might have to look into this, I just got bumped to 28%, what cpm could I expect? would really like to run down south and out west for the winter. I have been in New York 12 out of 15 weeks and am not looking forward to continuing this trend in the winter.

I am not sure of the experience break, in the current set-up! With 2 years, it was .40 plus the incentives! Could be as much as .02 extra! Being paid the bounce miles was a major bonus on some runs!

Check with the current drivers manual!

You can have my spot on Texas Dedicated. I gave it up to be an owner operator and I am now on linehaul. I have now seen that tiny place that they call a terminal in Indy. Some loads pay good, others pay so-so. The real shocker to me is the extra pay. $50-90 per stop, the wildly varying tarp pay and such. I am just getting started as an O/O but things are looking good so far.

So did you purchase that nice 387 in the pictures as your owner operator truck? How do you like it? I have never driven one. The only reason I'm asking is it looks like part of the TMC fleet. I'm glad to hear that being an owner operator is working for somebody. I truly hope it works out for you.

Safe travels.

interesting that every time I end up in NJ on a Thursday I get sent home with a load for Monday, 2 weeks in a row I got Friday off without asking. didn't make a whole lot of money this week but I hurt my back picking up a tarp (the wrong way) so my heating pad at home couldn't come soon enough. someone always has it worse though, apparently a guy fell off his trailer and injured his spine and another guy rolled over with a single coil, so I'll shut up.

headed to MN with a decent paying load of shingles for Monday. since my FM doesn't know... a whole lot yet, how much money is there running down south and in the southwest? I have only been to the deep south once, made more money than I ever had before though.

Southwest - Not on percentage! Only if you are on mileage, or just want to see the country!

South - Stay out of Florida at all cost - unless something has changed, I doubt it!

Denver Loads going in pay good! Coming out used to be a nightmare - chances of a low, low paying copper load to the Northeast were high! Although, my FM always found something out of Kansas or Wyoming for me! Pulled Lava Rock one time to Florida, was on mileage then, and it was a trip through the house for 3 days also!

Rates all across the south are typically lower than above I-40. Load going down, used to pay ok, loads going out, were not all that great, except for John Deere Loads out of Laredo going to Davenport! Always like pulling those! On another note though, have seen allot of TMC trucks bouncing out of Laredo! Have not seen JD Green on a TMC truck in the last 6 trips down there, including today!

It has been a year now that I have been gone, but from what I hear, not much has changed as far as regions and rates! Melton, Passmore, Maverick and TMC, all in the same boat down south!

Yep, I did buy the 387. I love the room and not having to duck when I get out of the drivers seat and into the sleeper. I am having to build a console to hold my laptop closer to me. I was use to putting in on the passenger seat and still able to reach it in the 379....not so in the 387. It is a little buggy electrically. I put new batteries in it the day after I bought it and I have found some electrical issues since then. I have found that adding new 12 plug ins to the fuse panels is very easy. The turning radiace sucks...but I 'll get use to it. All in all it's a decent truck.
Financially it depends on how good of a business person that you are. There is more to consider when accepting loads, since DH is not paid. Loads are percentage not mileage. FSC is 100% of what the shipper pays but tarp, stop and extras are 70%. Those also pay far more than company driver pay.
All in all....I'll never go back to being a company driver. It's challenging but it's fun and I am learning alot along the way.

Shadow, Have you had the steering stops set. New trucks usually need them set proper. It just takes a few minutes. Nice truck. :?:

Congratulations on the move. Keep us posted on how the owner operator position is going. Like the truck a lot. Do you ever consider installing an APU to help save on idle time?

Thank you. I am making slightly more than I was as a company driver and running fewer miles. I like the freedom to tell my FM that I don't want to go somewhere and if I need to I can DH home from say....Indy.

I want an apu. I will have to mount it where the side box is under the passenger side door. The truck is already so heavy that I have to remove weight to add weight.