Seems to me a gay guy could hook you up with a little "butt cleaning :shock: " that should take care of your fart problem right quick.

 

2,

Everyone's base cost is going to be different. Based on cost of your truck, is it paid for, years of experience which affects your insurance rates, the area or lanes that your hauling freight. So I don't know how you can throw out a number like $1.70 as a base.

I am glad you brought this topic up because it does appear that regardless if your a company driver, lease operator, OO, or own a transport company we all hear the same stories year after year at this time. There are very obvious economic cycles in trucking that are natural due to the nature of the national economy. Yet it seems that many people never see it coming, or choose to ignore the warnings when they are newbie drivers and start during busier times of the year. And then they almost starve to death, and are run out of trucking.

People need to think about trucking like someone who lives on a sales commission. When the sales are good you need to be saving, and usually a lot more than you think you need to be saving just to weather the slow or bad times.

Like many who follow these forums I am into finance, like to listen to CNBC, and invest. There is real fear out there right now in our economy. Serious financial problems exist and the current symptoms of a slow economy may be only the beginning of something much worse.

If you haven't prepared for hard economic times then it may be too late to help, but there is no time like the present to tighten your belt, drive out un-necessary costs and expenses. Save all that you can afford to and just wait. If this all blows over and there isn't this big banking crisis that we are expecting then great. You have yourself a nice little nest egg for a rainy day and maybe enough to go out and get yourself a truck, trailer, or something to help you with your business. If however the economy slips into a depression then we all have some serious challenges ahead.

Regardless trucking is cyclical and you have to prepare for the slow times. Living with an inconsistent income is hard and requires discipline. That is why we leave the tough job of balancing budgets up to truckers(and hard working Americans) and not politicians... :-D

Longsnowsm

 

Longsnowsm,

You are one of the few here, that seems to understand .
If freight hauler rates were close to the cost for a gallon of fuel, there would be fewer "sick" trucks.

As it is, there are more detractors than supporters, for higher rates.

Many newbies looking to own a truck, will be looking for insight, where ever they can.
Some take what they learn, and apply it, whether they survive or not.
And, some will take what they learn, and ignore it completely.

Cash flow can keep a driver going, without getting ahead, for years.

In the end, it is the drivers in the seats, that set the rates.
When enough company drivers demand a higher wage, it increases.
When enough O/Os demand a higher rate, it increases.
When enough carriers demand a higher rate, it increases.

There will be more and more newbies that find their way here, with the proliferation of the www.

There is a lot of good advice in these forums.
But, few actually discuss the slow times, or the dirty tactics.

Newbies need to know about this stuff.
Many think they will have greater freedom and independence, from buying a truck.

Reality is usually the other way around.
The company driver has relatively little on the line.
Everybody else is at real risk, every day.

You can count me in the camp that promotes higher rates.
I will not support nor defend low rates.

It is late, I'm tired and I'm rambling.
Good evening.

 

The bottom line is, nothing will change. You will ALWAYS have a never ending line of people willing to make 35k then work at Burger King for $14k so there is no incentive to change anything. Harsh fact, but it's the truth.

 

Steve is right again, as usual

It's called capitalism

AKA a freemarket economy

It originates with the economic policies selected by our leaders, that were all elected by the very people bitching about them.

Our leaders decided, very early on in the history of our nation, that our economy would be built on the twin towers of cheap food and cheap transportation.

The near total ascendancy of capital over labor is a much more recent development.

 

I'm accepting donations to buy him a package of 16 ga crimp connectors and an inflatable Paris Hilton doll.

Wanna contribute?

 

lol....The perfect gifts!!! ha ha ha

 

Both are excellent items that he is in desperate need of.