In this business your attitude has a lot to do with your success, whether it is as a company driver or owner operator.

 

True G-man....but no other job I think you would concur, is as demanding as an OTR driver except maybe peace officer or fire-fighter?
OMG the turnover rate at these companies is an astounding 99% after one year rates!....No other industry could even survive that I think.
I really believe no one is a company driver unless they havent fiqured out how not to be.....a bold statement I know, but just how I feel, what a thankless job position.
I can remember we lost a million mile driver at USX .....killed in an accident.....I felt bad about it of course. Max came on the quell-com with some crap about we outta all drive with our lights on for Bruce as a tribute...OMG...if it was my bloody dead body....you BETTER BURY ME IN YOUR DAM$ BACKYARD MAX AS A TRIBUTE AND ERECT A STATUE! (or ill hunt your butt down as a ghost so help me...)....lights on he$$ ;=p
I trained maybe 40-50 student drivers at USX and only saw 1 a year latter.....hmmm wonder why :twisted:

 

Sorry for my tiraids all; its been from many years of fustration Ill tell ya LOL
Hmmm back to some numbers, I have booked my load back home to So Cal....thru Prime for 2,700, that leaves me with a gross of 5,700 for appx two weeks work. I will spend appx 1,700 in feul (I almost always turn off my truck immediatly after puling in somewhere). My theory is book the lightest weight I can.....not scientifically sound I suppose, but quess I've had some beginners luck, the load home is 20,000.

I realize this is far from hitting a home run.....n one good at bat doesnt make a season for sure, but am thankfull to God for a good start.

Ohh yeah Coastie, Ive been realizing short D/H's are unrealistic in my opinion, best to take the distance and go find the better paying light load then take the crapy paying close 45,000 pounders.

My 3 D/H's have cost me appx. a quarter of a tank each, even the short one into LA cuz of crapy traffic....a quarter of a tank runs me appx $150.00

 

You sure about your math on the dh's pepe? That seems awfully high unless you're dh'ing quite a ways. 1000 miles cost me about $385. I should know, I just about did it getting home :lol:

 

yeah not sure exactly....there quesstamites really

My first I got caught in LA rush hour traffic....which is why I am quessing high at a quarter of a tank

Second DH was from Odessa to Dallas....I got caught in some early morning Dallas traffic which didnt help.

Third is all the way down here in Marianna Fl....to just S/W of Augusta Ga.....hmmm the thing that screws this DH up no good direct routes in....these higways thru small sticks towns sux.


You really were the best batting coach tip tho NW....when you mentioned that sometimes the lighter pay better....what gives????? thats crazy
I waded through 45,000 pound loads only paying a 1.00 a mile to get this 20,000 pounder paying 2,700 from Augusta to So Cal...go fiqure ;-p

 

This sound very confusing, Dallas ?? Odessa?? What State ? Just tring to get the full picture.

Your been just as well off taking one of the 1.00 loads for 45000 lbs than to dead head up to Augusta. From the Augusta area that only about 1.20 per mile, and after deadheading for 331 miles, you just about ate up the extra 20 cents for the liter load.

Though I am not out there yet, and I been off the road awhile I do know that much dead heading is taking you in the wrong Direction. I do know you need to plan ahead more in where your going to get loaded back out of. So as your earlier statement not doing much deadheading in unreality? think again. Deadheading that much is a Killer. I do know for a fact you could have gotten more of a paying load out of Augusta, least a 1.50 per mile.

 

Ok this was the offer

Had a load just in Tallahasseee, thru this broker who routinly offers heavy ass loads for 1.05 a mile
his load was 44,000 going to LA area and paid 2,100

The load just S/W of Augusta, thru prime, paid 2,700 and weighs only 20,000 pounds

Remembe I D/H empty........my mpg goes up 3-4 mpg

I will spend about a quarter of a tank to p/u this load.....that costs me 150....maybe 200 dollars if I spend more feul.
The lesser loads DRAMATICLY effect my mpg.....not to mention the intangibles
The intangiblles being these heavy butt loads beat the hell outta my equitment....:-p and I DEMAND comensation in pay for that, something these brokers just dont seem to understand.
Another untangible is I refuse to go home thru the Banning scales (unless the pay was right ).....I always take my chances thru Cajone pass
This ighter load will give me almost 2 more miles to the gallon appx.....that REALLY adds up
So i spent about $150 appx to make 600 more.....not to mention easier on my equiptment and much better mpg home.....i would be struggling to get 5.5 mpg with that heavy ass load
I should average 7.5 appx going home with this 1.

Its funny, maybe someday when I am sick of driving would love to be a broker perhaps, but what gives, how come some of these guys can only get crap loads....is it really that hard to be a broker and get good loads?
Hmmm always thought of these mega-trucking-companies as evil slime, but at least they are smart enough to only broker loads at a decent rate.

 

Is that, what you call $2,700, from GA to CA, not to mention DH? :shock: :roll:

 

beats ta hell outa 2,100 weighing 44,000, the boards were full of those,....yeah just gotta be realistic man about whats out here .
Like I said I got 3k to come out here...all light weight loads....love to get your input where to find better, but I suppose like on the CB your just a HECKLER not a helper!

 

Pep- sound like your numbers are adding up for the bottom line. Only thing is watch your total time compared to total compensation. I don't place enough importance on time and every so often your your compare your time to your dollars and say, "oh well- I have nice drive anyway" Have fun. Bill