Hi, looking for a few opinions please. I have someone who wants me to move a tractor (no trailer) from Houston to Jacksonville, FL by driving it there. What would be a good rate? Just so you know, I also need to find my way back to Houston, either by rental car or plane, as he may have more trucks to move. Does there need to be DOT numbers on the truck or just an "in transit" sign? Do I need to run log? Hit scales, etc......
Thanks in advance for your assistance.

 

Who is paying for the fuel? You or him?

 

I have a question out to him, but hopefully he will be paying for the fuel, that is the only way I will do it. It is approximately 900 miles from Houston to Jacksonville.

 

At the low end I would say $300 plus return costs (car rental or plane ticket) and fuel costs for the truck.

 

Wow, you work cheap. Houston to Jacksonville is 870 miles. That's 2 days driving, plus a return trip. Figure 2 1/2 days MINIMUM if you are flying back, 4 days if you are driving back.

Uturn would have you working for about $600 per week (less if you have to drive back). I wouldn't touch it for less than $450 per trip by flying back, and $600 per trip if you have to drive back.

 

no body is going to buy a plane ticket or rent a car to get you back, it just doe's not pay, the best you will get is a bus ticket. If you can swing $1000! because you will only do one a week, ask what the guys get that deliver new trucks, most of them are driven out, that is your best bet

 

It is only about a 15 hour trip. Add in a 10 hour break and you have 25 hours. If the guy will pay for a plane ticket back then $300 (low end) labor charge to drive the truck out there is not so bad.

Granted if you had to drive back, and the guy picked up the tab for the rental car and fuel for the car then $500-$600.

If you have to rent a car on your own dime then find out a rough cost (or the cost of a plane ticket) and figure that in.

 

I worked a little for drive-away companies.....going rate was around .90 - 1.00 per mile, one way. This is with you paying for the fuel. That was then.

The best thing to do is to contact a couple of drive-away companies, and ask for a quote. That should get you into the ballpark of what to charge.

Good luck. :wink:

 

And just having a rate to charge isn't your only concern. You also have to have a agreement on what happens if/when the truck breaks down. And how much you get paid if/when it does.

And I wouldn't do it at all without at least 70% paid in advanced. And that's only if you really know him. Otherwise, full pay upfront. The last company I did this for got stung bad on promises......

Just saying.

 

Well, the guy hasn't contacted me back anyway, so I guess its a no go. Thanks for all of your help, was gonna go with .75 cpm plus expenses with him paying for the truck fuel.