[allan5oh]

The trucking companies did it to themselves. Deregulate trucking was the right thing to do.

[Rev.Vassago]

Originally Posted by allan5oh

The trucking companies did it to themselves. Deregulate trucking was the right thing to do.

Is this sarcasm?

[Bigmon]

In Asia they can make living on 9cpm.

While running wth MCT I was making about $1.20-$1.30 a mile on average, I made a living at that rate, but I didn't have a brand new truck with a hefty payment due each month, nor was I the sole provider for my family (if I was I would have been in trouble!). I was there for a littler over one month and left. Not because of the money or giving up but I had personal issues I had to come home for not leaving me any other choice but that. However if I had stayed with MCT I would have gone to a percentage company as soon as my experice would allow me to get on somewhere else. When I leased onto MCT I had less than a year under my belt on my CDL, so companies like Landstar or Mercer wouldn't talk to me until I hit that one year on the CDL mark, and being new with the industry I felt it be best to wait on getting my own authority until I ran for a couple of years.

Prior to that I ran with another company as a o/o, also for one month. I was paid $1.10 a mile plus FSC. I left as soon as I found out they were not keeping their promise of paying 100% FSC to the truck, my fuel costs were sky high and I do not believe it is right for any company to make money off of the FSC unless they own the truck. Other issues I had there was the fact I was free labor to them, they had local drivers they would pay by the hour, but they would send the O/O out to sit at docks because they didn't have to pay them. I won't work for free and its a shame so many companies expect their O/O's to do just that.

I know a guy who runs with Fedex, his trucks earn $1.03 per mile and he has a set fuel rate of $1.24 (or something like that), he owns 3 trucks, makes payments on two of them (both purchased new) has 3 drivers working for him and a large family to support andis the sole income for them. He makes a good living, not getting rich I bet or retiring anytime soon, but he pays the bills and makes sure his family, trucks and drivers are taken care of. So its not impossible to make a living on these "average" wages most companies pay out.

[rank]

Originally Posted by Dejanh

good post..

Thanks. Sorry I take such a dim view of truck driving as a career, but IMO the risk reward ratio is way out of line. For me, to compensate for the capital investment, time away and the risk of sudden revenue loss do to accident, a company OTR driver should be able to work 5 days a week and earn $50,000, an o/o $100,000 and a guy with his own authority.....$150,000 (EBIT).

But then what I think doesn't really matter.

[Bigmon]

If you have the capital there are other businesses that give you a better return than trucking. Lots of people don't have the knowledge or drive to do it. How many truckers own the yachts in the marina?

[LOAD IT]

Originally Posted by rank

Go to college instead.

Even IF make a living off $1.26/mile, what career will you move into when you have kids? Many prospective employers will want more education and experience than driving a truck can offer. Despite what the magazines and schools say, I don't see it as a wise career move. One mistake and your "career" is over. You are left with a small nest egg if you're lucky (and a mound of debt and bankruptcy if you're not). Then you'll need to bo back to school anyway.

You limit yourself to being a dispatcher or broker when you leave the road.

Dont go to college, colleges are filled with underachievers and have numerous underachiever alums. Use that CDL, make as much money as you can, save, invest, make more money. I never took a college course on how to make money. What is the fastest money you can make legally? Answer is running the wheels off that rig at a profit. If you disagree, what do you suggest?

[BanditsCousin]

Damn straight. After college, I drove as an o/o. Made wayyy more than what companies were offering. IF I was wise, I'd save it all.

...But I'm not and ran back to college for another semester before going into the trucking world again. 8)

And, $1.26 isn't too shabby for all miles. ITs far from the best though, and it would have to be a 2500mi+ length of haul! :lol:

[Dejanh]

Only thing that i cant understand in this buisiness are the people who have 20+years of expirienceand still, to this day drive a truck. In a little over year and a half i managed te create a'lot by just saving, and the worst part is the fact when they tell you that they love being away weeks away from home and all that BS... :roll:

I said it before and ill say it again, no matter if the company pays you 2$ per mile if you blow that fast you wont have a damn thing. Couple of my friends drive for a flate rate of 1.14 or one for 1.18 and still managed toexpand their assests 10 times more than those ,,old timers'' in just little over a 3-5 year period...its all on the individual and how hes taking care of things. Mr.Gman has a good post about ,,how to succed'' on this forum, i would suggest everyone to read it!

Originally Posted by Dejanh

and the worst part is the fact when they tell you that they love being away weeks away from home and all that BS... :roll:

Sorry buddy, some people do like to be away from home for weeks at a time. Esp. if they have a crazy/annoying/ect family they are leaving behind. Some people are loaners, a lot of them become truckers.