Miles per day

[Frogman]

The bottom line is easy---what do you have on your paycheck every week. If you worry about your miles every day you are going to turn into these guys that sit at the truck stop every day bitching that they are not making any miles. They might as well get a job at the truck stop because they are not going to make any money driving sitting there all day. Trucking is like life you get out of it what you put into it everyday.

Well, I agree with that, to some degree but you have to consider the "efficiency" of your effort, too.

2500 miles in 5 days is significantly more efficient than 2500 miles in 7 days. And naturally, the increased efficiency will result in increased income.

You may not notice it in one month or even two . . . but over the course of the year, the greater efficiency will begin to pay off. The 5-day driver is around 35% more efficient and that translates into real dollars over 12 months.

(At least that's what Excel tells me . . . understand the only thing I drive now is this keyboard . . . . )

[Walking Eagle]

Wish I could only drive 5 hours a day and make the same $$s I do now

[kc0iv]

The bottom line is easy---what do you have on your paycheck every week. If you worry about your miles every day you are going to turn into these guys that sit at the truck stop every day bitching that they are not making any miles. They might as well get a job at the truck stop because they are not going to make any money driving sitting there all day. Trucking is like life you get out of it what you put into it everyday.

Well, I agree with that, to some degree but you have to consider the "efficiency" of your effort, too.

2500 miles in 5 days is significantly more efficient than 2500 miles in 7 days. And naturally, the increased efficiency will result in increased income.

You may not notice it in one month or even two . . . but over the course of the year, the greater efficiency will begin to pay off. The 5-day driver is around 35% more efficient and that translates into real dollars over 12 months.

(At least that's what Excel tells me . . . understand the only thing I drive now is this keyboard . . . . )

While your math is 100% correct the real world doesn't seem to follow the rules as defined by math. Your logic more closely
the thought process of a dispatcher than a driver. It would be nice to be able to drive 5 days a week every week and drive 2500 miles. Never have problems with P/U and Delivery or such minor things as delays due to bad road conditions.

You logic reminds me of the efficiency expert a warehouse I worked for many years ago. His logic of which he had all kinds of drawing showing each employee started his day by dividing himself going in two different directions doing two different task. Then at the end of the day he joined himself back at the time clock to end the day. I might add the company paid this clown over $50k to dream this one up. What scared us was we were afraid upper management might believe this clown.

Back to topic. If a driver does 100% drop and hook and drives in states away from major cities your Excel program has a good chance of working. Anything less and your math starts to fall apart.

kc0iv

[neverbeenlate]

Communication with your dispatcher is the key to greater miles. Deliver on time keep your logs legal and the miles will come.

[kjbprd]

this might be somewhat of an older topic, but when avereaging miles per week, i generally like to first determine how many miles per month i've run. Most companies generally allow 1 day off per week worked, and while Pride is more liberal in their hometime policy, i generally follow that rule. So, on weeks where hometime falls, my miles per week fall as well...so simply put, i decide how many miles i ran in the month and divide by four to get my averages....

[Rawlco]

If TMC was paying 4,000 a week to the driver everyone would be driving for them !! That might be what THEIR truck makes a (7 day) week but then they pay on what miles it actualy ran.

That is $4,000 gross revenue to the truck each week at TMC. The driver's percentage pay rate can vary from 23% to 32% of that $4,000 figure.

[Frogman]

The bottom line is easy---what do you have on your paycheck every week. If you worry about your miles every day you are going to turn into these guys that sit at the truck stop every day bitching that they are not making any miles. They might as well get a job at the truck stop because they are not going to make any money driving sitting there all day. Trucking is like life you get out of it what you put into it everyday.

Well, I agree with that, to some degree but you have to consider the "efficiency" of your effort, too.

2500 miles in 5 days is significantly more efficient than 2500 miles in 7 days. And naturally, the increased efficiency will result in increased income.

You may not notice it in one month or even two . . . but over the course of the year, the greater efficiency will begin to pay off. The 5-day driver is around 35% more efficient and that translates into real dollars over 12 months.

(At least that's what Excel tells me . . . understand the only thing I drive now is this keyboard . . . . )

While your math is 100% correct the real world doesn't seem to follow the rules as defined by math. Your logic more closely
the thought process of a dispatcher than a driver. It would be nice to be able to drive 5 days a week every week and drive 2500 miles. Never have problems with P/U and Delivery or such minor things as delays due to bad road conditions.

You logic reminds me of the efficiency expert a warehouse I worked for many years ago. His logic of which he had all kinds of drawing showing each employee started his day by dividing himself going in two different directions doing two different task. Then at the end of the day he joined himself back at the time clock to end the day. I might add the company paid this clown over $50k to dream this one up. What scared us was we were afraid upper management might believe this clown.

Back to topic. If a driver does 100% drop and hook and drives in states away from major cities your Excel program has a good chance of working. Anything less and your math starts to fall apart.

kc0iv

You're talking apples and oranges. I'm responding to the gentleman who said the focus should be on the paycheck. My point is that while Gross Income is important, so are Time and Miles. Generally, the more efficient the job (or company) the better off you are. I think everyone would agree that if two truckers are receiving equal income, then the one who's driving fewer hours (or fewer miles) is "better off."

As to the "efficiency expert" . . . it sounds like what you're describing is a Critical Path or P.E.R.T. analysis where tasks are reviewed to see if different sequencing, priority and resources can reduce the total time involved.

These "clowns" as you call them . . . and by the way, good luck trying to find one who will touch an analysis for $50K . . . are the same guys who figured out how to build the Polaris missile sub in record time and later transfered the methodology to the US space program (NASA) and helped us put a man on the moon . . . also in record time.

If I said that I can teach you how to strap down and tarp a load in 40% less time . . . or how to perform a better truck inspection in 25% less time . . . why wouldn't you jump at the opportunity?

[Justruckin]

My whole thought regarding trucking and money is this:

Drive the fewest amount of miles, for the greatest amount of dollars. :wink:

I know that this is not always possible for a company driver, but I have done it. Call it being at the right place, at the right time.

What I always told my drivers, and I no longer have any, was to learn this racket and buy your own truck, and I will help you. No one ever took me up on the offer.

The last guy I had in my employ was looking at $60 grand for the year (about 8 mos work). He got disgusted, long story.

Learn the business end, it ain't rocket science. There is money to be made out here, you just need to do your time. If you have ever been in the military, you will know what I mean, and that ain't no lie.
:wink: