Okay, I contacted RoadLink and asked the girl if she would send me some info on their rates, and insurance and so forth. I'd like to get some feedback from experienced O/O's on this.

She sent me a rate schedule. For example:
0-5 miles, loaded leg is $49.20, empty or bob is $32.80.

It graduates upward till you get to 151+ miles which is $1.16 per mile loaded and .95 empty.

In addition there is a fuel supplemental schedule in which the carrier reimburses the for a portion fuel expense.
For example: If fuel cost is $3.01 to 3.09 and leg is over 151mi it's 24.68%.

There is also some toll reimbursement and detention time for over 2 hrs. Is this pretty standard? I honestly didn't expect any of this. I figured it's your truck, you're hauling the load, this the rate per mile, the rest is up to you.

What kind of questions should I be asking and things should I be looking for as I evaluate all of this?

Thanks.

So at the 151+ mile mark, you'd be making $1.44 at the fuel surcharge rate you listed. I assume that the fuel surcharge does not apply when deadheading. Let’s assume that your deadhead is fifteen percent. That would make your pay, empty and loaded on 1000 miles (850 loaded and 150 empty) would be under $1.37 a mile. You didn’t mention any fees they don’t cover or other benefits they offer. I started a thread about what questions to ask a potential employer. The link is below:

http://www.classadrivers.com/forum/o...interview.html

There is so much more to your compensation than just that pay per mile and the rate.

Are they paying for fuel, insurance and maintence? If so thats not bad. Otherwise I wouldn't touch it for less than $2.00/ mile and a $1.10 empty. A good way to look at it is this. A truck payed for needs $58.75/ hour @ 55mph average @$3.299/ gallon @ 6.5mpg to pay for fuel, insurance and maintence or $1.06/mile and you the driver make $0.00. With that said. We as owner operators need to somehow NOT take loads for less than cost of doing business. And educate these brokers and shippers we to are business people and need to make a profit as well. Just so you know @ that milage thats only $19.80/ hr of drive time only. Not sitting @ a dock.

I know a few guys leased to Roadlink and they do pretty good rates aren't the best BUT they are recession proof no forced dispatch Terminals everywhere OTR and LOCAL runs If your truck is paid for and your not lazy you'll be ok if you have a truck payment be prepared to go the extra mile to make it work if you know your operating cost and you'll be ok. and also you need a twik card to lease on with them.

Their pay scale sounds the avg for a Chicago based rail outfit. Just be weary of their plates/insurance premiums they will make you pay, plus the escrow account they may want you to have.

have you put any thought into running a tanker? If your interested, get ahold of me and I can get you in contact with a guy in Markham who runs a terminal and does dedicated, OTR and local work in the area.

since I made friends with Steve Booth I average 16 bucks a mile, I dont move for less than 15

LOL...... classic

Hmmmmm. I run under my own authority and my average cost per mile for fuel, including reefer ($.43); insurance -- Physical Damage on tractor and trailer, Primary Liability, Cargo --($.045); maintenance on tractor and trailer including tires (< $.12). That equals $.595 per mile. Even if you throw in my truck and trailer payments ($.13), that brings the total up to $.725 per mile for those expenses you listed and two big ones you didn't. Admittedly, I'm pretty good at what I do (I also run about 180k miles a year) and that keeps my per mile expenses down, but are you really saying that you are spending $.465 a mile MORE on the few expenses you listed than I am? Really? I mean is there a cocaine or heroin or meth habit you're supporting or what? Anyone whose expenses are as high as you stated (heavy haul notwithstanding) should reevaluate what they're doing.

had a load yesterday, went 51 miles. paid me $423.00 took about 4 hours total, anyway you slice it, that's pretty good money in my opinion (which is the only one that matters)

Yeah that sounds good to me. $105.75/hour. I am a flatbedder and been hauling crushed cars (my own, but pay truck just as any other hired truck would be) and it has been paying ok. I just deadhead back to get more. Round trip is like 240-250 miles. Last load was $556.40. Last week I made ten of these, 2x a day (loaded night before so can be there when place opens). I cant complain think equaled $5,302 (paid per weight so each load varies). 10 round trips=2400-2500 miles, thats $2.12 a mile average so can't complain at all. Unfortunately that place didn't raise prices like other place I sell to in Midlothian TX so I am going there now.