I'm back, somehow my user account was deleted on here (arrgh).. anyway started working again this week with the Transfer Truck and let me tell you this work is cake! I don't think I'll ever go OTR again, lol. Anyway some misc. thoughts/ramblings/info for ya'll.

The truck: 2000 Freightliner, former fuel truck with a 236 wheelbase when purchased. Price $24k + tax and licensing (another 2k). Had frame shortened and axles moved to a 225 wheelbase, installed transfer hitch and PTO, cost $5800., boxes are leased through my company and they paid for install and wiring, so cost to build this truck was about 30k. About 1/2 the cost of purchasing one that was already build (they run 65k out here for same year without boxes).

Fuel: My OTR truck would need filled up every day (200 gallon tank), this truck used 50 gallons over 4 days of work. Huge savings for me, couldn't be happier.

Pay to the Truck: My truck earns $80 a hr. Today I worked 8.25 hrs, for a total of $660 to the truck. My OTR truck when running with MCT would get $562 for an average day with a full 11 hours of driving. This transfer truck should walk all over what my OTR truck would make in the summer, winter is another story depending on the weather here and if I can run or not whereas a OTR truck can run pretty much year round with no setbacks.

Some Costs: I pay 12% of my gross to lease the boxes, and 5% for a broker fee. Insurance runs me about $500 a month (much higer than the OTR truck!), fuel is much less, my maintance is the same.

Verdict: This job is sooo freakin easy. Takes about 10 mins to do a transfer, no more fighting with 5th wheels, tandems, no long waits to get loaded, ect. I'll be working for a couple of more months until I'm too big to drive (I have a baby on the way) and will purchase a 2nd truck to run down the road when I am ready to go back to work.

I'm new to this and by no means an expert but I'm happy to answer any questions you may have if your looking to get started in this business.

Some history on me: Licensed 1 year, 1 mo. Purchased first truck 10mos into my license, sold 3 mos later and purchased this transfer truck to run local. Haven't lost my ass yet, been running smart and making a good living and most of all I LOVE MY JOB!

 

Congratulations, Floored. I am glad that you are up and running again, and doing something you enjoy.

 

Thats a good looking rig and I'm glad its making money and keeping you happy. Thats also a hot looking streetrod, its just that theres a woman blocking the view. Also congrats on the baby!!!

 

why do the west coasters stretch out the pup trailers like that?

 

Wow, this sounds like a great opportunity. What are you hauling in the boxes? I would love to find something like this in the metro Atlanta area.

 

Not to me it doesn't

Lets see........$660.00 for 8 1/2 hrs work MINUS 17% broker and rental fees comes out to..$547.80, compared to $562.00, with LESS cost in insurance for the OTR truck.

Maintenance the same, and you can tell this after only what? 2 months, you will be UNpleasantly surprised when your maintanance bill goes way HIGHER than an OTR truck.

The stress and strain of the weight and all the twisting and turning will wear the tires AND the suspension componenets like no OTR truck ever will. Your truck will need to be serviced by the hours it works, NOT by mileage, expect replacing the air cleaners quite regularly, like every other month.

Of course getting home EVERY night has its benifits, which you can't put a price on. Otherwise is see NO reason that this is a better oppertunity.

I ran dump trucks for 5 years locallly, BUT went back to OTR and regional, WHY? because as soon as I saw the botom line, it didn't make any sense to keep doing it, maintenance was too high, AND I had a newer truck than you are using.

 

How much do you haul with that setup?

 

Truck hauls up to 80,000lbs. It hauls sand, gravel and asphault. Can't tell you what rates are around the US, I'm thinking CA is some of the highest paid rates in the country due to cost of living here and the building boom we have going.

Maniac - Maintance will be less, I won't be having as much routine service done on the truck as my OTR truck needed (that is what I am refering to in costs in my first post), and I have a good running soild truck and don't expect to have anything major for some time, and if I did I have money in the bank to cover that just as I did with the OTR truck. I don't run on the same terrain as you likely did, most my work does not involve going off the road. But hey if you know it all thats cool. I know what it costed me to run my OTR truck vs this one, and I've talked with MANY other transfer owners and what they pay out a year on their trucks and what they make in return, its very good money. As for tires, according to the 10 or so other owners I have talked with (that run with my company) they use 1 set a year. My fuel bill for last week was $197, my fuel bill for a week with the OTR truck was well over a grand. The fuel savings alone make up for broker and trailer fees. The reality check you are offering is appriciated but not needed.

If you have your own authority sure you can make more running OTR, but for me coming off being leased to a carrier that paid your average "advertised" per mile rate, this is much better. So for someone in this area that wants to be home each night AND who runs their business smart this would be something to consider. As with anything, to each their own. I will continue to update as time goes on with the costs and income I experience with this line of work. Be nice if more OTR guys shared that info as well for the others on here so they know what is realistic

 

Thanks for being upfront with the data you provided here and in the "Is $1.26 per mile OK?" thread.