How do you stay motivated?
#21
why not lease to a company that pays better? or at least find something else that grandmothers aren't doing? like pulling dry vans around for peanuts......
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#22
I spent 9 hours behind the wheel yesterday and did 514 miles, running mostly at 59 MPH. Since I know I'll get roughly Cnd$0.60 per mile NET income, it means I just made $308 in 9 hours or $34/hr and that's BEFORE the truck payment of $1,600 a month and BEFORE maintenance. For a 9 hour work day especially when you stay out for 2 weeks at a time, I think you should make at least 60 bucks an hour after all expenses, not $34.
Which of course leads me to a possible conclusion that I should stop being an o/o leased to a company but get my own trailer and own authority ... I should be able to make more than 60 cents per mile NET, right? It depends on the rates for which you haul and your expenses or operational costs. You SHOULD be able to make that much if you drive the truck yourself. With the current economy and rates you could make less when you factor in your other costs. You will have additional expenses running your authority that you don't have now. The major expense will be insurance. If you run for a carrier who furnishes your base plates then you need consider those expenses and add that to your cost of operations. If you don't own a trailer then you will need to add that to your costs, as well.
#23
I didn't get it. Net, but b4 truck payment and maintenance? Did you mean "after fuel"? Than you have a bigger problem, than speed issue, it's a low revenue issue. It should be at least 50% higher, just to survive.
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#24
Ok, here's the latest pay stub (usually they're smaller) for 2 weeks in May 2009
Miles 5669.70 Total revenue $6,356.06 Deductions GST (tax incl. in fuel purchases) $45.70 Fuel (after FSC and fuel tax) $1,479 Buy down insurance $42 National Truck League insurance $54.24 Truck insurance $269.32 Licensing charge $75 Total deductions: $1965.26 Net pay (deposit into my bank account): $4,390 Out of this I have to set aside $800 for the truck ($1,600 a month total) and $150 for maintenance, so .. Net "net" actually becomes $3,440 or - divided by 5669 miles - 61 cents per mile profit (taxes still have to be paid at the end of the year). This is all Canadian funds. 111 Cnd dollars equal 100 U.S.
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#25
Member
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Southern Ontario
Posts: 90
For a Canadian o/o thats about right. You knew going in that MacKinnon didn't pay the best and with Ont in the toilet (economy wise) the co's that payed better simply don't have the work. The independants I know generally work for less money but roll their office expenses into the trucks expense to make it look better. The comment about tarping not being fun.. Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do to make money. Good luck and you're not alone in the lacking of motivation. I've been a O/O for 12 yrs now and every week I question why I'm even trying right now.
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#26
Senior Board Member
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: jackassville (winnipeg, mb)
Posts: 3,280
$1.15 a mile for all miles including accessory pay? Wow. That's really low.
$800 per cheque for the truck payment? What's your fuel mileage? Methinks you need to start pulling a deck. I started in January and I'm very happy with it. The *ONLY* cure for "dry van disease" which symptoms include low pay and general boredom, is an open trailer! Period! Now you might have to wait a few months for things to pick up to be able to get on with one of these companies, but trust me it IS worth it. I'll PM you some more info.
#27
So basically, you got around $0.77, b4 truck payment, and maintenance, $150 seems to be kinda on a low side, i calculate my at around 10 cpm, whether I've spend it in this particular period, or not. It's better than $0.60, but still just around "poverty level". Time is tough now, and I'm not making nearly as close, to what I've made last year, (dry box), and taking into consideration, that you are still got volume(mileage), you might want just hang in there, till better times, or move on to more profitable options. But I'll just sit tight for now.....
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#28
$1.15 a mile for all miles including accessory pay? Wow. That's really low. $800 per cheque for the truck payment? What's your fuel mileage? Methinks you need to start pulling a deck. I started in January and I'm very happy with it. The *ONLY* cure for "dry van disease" which symptoms include low pay and general boredom, is an open trailer! Period! Now you might have to wait a few months for things to pick up to be able to get on with one of these companies, but trust me it IS worth it.
I did flatbed last summer and one thing was sure - it was much more interesting. You deal with so many various loads and you are much closer to it. I remember one time they sent me to pick up a couple of steel logs somewhere in OH or PA, and backed up right inside some freaking melting plant. The guy that loaded me used a ceiling crane, but before and after he was busy operating a humongous 5-storey machine that was moving steel logs (the size of a 100 year old tree) from one stove to another.
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