Thanks Mackman, I would love to be making the money you are making. I'm not sure why the pay here is so low. Someone told me it's because Florida is a 'right to work' state, which means we can't have unions? Anyway, I have no idea how to work directly with the contractors, they only work through the brokers.

I see that you can only work 7-8 months a year, I can work year-round the only thing that stops us is if it rains, but it dries very fast here so we would only be out a day or so with the rain. Do you think my pay would be the same as yours if you factor in those months you can't work?

Let me break down what my truck makes on average and cost and let you do your own thinking. First figures will be from this weeks run ending this afternoon, which unloaded first load on Tuesday because memorial day.
Tuesday unload in Midlothian TX from Dodge City KS (540 miles, took longer route bc phone service and bad weather), paid $1,177
Wednesday AM unload in Kansas City KS from Ennis TX (573 miles, includes DH to get load), paid $1,200
Wednesday PM grabbed load from Atchison KS hauling back Kansas KS, did 2 loads (so 232 miles total by time got back to KC), paid $500 total ($250 each)
Thursday PM unload Cimarron KS from KC, KS (353 miles), paid $750
DH to Dodge City KS, 19 miles
Friday afternoon unload in Wichita KS (158 miles), pays $600
DH back to Dodge City KS (my shop there, 158 miles)
This week I didn't like, the little Atchison to KCKS were waste of time but told guy I would do for him.
So in total week will GROSS $4,227 on 2033 miles. I pay my driver $0.33 cpm for all miles, so he will be at $670.89, plus I'll make up a lil to him for the pissy, short loads. Fuel in this truck runs me about $0.767/mile ($3.95/gallon, 5.15 mpg). So with driver and fuel the week will cost me $1.097/mile totaling $2,230.20 which leaves $1,996.80 to the truck for maintenance and profit, and that's with me have hired driver.

Now let me break down a normal week for me, not as detailed but understandable)
Ill start by unloading Monday AM in Midlothian TX from Dodge City Kansas and end week with load needing kicked off Saturday or Monday. Miles have me running From TX to Kansas City area back to west Kansas. A lot of times I'll get loads coming straight back out here so miles are signicantly less. Anyhow average gross has been $5,800 on 2,870 miles (most time 2400-2500 miles, same gross). With fuel and driver that leaves $2,651.61 for maintenance and profit. If I get miles down to 2,500 which is more average with me (but same gross bc lanes are better) net will jump to $2,742.50/week and my driver gets 1-2 days at home every week.

Insurance cost me approx. $5,000/year, thats full coverage, $20k on truck and $10k on trailer. I paid 25% down and rest in 9 installments. Getting my own authority was best thing I did. However! I am lucky, I haul crushed cars to Texas and I get paid on this immediately with comcheck or bankwire with any quickpay fees so that helps me keeps operating money while waiting on brokers to pay on other loads. If you're solely relying on brokers either you will have hard time keeping money flowing for first few months or you pay quickpay fees or factoring company.

Keep in mind I am a flatbedder in Midwest/southwest region.

If that is only one truck running, then you are doing okay. Not great. Just okay. Maybe I look at it wrong. And it looks like you service direct bill customers, NOT brokers....but..I could be wrong. IF you are working with a broker, then you are doing exceptional.

Crushed cars from Kansas to Texas are direct billing, everything else is brokers. I just purchased another truck to put on road but not going yet. Figures were for one truck. I do love my lanes tremendously.

Like the others I'm dismissing the tractor-trailer idea, especially if you guys would not run as a team but each solo- you would never see eachother. Fix what u got. I also agree that using brokers isnt a good status quo...they are just leeches and i bet the one getting you on the i75 not only is getting your fee, but he is also getting a lil extra on the side...Having worked in construction myself i must recommend you get in touch with whoever has the projects, network, post ads, etc. even a yard sign will get you business. anything but the vampires (brokers) Whenever a developer tells you he runs through a broker,u can bet they have a lil deal going on...

When you said you were hauling into Midlothian, I figured you were hauling crushed 4-wheelers down. I'm assuming that you are hauling into Nucor there. Since you are doing that.....Have you talked with Nucor traffic management about getting steel beams back to the area, or roofing joists?? I'm pretty sure that if you run 2 or more trucks, they will set you up for direct bill hauling. They used to, back in 03-04.

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Just a thought.

Yes I'm certain that the broker keeps part of the hourly amount PLUS takes an additional 10% out of my fee, but claims he is only getting the 10%. I'm very much aware that brokers are liars. But here in Florida, all the projects go through the broker. I had heard that I might be able to haul colored sand for the fancy shmancy golf courses, but there are enough out-of-work dump trucks here that they all told me they didn't need my services.

Our dumps are making $500 to over $800 a day here and thats on a asphalt haul 35mi one way.

You tonnage or hourly?? You work for the plant or for the contractor. Thanks

There's that euphemistic "HERE" again!!