[MichiganDriver]

I guess the title says it. I'm wondering if owning your own rig gives you the ability to make it home every night and how much denero that might cost ya. What I mean is maybe you can be home every night but there tends to be an X % penalty for not sleeping in your truck. What % is X?

I'm in Michigan (big surprise I know lol) and I see a lot of runs to Chicago or Pittsburgh or, or, or and I could do the round trip and sleep at home. Just wondering if the paycheck would be ok.

[Orangetxguy]

Originally Posted by MichiganDriver

I guess the title says it. I'm wondering if owning your own rig gives you the ability to make it home every night and how much denero that might cost ya. What I mean is maybe you can be home every night but there tends to be an X % penalty for not sleeping in your truck. What % is X?

I'm in Michigan (big surprise I know lol) and I see a lot of runs to Chicago or Pittsburgh or, or, or and I could do the round trip and sleep at home. Just wondering if the paycheck would be ok.

That would all depend on the rate. Most of the "local" guy's I know, are averaging around $635 a day, pulling tanks between Beaumont and Baytown, down here in Texas. What the van guys are averaging is beyond me. The "local" guys I know up in Chicago-land, average anywhere from $580 to $900 a day, again pulling tanks. Each customer pays a different rate.

LOL.....Mackman could tell you what his average with a Dump is.......IF he wants too! But....He is in PA...so again....different rate, different equipment.

[Scottt]

I run short trips with a van.

Load 30 miles from home, run 352 miles unload and reload in the same door the next morning. Run back and load and reload in the same door the next morning.

3 round trips a week, $1300 a round, 2125 miles.

Home 3 nights a week and every weekend.

[GMAN]

Living in your area you may find runs back and forth between Michigan and Chicago. I know there are flatbed guys who do runs from Detroit to Chicago every day. I don't know about vans. It would be a matter of making the right contacts. You will usually pay a price for being home more often. It will normally result in less income for the convenience of being home. If getting home more frequently is important then you may want to spend some time to see if you can make some broker or shipper contacts that will work for you.

[Scottt]

Gman is right, I made alot more money when I did long haul and gone from home.

Some weeks I do 4 rounds if I feel like it but mostly just do 3. I can get 4 rounds in if I unload and reload and go straight there and unload and reload on the same day.

I usually unload and reload on this end and go back home for the day. Unload and reload at 7am and back home by 8:30am.

The shipper leaves it up to me on how many I do or what time I get there. They usually have 2-3 loads on each end every day.

[MichiganDriver]

Originally Posted by Orangetxguy

LOL.....Mackman could tell you what his average with a Dump is.......IF he wants too! But....He is in PA...so again....different rate, different equipment.

That's what I'm jabbering about, right there. Mackman makes it home every night and can enjoy himself for the evening and sleep in his own bed.

I'm wondering if he isn't the one person on this forum with his head on straight. I'm probably restricted to dry van for insurance reasons though.

Something I thought of since starting this thread is the fact that local guys are pretty much restricted to 5 day weeks (not that that's all bad but it's a cut in pay).

[rank]

Originally Posted by MichiganDriver

I guess the title says it. I'm wondering if owning your own rig gives you the ability to make it home every night and how much denero that might cost ya. What I mean is maybe you can be home every night but there tends to be an X % penalty for not sleeping in your truck. What % is X?

Very tough to do that out of the gate with your own authority. It would take a while to find your own source of freight. You could find it being an o/o I suppose.

As far as the penalties go, there are a few. Figure fuel costs at $.70 - .90 per (unpaid) mile depending on whether you're loaded or empty.

Figure lost time off your log book. Figure in lost sleep while you're driving those OOR miles and lost sleep while you're at home (I never seem to get any sleep at home.....too much to do).

[Orangetxguy]

Originally Posted by MichiganDriver

That's what I'm jabbering about, right there. Mackman makes it home every night and can enjoy himself for the evening and sleep in his own bed.

I'm wondering if he isn't the one person on this forum with his head on straight. I'm probably restricted to dry van for insurance reasons though.

Something I thought of since starting this thread is the fact that local guys are pretty much restricted to 5 day weeks (not that that's all bad but it's a cut in pay).

Mack is lucky in that he had a "Foot-in-the-door" for what he does. His father's reputation, along with his own willingness to prove himself, went a long way towards putting him in a good spot. It doesn't hurt that he is in the right area for what he does, to be making good money.

I am in the process of becoming a "Local" dog myself. Maybe once the kinks get worked out....I will tell you what it is doing.........And how I am doing at it.

[MichiganDriver]

It sounds like short runs involve making less money unless you fall into a steady gig that pays. I've also heard you guys not be too thrilled about coast to coast runs, saying they don't pay real well - kind of a fools gold.

So I'm thinking being opportunistic is the key. You're in Dallas, you check the loadboards, you call a few brokers, the best run that's available is going to Cleveland. The proper response is "I happen to love Cleveland!!!". lol Is that the mindset?

[Orangetxguy]

Originally Posted by MichiganDriver

It sounds like short runs involve making less money unless you fall into a steady gig that pays. I've also heard you guys not be too thrilled about coast to coast runs, saying they don't pay real well - kind of a fools gold.

So I'm thinking being opportunistic is the key. You're in Dallas, you check the loadboards, you call a few brokers, the best run that's available is going to Cleveland. The proper response is "I happen to love Cleveland!!!". lol Is that the mindset?

IF the money was there, like it was in 03-06. But it just hasn't been....for quite a while. Anymore, even in tanks, it is just not worth it to be running the road. It is all about the money, and a Buck-a-mile just doesn't cut it........$1.55 doesn't hardly cut it anymore!

The deal I am working on, will allow me to be home very evening (or day), and still make decent money.....I hope. Truck is still in the shop getting ready for the gig. Once I am up and running...then I might say more. I want to get six or seven weeks of steady work in, before I get all "giddy" about this.