Truck Driving Jobs

solo379 · #1 08-22-2008, 04:20 PM

Economy is down! Housing market crash! Outsourcing! Trucking companies going bankrupt!.....
Yet, by reading all this forums, almost everybody, doing great, and making tons of money!
Any reasonable explanation? Or i smell fish? :roll:

Orangetxguy · #2 08-22-2008, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by solo379

Economy is down! Housing market crash! Outsourcing! Trucking companies going bankrupt!.....
Yet, by reading all this forums, almost everybody, doing great, and making tons of money!
Any reasonable explanation? Or i smell fish? :roll:

Not making "ton's" right now...but making enough to pay the bills at home, keep the truck repaired, pay the taxes..and maybe play a little.

If fuel were say....47 cents, like the truckstop sign in "Smokey and the Bandit" showed last night...I would be "keeping" alot more...if the rates were what they are right now.
$1,800 out of todays settlement for fuel. $2,600 last week.

Having a hard time there Solo??

Twilight Flyer · #3 08-22-2008, 04:42 PM

Quote:

If fuel were say....47 cents, like the truckstop sign in "Smokey and the Bandit" showed last night

It was $1.96 on CSI the other night.

RostyC · #4 08-22-2008, 04:51 PM

It's bad all over but worse for some more than others. Everybody I know is slow. I won't even look at my numbers over last year, I did after the first quarter and felt nauseated. This is construction btw, but if I ain't building it yall ain't hauling it.

There's a big commercial outfit that I sub jobs from and they are dead. They have nothing starting. However, their bidding like crazy and even had to hire another estimator to keep up. It's weird really, I wonder if the big money sees commodity prices falling in the near term and holding off a bit. I don't know.

I think the rebound will be slow, this is a bad one.

BigDiesel · #5 08-22-2008, 05:52 PM

All 3 three of my trucks are busy. Just finished w/ watermelons the past 5 weeks. Nursery's second season has started for the next 4 weeks..... Apples are starting to hit, so two trucks will be running back to the Point every two weeks.....

NotSteve · #6 08-22-2008, 06:53 PM

I think it all depends on each individual. Some people have large families to support and others have huge truck and trailer payments along with other loans.

I think a lot of people tend to include their personal bills when crying poverty when in fact they would be doing pretty good if it were not for that.

I've always stated in this forum that I do not have a family to support or any bills so I'm pretty lean.

There is a ton of BS said in this forum for sure when it comes to money and tons of info left out. I think many that will state they get this much per mile going to here but that's only 2% of the time. The rest of the time they get paid something else but won't post that! Some of the more senior people would floor you if you really knew the truth. They also preach but DO NOT practice.

Myself, I don't listen to much advise on here or I would be sitting at home for 11 months out of the year. Many people will state that "I would tell them this and that and if you don't like it then go pound sand"

Like I have said before. I've done a few LTL loads and averaged around $3.00 per mile but it was tough putting those together.

When fuel was higher a month ago I was averaging $2.00 per mile on the long runs. Now it seems $1.90.

You can whip out your spreadsheet and do the math on those figures above based on 2,500 miles per week. I'm single and no bills so I'm doing pretty freaking good!!!

solo379 · #7 08-22-2008, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Orangetxguy

Having a hard time there Solo??

Not really, i even do a bit better than last year.

But it puts a lot more pressure on me, and i feel like I'm walking on the razor. All in all, it's definitely not a good time, yet if you read that, and some other trucking forums, it's seems like only lazy is not making money in trucking.
So, naturally, I've started wandering, what's the reason, for such a confused messages? :roll:

Maniac · #8 08-22-2008, 09:10 PM

Here in chemical land we are busy, it is a good sign of the economy because it means that manufacturing is doing good. Chemicals usually slow down first.

Maybe its just who I work for? I don't know

Where is the manufactured goods going? I don't know, BUT they ARE going somewhere.

I delivered to a mattress manufacturer today in Jersey, they are running 3 shifts Midnite sunday to midnite friday.

My numbers for this yeafr are the highest they have ever been for this time of year, yet I know they are artificial, because of the fuel surcharges, but on the other hand my actual fuel cost AFTER the surcharge is UNDER a buck a gallon.

From now till the end of the the year Dana has ALL the build spots at Brenner tank, he can't get them built and delivered to the customers who want to lease them fast enough.

Me personally, I have a "little girl" with 1 year of college left, and then a few years left on the mortgage, but not really spending like I used too.