I hope it works out for you Tex. Keep us updated if you will.

One of my main reasons for wanting to be local is physical health. I'm in my mid 50s and I've always been in pretty decent shape but not anymore. I've been driving for less than 5 years and it's taking a toll on me - I've gained weight and gotten soft. The legs too - the legs don't work like they used to.

I could be wrong but while I know it's the hours spent behind the wheel that do the damage I feel it's the lack of "normal" walking room to room and doing chores in a real house that fails to undo the damage. Spending the evening in an area the size of a closet just doesn't work. Days I've driven and spent a few hours at home affect me differently than days I've driven and spent the evening and night in the truck.

I'd be willing to accept a smaller paycheck for a greater feeling of well being providing the income is enough to pay the bills. Plus, there are other things I enjoy doing that could earn a few $ if I had time to invest.

And on top of all that there is longevity to consider. Truckers don't live as long as most folks according to stats I've read.

Kinda depressing the numbers you're talking about. The "coming shortage of drivers" never really happened did it? I guess the right here/right now influx of people willing to do almost anything to try and stay in their homes got in the way.

Again, I'd enjoy some info on your new venture when you're ready. :thumbsup:

 

I make anywhere from 550-700 day on avg. I run a 40mile radius of the quarry i haul out of. I will post one of my pay stubs with the loads all broke down for ya. Out of the quarry is all paid by the ton. Blacktop is the only thing that is hourly. at 75/hr. When i get my own work i charge 80/hr. So 640 for 8hrs. I hardy ever work over 10hrs a day. I leave that house at 6am and most of the time backing in the driveway by 3pm. Once in a blue moon i may run past 4pm lol. Avg miles for a day is around 75-200

 

It sorta seems to me, that you should jump onto the "Snowman-machine" and switch over to LTL. It seems like that should fit your wicket and help you get back to where you want to be physically....and still get you home with "Bling" in your pocket.

As for my new "adventure".......I'm gonna stay mum for a few weeks. Get at least 6 or 7 weeks of working at it ....before I make any comments. The shop is saying the truck will be ready Thursday. It's a "Gulf Coast" shop....so I am not gonna hold my breath. :hellno:

You just don't know what "slow" is!!

 

Here is a copy of a pay stub. Its only for 3 days. The other 2days i worked for a contractor. @ 80/hr. One 8/hr day and one 9hr day. So for the week i made 2,037.94 at the quarry and 1,360 with the contractor. for a total of 3,397.94. Im not sure of the total hours for the week but i think it was around 45. Miles would have been around 8-900 for the week. This is the avg. week 7-8 months out of the year. In the late fall to late spring dump truck work is real slow. So you have to save your pennys for the slow times. Also if it rains most of the time i dont work. Unless we are stocking a railroad yard or something. But we cant go to jobsites in the rain. Have any questions just ask.

Also dont laugh to hard at the joke of the Fuel Surcharge we get. Another thing the 1st load on the sheet only went about 2.5miles from the quarry. took me all of 20mins to make 72 bucks. hauling 5 tons lol.

 

:lol:

I would take that kind of a week right now! Heckuva lot better than what I have managed for a while!

But........THAT is a story for another day..........maybe I will tell it.

 

I hear that. I was down 2 days last week. Mack had to do alittle work to the old puppy dog. Nothing major just didnt have the parts. issedoff:

Im just making a living not getting rich. I assume you OTR guys are doing the same.

 

That right there is my big holdup right now! Parts!

Once this truck is put back together, I will be a "Local" dog, for the foreseeable future! Hopefully the rest of my driving career!!!

BUT......I'm not holding my breath right now...and hopefully in August I will have a good feel for how this new gig is going to work.

I can tell you that the "old gig" was a total wash. The last year, it took everything I could swing, to make ends meet. But.....I will wait until August to tell that story.

 

Short haul is where the money is!! You just have to make the contacts. Stop stressing being home every night, even if that is what you want. It isnt always doable and it makes employers in trucking wonder about your dedication for the job. I have seen drivers do really stupid things to be home daily. The money wont be great and the days will be long. I ran the midwest between Cleveland, Chicago and Louisville, lived in Indy, wasnt home every night but made good money.

 

yep....

 

Thanks for posting that Mackman! Looking at that report I'm guessing you're leased on to the company and that's the weekly report they give you to accompany your check. If your expenses are anything like what otr expenses are like you're sure doing good imo. In fact you probably don't run anywhere near as many miles so I would think you're expenses would be a lot less.

I'm going to ask around but I doubt I could get something like that going around here. I'm just a little north of Ann Arbor and there's just no building going on around here. Detroit might as well be in a different state, we don't seem to be affected by their problems much but still the area is pretty static.

Rank - maybe I should look at it that way. Try to be home more often if I can but don't get married to home every night.

A smart and experienced guy like Tex having problems is a bad sign. You guys haven't talked much about rates lately (or I've missed it). Have things recovered? Are rates anywhere near 2006 levels? Has the driver shortage materialized or do we now have an oversupply of drivers thanks to the recession?

Off to scour other threads...

Thanks for passing along your insights. :thumbsup: