. And the results of this survey, didn't surprise me at all! Cause I've told him about it before.
Very few are willing to accept a responsibility, and run smart, to make an extra buck. Majority will rather run for less, but with warranty!

[Windwalker]

The friend of mine, come up with that idea. And the results of this survey, didn't surprise me at all! Cause I've told him about it before.
Very few are willing to accept a responsibility, and run smart, to make an extra buck. Majority will rather run for less, but with warranty!

Companies have given themselves a reputation of arranging so that any of the variables go in their favor and against the drivers. It is a matter of TRUSTING that if anyone is going to get screwed, it's going to be the driver. Someone comes up with something new, it's too easy to screw the driver with it until it becomes known.

I drove for Burlington Motor Carriers before they went bankrupt. Those of us that were O/Os continually found ourselves in the areas of the country where fuel costs were the highest. The company trucks ran where the fuel was cheaper. With your idea, if a dispatcher decides he/she doesn't like someone, he/she can send the driver to an area where the fuel costs are the highest and reduce the driver's income to punish the driver. And, many times, the driver doesn't even know about it until it's too late.

Currently, dispatchers have a tendancy to send "favorite" drivers on the better runs, and those that they dislike on the worst ones. You want to add another variable to their list of things they can use against the driver?

[solo379]

Windwalker, point taken! But still, it's an opportunity. No pain, no gain!
It's basically like half O/O, w/o truck worry, and ability to walk out any time.
And a carrier, has advantage of a more controlled fuel cost.
Might be a win win situation, which means good business! 8)

[Malaki86]

I'll stick with my company paying for the fuel. Considering the fact that we run into and out of WV every day with loads averaging 44,000lbs (equals low fuel mileage).

If I was running coast to coast, or dedicated in the southeast, midwest, etc, it'd be a different story.

Considering that @ the current 5.5mpg that my truck averages, and at $5.00 fuel, it costs $0.91cpm just to run the truck. At your price of $1.20cpm, that leaves $0.29cpm for me. I don't think so.

[Windwalker]

Now, point me to a carrier that you can trust not to screw the driver.

[solo379]

At your price of $1.20cpm, that leaves $0.29cpm for me.

OK! I'll make it $1.40, and repeat the question?
Like I've said $1.20 is just an example!

Now, point me to a carrier that you can trust not to screw the driver.

Sure there are some! But you see, it's going both ways, drivers and carriers...