Wish you the best Jonboy. I've got some catching up here, been away a while.
Steve

Steve, I like your John Wayne avatar.

This week started out pretty good, although I spent the first two days waiting on my IRP plates, getting my trailer inspected and catching up on paper work.

We got a load on Wednesday afternoon from Forney, Texas (Dallas area), to Edinburg, Texas. It was a load of paper and it paid $700. Thursday, we deadheaded to Corpus Christi, and picked up baled cotton and delivered it Friday midday (Houston). It was a short run, and it paid $400. I stopped and ate a real meal Thurday night and went to bed early. It cost me a half day, but I needed it.

As usual, it takes me a little time to get into the rythym of things. It's not a good thing to leave the house with a full days work on the first load, which leaves no time to line up the second load. If I'm going to do that again, I'll get the backhaul before I leave. I didn't have time to do anything but drive due to HOS regs.

My phone rang with brokers I had done business with the previous three weeks, wanting to do more business with us. I refused one load (we weren't near anyway), because of the money, and they went up considerably, and wanted to use us for a regular run.

As soon as I got rid of my cotton load, I was heading to a truckstop for a shower and a meal, and I got a call from another broker (nice people), and we picked up a load in Houston going to Brenham, Texas. It's 67 miles and pays $325. I can't deliver till Monday morning, so I think I'll just find a place to camp and enjoy the weekend. Next week, I may be doing some of these short runs and see how that goes. As long as the load/unloads go fast, I can do pretty good I think.

As you can see, you take a hit by not being able to go interstate, and the dry van stuff is considerably less than what Steve Booth is hauling (He's da man). The one good thing about it is, I'm developing good relationships with some key brokers, and I think, I could keep two or three trucks busy in Texas, while I'm gone interstate. I've had a couple of drivers (lease operators), that are wanting to get their own authority, but don't want to do the office work, and have approached us for help. One driver was paying 30% to the company he was leased to, and hauling the same freight I am. They are getting it off the same boards.

We are contemplating offering some driver services to help out people in that position, that is, once we know what we are doing. :wink:

Off to a mexican restaurant somewhere......

jonboy

I've finished my first month now, with my first two weeks getting good rates, and the last two, we've struggled.

I've refused to move the truck for $1 a mile, but there are lots of people in Texas doing it.

I'll have my interstate authority next week, and I'm getting as far away from south Texas as I can. I'm also tired of sitting on loads over the weekend because nobody is open on intrastate freight.

I've discovered you have to get loads out of south Texas that go further than those junky trucks are able to go for cheap rates. :wink:

My advice is NEVER get intrastate authority in an area where the freight rates are as low as Texas, unless you have a good inside connection. The stuff on the boads has already been picked through.


jonboy

Thanks for the update.
We're all root'n for your success :D

LOL!!!!!

Ya but you get to stay clean. Half the time I load up, tarp and I'm a complete wreck. Filthy dirty, sweaty and so tired I have to shut down right there for the night then spend an hour trying to clean myself up enough with baby wipes.

Good luck to you Jon!

Ya know Steve O',...they have monkey butt stuff for that kind of thing :wink:

lol

Steve, I've been working like that all my life, but it is a pain trying to clean up in the truck.

As bad as I hate to think about it, the reefer might not be too bad........(go ahead and punch me), but I just got the Internet Truckstop magazine, and the freight rates (averages), were higher on the reefer than the flats, as far as the stats go, for the year so far. Of course, the specialized stuff is probably not included in those stats.??? There is some detachable low boy stuff on the boards for 1.25, and that is nuts.

I was also surprised at how the rates had plummeted since July, right along with the demand for freight. They are saying when this happens the shippers and brokers have the upper hand until it goes the other way. Pretty interesting stuff.

After I saw the stats, I felt better about the low rates I've been getting, because I'm not the only one suffering when there are more trucks than freight. I also felt a little stupid for demanding $2 a mile and then hearing the broker get mad. :wink: :lol: The good ones have called me back, and the ones that offered $1, and were insulted, haven't, and I cryed myself to sleep. :D

jonboy

It's friday and I'm heading home or Sat/Sun. Here's how the week went.

We left the house last Sun nite, and went to Lubbock, Tx and Amarillo, Tx, to deliver the LTL shipments we picked up in San Antonio and Houston on Friday. The load paid $1075 for 1080 miles. It didn't pay well, but it took us thru the house. We delivered it Monday. We stayed in Amarillo on Tuesday and did office stuff all day.

Wednesday, we picked up a load in Plainview, Tx, and took it to Eagle Pass, Tx and delivered it Thursday. It paid $950 for 625 miles (75 miles deadhead). It was cowhides, and somehow I didn't connect the dots between cowhides and slaughter house.... :cry:

Thursday afternoon, after getting the trailer washed out for $30 ( I wouldn't do it for $500), we picked up a load of crushed marble about two blocks up the street and headed for Andrews, Tx. It paid $600 for 378 miles.

We dropped off the marble on Friday morning and deadheaded 60 miles to Seagraves, Tx to pickup a load of cotton going to Arlington, Tx. It will pay $500 for 350 miles.

We grossed $3125 for 5 days work. We ran 2508 miles.

We are averaging 6.5 mpg with these loads weighing approx 44000#.

We spent about $1150 in fuel.

We had $1975 left for the truck and other expenses.

We won't go out until Monday, because I've got to get everything ready to go interstate next week.

We got our interstate authority Friday, so at least I'll have a choice on whether to go back to the slaughter house again. :wink: , albeit, it was one of the best loads I've had in Texas.

Hope this info helps.

jonboy

I'm sure you will do better once your interstate. Good luck and thanks for posting your numbers.

Thanks Steve.

I forgot to mention, my air governor went out, and I was fortunate to be one block from a Freightliner dealership. Two hours and $230 later, it was fixed. I've been told those things can go out frequently, so at least I got that out of the way......

that's a good post Jonboy. Prospective carriers everywhere should thank you.

Yes I agree . I'm getting ready to do my authority after the first of the year. I've been self enployed running cross country since 79 but have allways been leased to some-one ??? I parked my Pete in Augest of 2004 and came over here to help with this war effort as a KBR driver. I'm comeing home for good at the end of next March and I've been reading your posts . Gives me a lot of hope for my future. I sold my flat and bought a RGN . Thats the only thing I'm not sure how busy I'LL be able to stay on my own with that RGN. First I gotta learn how to take the neck off of the trailer ?? It's a manual neck and I got a paper from TRAIL KING but it did'nt make much sense ?? 50 ton 3 axle 26 ft well and 3 decks .. Keep the posts comeing Jonboy I'm learnin !!!!

Rank, I'm going to post the real numbers at the end of the quarter (including all the business expenses), and it will either scare some people or encourage some others.....

Ash, thanks for your efforts overseas, and as far as RGN stuff, I've been watching the boards and it is mostly $3 and above. It looks like there is plenty of it. We talked to a young guy in Houston a couple of weeks ago, and he told us he was was netting $5,000 per week after fuel on RGN.

He has paid off his truck, but he had just bought a new trailer for about $50,000. He was being paid $1,050 to wait at a truckstop from friday to pick up his load on Monday that was paying $8,000 from Houston to Wyoming. He did say he was averaging about 3 mpg, and his truck was specd for heavy haul.

You might try putting an add on Craigslist.org, to see if you can get an experienced RGN guy to show you how to detach your trailer. I see guys offering to train on flats from time to time.

Good luck on your endeavors.

jonboy

Thanks for the flowers jonboy but I'm nobody special just a OO that was outraged about 9-11 and bored with running in the States. I really miss being there now though . That guy that you ran into did he have his oun authority or was he leased to some outfit ??? 3 mpg ?? My that would take some getting used to ..

My truck was'nt speced for heavy haul but I have replaced a lot of the driveline with new stuff. I have a 4th axle that will go on before I start useing it. The new rears n suspension are off of a 2005 Pete that was wrecked about 6 months after it was new but they have tall gears in them 336's ??? I'm going to put all new tires on it so I thought I'd drop down to low pro's instead of the tall 24.5 .

Maybe that would help with the tall gears ??? I really hate to re-gear it since those rears are hardly broke in yet. I've been looking for a 2 speed set up for the rears but they are super expensive. Thanks for the reply and the info . I'LL be looking on craigs list.

[quote="ash_ca_la
I'LL be looking on craigs list.[/quote]

What I meant was, put an add on Craigslist offering to pay someone to go over detaching and coupling your trailer. I bet you could find someone in your area, and as a side benefit, maybe get a connection as to some brokers in your area. I would think that world is a bit smaller than the flat and van world, so any connections you could make could really pay off.

The guy I was speaking about had five trucks (4 pulling vans). He started out as a regional company, and as he expanded, he added drivers to the routes he was running himself. Finally he got an RGN, but he admitted he wouldn't let any of his drivers operate it because of the liability.

I would think the 3 mpg is probably real considering he is grossing 120,000 and running mountains. I asked some guys if 450 hp was enough to do the RGN freight, and they said it was, but I still doubt it. I would think you would want to over spec the engine, and not use it all, and have an 18 spd.

There are probably some of those guys lurking around here if we could coax them out. Let me see what would it take? popcorn, jerky, beer.....

btw, what are you driving over there?

jonboy

[quote=jonboy]Hey jonboy

Yes I'LL put that add on Craigslist. I put a couple of other inquires on there today as well. Yes I agree that could be real bennificial to me by getting some local help with this. Thanks for the idea . That guy is a lot braver than I am. I allways wanted a few trucks to run with some drivers but I'd be afraid of the head-aches.

That Cat shop in Atlanta said they could get pretty close to 600 out of my B model with all the changes we are doing to it. I found a special exhaust header for a Cat that is good for another 30 to 50 HP as well. I've got a 14613 Eaton trans that is only about a year old. But I'm allready talking to a couple of places about a 18 spd.

Thats probably where I'LL end up with that 18 and a set of 2 spd rears. I'LL be about the same weight as him with that 50 ton Trail King. I spent my first 3 years running on a convoy as a convoy commander running from Baghdad to Kuwait and a lot of other places. Now I stay inside the wire hauling Goverment Dignateries ( BIG WIGS ) from the airport to the Palaces and back n forth. Thanks for all the input

Always interested in hearing from the sand box.
funny, the main reason I got my CDL was I wanted one more bite on the apple (retired cop - former Army - and frankly bored to tears)
But then I heard it was no S*it, caught with a gun, back you go at umpteen thousands for the return ticket.
Sorry, but I'm certain the insurgents have heard of the Fedderman Maneuver (I taught history before I enlisted)
Really have no desire to let the county get out of paying my pension.
Oh well :evil:

[quote=ash_ca_la]
not to get off topic but can I ask you a favor?
Please tell some of us here on the board about what it took to get the kbr job and what you went through and the money it pays in the end and was it worth it etc and anything else you might wanna share.
I have been thinking about applying just for kicks but wanted to speak to some one first.
You can either pm me or post a new thread. If you can that would be great.

Thanks, Gcal

not to get off topic but can I ask you a favor?
Please tell some of us here on the board about what it took to get the kbr job and what you went through and the money it pays in the end and was it worth it etc and anything else you might wanna share.
I have been thinking about applying just for kicks but wanted to speak to some one first.
You can either pm me or post a new thread. If you can that would be great.



I would be interested to hear details also but I found this link with a quick search if you want to check it out.


http://kbrcareers.webrecruiter.com/p...440003BA74E87F

I would like to know how many bullet holes the truck has, and the driver as well?


jonboy

Here is the breakdown for the last 7 day period.

Load 1: Gross $950 Net after fuel $600
Load 2: $625 $400
Load 3: $600 $400
Load 4: $1400 $1050
Load 5: $975 $625
Totals $4550 $3075

Fixed expenses on the business are $600 per week.

Net income after fixed expenses $2475.

Of course there could be other variable expenses not included ie. repairs and maintenance.

We ran close to 3000 miles averaging 6.62. We ran only Texas and New Mexico at 65-75 mph.

For those of you than like to use the rate per mile as a guage of profitability, it was $1.51.

Hope we can back up these numbers, because this is the best we've done so far with van freight.

Btw, I've got a chance to pickup a Wally Mo 6 car hauler for $15000, and I've been told I can run around Texas with that rig and do quite a bit better. Of couse insurance is higher and the work is harder.....

Comments and criticism are welcome. :)

I want some pumpkin pie! :P

jonboy

On load 1 for example....I'm guessing that the $600 includes your fixed expenses or is that just fuel?

[quote="rank"]Rank, the first load paid me $950 gross, and I had $350 in fuel, so I netted $600 on that load. My fixed expenses come out after that. I'm trying to make the biggest spread between the gross and the fuel cost as I can. The rest seems to take care of itself.

I also consider my time on the load as a cost, and choose loads that will allow me to net a minimum of $400 per day. In this case, a higher gross might not be my first choice, if it's heavy, or if it has stops, or is a grocery load where there could be delays, or if it delivers in a major city.

I try to only book loads that deliver in smaller towns or on the outskirts of major cities, which helps me control my time and reach my goals.

My fixed expenses are $2600 per month on the entire business, but do not include any variable expenses or maintenance expenses.

I like to think of my fixed expenses as $100 per day, which leaves a little more than what they are for misc expenses ie. trailer washout from hauling nasty cowhides, etc. etc. :wink:

I know you know more about all this than me, so clue me in if you can.

jonboy

I was thinking your fuel cost was high, but ........

you ran 3000 miles / 6.62 miles per gallon is 453.18 gallons used. How much did you pay for the fuel/gal? $3.119 ? 453.18 X $3.119 = $1413.47
You spent $1475 for fuel.

I say you are dead on with your accounting for fuel. Now you need to breakdown your costs (not for us here, but for yourself). Remember

PROFIT = REVENUE/MILE - COST/MILE

cost is everything that has to be paid to keep the wheels turning and you working, Good Luck Jonboy

I've been paying $3.25 on average.

Soooooo, you ran 3000 miles that week and had 3000 left over after fuel. Do that for 40 weeks and you got 120,000. Take out $45,000 for ammortization/depreciation, insurance & maintenance leaves you with ~75,000 pretax. You should be able to live on that eh?

Yet some here say you cant make a living in trucking. I think he can do this and some over 40 weeks. Hang in there Jonboy :D

Now imagine what's going to happen when freight rates go UP.

Nowadays you have to reduce cost as much as possible, and try to go for some type of specialized freight. It's best to do both.

NET after fuel of $1.02 isn't bad at all. How much does everything cost for you?

My net after everything is paid is about 90-92 cpm.

How does everyone seem to get such accurate mpg numbers? I know some trucks have the computer on the dash but other than that is it that accurate just dividing the last amount put in by the miles driven?

Yup, pen and paper is the only way to do it.

You also have to fill it the same way, even 2-3 gallons extra can throw that number off quite a bit.

Well....let's not get ahead of ourselves. :)

I'm one of those that says you can't make a living in trucking.....if you're paying a driver. and if you're paying alimony and child support because you went OTR.

And don't forget he did say it was his best week ever (that's why I used 40 weeks. If things go bad he can work more and *hopefully* make more).

Well I don't see how people who are OTR can fill the same way. I mean maybe I'm missing something but how you fill depends on where you are? I never fuel in Indiana and the other day in the North East I filled up in Virginia before going up there. Out West I did my best to avoid filling up in Washington, so sometimes I'm filling up when I have a 1/2 a tank and other times I'm damn near on E.

Right now I am going by my fuel tax, I heard that's the best way. Thankfully I have an APU and I try and go slow and all the other tips I read here.

You know I know a lot of you are doing 58 -60 but I am going usually mid 60's and seems like everyone is flying by. I was thinking on that today; doesn't seem current fuel prices are changing the way most drive out here.

And the those that run those cattle cars must be raking in the money cause they drive like they are all race car driving (not to mention the car haulers)

I didn't mean the bottom when you start filling it up, I mean at the top when its full. For example "topping it up" can add a good 5 gallons.

But you're right, you need an average. That's what IFTA does, it's an average over 3 months.

Rank, I was thinking the same thing, but what do I know, I just found out I got into an industry in September that had no future. :wink:


Load It, I don't know anything about the seasonality of this industry, or the desirable lanes, or the areas to stay out of yet, but once I figure that out, I hope I can limit some deadhead miles.

Btw, the miles I posted included deadhead miles. I haven't figured that out as a percentage yet, but I would guess around 10%, because I refuse to haul cheap freight and will drive out to get better rates. When I'm quoted $1 a mile (south Texas), I fire my truck up and go north till I can get $2. Even with the deadhead, I still beat the cheap rate, plus I don't give that sorry broker the satisfaction of using me to cover that load. I also will NEVER haul for a broker once they pull that on me.

I do have some brokers that will pay around $2, so I deadhead to get their loads instead of taking cheap loads just to buy fuel. I try to give them the best service so they call me first.

I'm not sure if what I'm doing is smart, but In my mind, until somebody stops hauling those loads, they'll keep trying to put us out of business with low rates........

If I am ultimately successful, you guys can pat yourself on the back, because honestly, I don't think I would have done as well without what I've learned from this board. I've taken your advise and it's working.

jonboy

Allan, my fixed expenses ie. truck payment, insurance, cell phone, load boards etc. etc. run $2600 per month, or $600 per week, or as you calculate it as a cost per mile, it would be around .20 on 3000 miles, which would take my net down to .82 per mile before variable expenses.

I suppose if it was down around .50-.60, you'd be better off driving for someone else, although, I like the choice of where?, when?, what?, how much?. That is the fun part for me, and I like being the captain of my own ship, albeit, a small one........well, in my case, more like row boat. :wink:

jonboy

Ok so you're at 82 CPM, this does not include maintenance?

No, it does not include maintainence.

Those cattle haulers get docked for the dead ones. :shock:
And I think they get docked somehow if the cattle lose weight also.

I talked to one of those modern day cowboys the other day, and he told me they have a 24 hr limit on how long the cows can be in the trailer, and it forces them to run long distances both fast, and illegal on the hours.

He said if he was a DOT guy, he would spend his time with the cattle trucks, because they have to run illegal......

I guess those cows get stressed, or die, if they are in the trailer too long?


jonboy