K...what am I missing?
 

Hmmm let me start by mentioning I am very new to this own authority thing, I am very shocked to see the only two loads I have booked have been thru major carriers, Steven's and Schneider....so if I can book decent loads thru them at 1.50-1.60 dry van....why the hell would I want to lease to them for 90c plus feul surcharge, and then get stuck with heavy a$$ loads not going where I choose?
Now I quess if you get a good dispatcher (driver mgr or whatever they call it) I quess things could be ok. But never been my luck as a Co. driver, just always got some clown waiting till it was friday and putting in his hours and couldnt give a $hit bout me.
Just occurs to me when I see so many peps here asking...should I lease here or there?

Well, it's seems to me, that you are missing your unpaid DH miles, increased operation costs(own trailer...) longer times to get paid(if ever)

At the end of your first year, get your average rate, for all miles run, and you might see, that it's not much different(if any), than $0.90+FSC(currently, probably about $1.20 a mile) And their costs, is probably $0.15-20cpm lower than yours, with a lot less headache!

Don't get me wrong, I'm not criticizing you, or anybody. You just asked, what you are missing, and i just trying to give you my perception on that.

Eventually, it doesn't really matter, what your official status is.
It's all come down to money, whether you are making it, or not! :wink: 8)

That's good, that's the side of the story you don't hear around here very much. I was listening to this guru on XM today and he said that when it's all said and done, 19 out of 20 guys he deals with could do as well or better being leased on someplace. I'm not saying there aren't two sides to the story it's just that there are two sides to the story.

The freedom of booking your own loads is huge. But, the headache of booking your own loads is huge, too.

BTW, dispatchers work for the company, not the driver. The company has needs, the load planners have needs, these needs are as important to the dispatcher as the needs and desires of the driver. It's his job to balance them, not just give the driver anything he asks.

I feel Pepe is smart enough to find loads with less deadhead. Unload on one side of the state, and reload on the other, I think he smarter than that.

Last week or so, I did a dry run on paper. DId it as I was pulling a Reefer, Flatbed and Dry Van. Each time, I was able to come up with over 3500 Loaded miles, and only 60 miles deadhead for the entire week. And the dead head was to intial pickup, and to pick up last load.

But other than the money side of things, I feel and personal feeling, it's worth the lost of the few deadhead mile pay than putting up with the BS of any company out there. There are still some of us who do not see life with Dollar Signs all over it. There are some of us that realizes that you have to spend money to make money. Spend on deadheading to pick up that 1.60 per mile rather than hauling it for 90 cents per mile. More miles at 1.60 tens time better than the 90 for the little deadhead in the long run.

Takes a little planning, and a little thought, and if you deadhead you deadhead. I'm sure pepe not going across state to pick up the next load. so the deadhead will not be that painful of miles.

You didn't get it! :sad: It's not about being "smart", or "stupid", it's just nature of business! :wink:
And what do you mean,-"who do not see life with Dollar Signs all over it."?
What the hell in my post, made you say that!? :roll:

Yes, i make a living in a trucking, but money is merely a tool for me, not a purpose. It also true measure of your success, unless you do it for fun! :P

Coastie, those "dry runs" you modeled...I'm assuming you had no idea what those loads paid. I guarantee that you will not touch those kind of miles unless you plan on running for anything that's offered, and even then I'm dubious. By the way, you do know that you could make a delivery then a pickup in the same city and still have 50 miles deadhead, right? As far as what you're saying about rates, you've got a lot to learn.

Pepe, don't count on being able to get those rates from those guys too often. You got those kind of rates because you're going to bad freight areas. You did well coming out of TX at that rate especially if you didn't have to deadhead. We'll see how you do out of FL. I'm bringing a dry load, 18,000 lbs, from TX to FL for $1675 on 885 miles and I wouldn't have touched that except that it's prime time for reefers there right now. I'm looking to head back to CA and it's not pretty.

Solo; I did not mean to upset you, just wanted to point out some facts. Maybe I worded it wrong, but sorry for upsetting you.

To me hauling for any company would be a Bigger headach than the slight loss of deadheading loss. If you sit down and plan out your trips, using the information you have before you at the time, you can avoid alot of the unnessary deadheading. As I said I did do a dry run on paper, out of 3500 miles it had me deadheading 60 Miles the entire rounds. 35 to pick up the first load, and 25 to pick up last load. I know when I get out there doing it, it will not be the same as I did it on paper. But I was also doing it at worst case senerio Worst pay, that I'll accept, which is like Pepe, 1.50per mile.

You use all tools out there you can do well and not have the headach your talking about. Least to a company your running at their mercy. That a headach in it's self.

I am using the smallest amout I would accept. Some loads have their rates posted, and most do not. Yes but the deahead I am using are for having to travle to a different city. But still my point is the small amount of deadhead verse the amount of load miles, still better than depending on another company. Unload in one side of town and reload on the other yes, you can add up, but on average it will not be over 10 to 20 miles the most. To drive the full circle around Atlanta, is less than 20 miles. Then if you running no less than a certain amount of miles, the lower pay average is decreased where it not that big of a deal. You'll not be down 20 cents or such per mile.. As I just said use all the tools you'll make it.

You do have to avoid the bad areas. Florida and Calif. for my self. I look and see what offered in the areas before I would pick the load in the first place. If not much offered, then I would not look at a load going there.

Yes I do have a lot to learn, that why I am here on these forum to learn. It's going to be a while before I can get out there. But I am also stating from my previous experences also. How I seen companies run, and operated. Some things has changed, some has not. Most that change is the HOS. But as it is I have nothing else to do besides sit here and learn. Go out to eat now and then, but nothing to take me away that is very important. Being retired sux for me. So I want to go back to work, in a fields I enjoy. One is shut out for me now, and this leaves me the trucking. But it not like I am coming off the streets into a truck. Even when I started back in 96, I had some knowledge of trucking then, I grew up around it. But as long as I am driving, there will be something to learn, for I am a believer, if I think I know it all, I better park the truck.

What load boards are you looking at to find loads paying $1.50/mile average for 3500 miles a week and 60 miles of deadhead?

Oh, and you might want to take another look at your atlas, 20 miles won't get you all the way around the loop.