See, now you've got me thinking. I didn't examine your numbers too closely. You made $1.40/mile hub at Landstar and what, you like this better!?!? I'm usually doing good to get a load paying $1.40 practical, let alone average that and let's not even talk about deadhead or experiences like I had not too long ago when 40 miles was added to the trip because I was sent to the wrong address...ok, and yeah, yeah, there has been that rare occasion when I just went the wrong way. 8) I'm serious, I just want to get to the place where I can consistently have a good profit margin and not have to spend two months out or constantly be plotting to set up my loads. As I said elsewhere, I just heard of a couple of BCO's who went into Salt Lake City and both deadheaded roughly a thousand miles out of there. Man, when I was headed to Cali, all I was getting calls for were SLC loads, I'm kind of tired of trying to dodge bullets. I'll read your blog a little. Thanks, Mike. Last question, you aren't getting a lot of moles or growing a third tit or anything like that, are you? :lol: Oh yeah, one last, last question. You are heavy most of the time, right? I understand the money is there to make it worthwhile, but it's still good to get the full picture.

 

Cam, you will usually do better with Landstar if you run East of I-35, West of I-95, North of I-10 and South of I-80. Your deadhead will likely be less, rates will be higher and fuel will cost less. Freight in those areas is much more plentiful than on the left coast.

 

I just started pulling chemical tanker in February 2007 but so far I have been happy with the money and the change in customer base. Yes you are almost always 75,000 to 80,000 pounds. And learning to deal with the surge, increased stopping distance, and increased rollover risk is no joke. I have been told that some people quit after just two or three days because they can't deal with the problems of liquid loads. At the terminal where I work, the manager had me go out in a company truck and pull several local loads to see what it was like before he would finish processing my lease just to make sure I wasn't going to quit right away.

You also have to climb on top and check every load to be sure that everything is tight and secure on top. You also have to deal with hoses, pumps and air compressors. But I think it is worth it.

From what I have learned so far, your happiness in Chemical Tanks really depends on your local terminal. With chemical tanker, typically, after each load the tanker will be taken to a terminal or tank wash for cleaning. These are clustered around the sources of chemical freight. There is strong competition and different carriers are strong in different parts of the country and even in different cities.

I am leased to Superior Carriers, they have a lot of terminals in the sounth, and seem to be doing especially well in North and South Carolina. They have no terminal at all in the Toledo, Detroit, Cleveland market. I am not doing as well as mike3fan. I am averaging more like 2,200 miles per week and my average per mile is a bit lower. I track my earning based on total hub miles, not HHG or practical miles.

Anyway, my point is that if one of the tank company has a strong terminal near your home, it could be a really good thing, but it is not for everyone.

 

Oh yeah I forgot about this little detail,next time you pass a tanker take a look at those cat walks that run from the dome lid to the front and the back.You will in all kinds of weather have to walk out there and make sure that the wash caps are tight and have gaskets in them,this is one of the most dangerous parts of our job,I walked out this winter in 25mph gust and freezing rain.....not fun,but as my trainer said crawl out there if you have to but it is important to check these things.

 

That was a good, well-written post, Paul. Good to know about the weight and the surges. I see you've got a blog going too. I've got 3 days to do 1200 miles so I'm going to do a little reading this weekend. Physical work, a little dirt, no big deal. Throwing those hose around, no doubt you are getting some kind of toxic something on yourself, probably use a breather apparatus. All doable, it just has to be factored in.

 

Is this a slam against me?........j/k

 

I have been doing tankers for 20 years, it IS the best money you will earn with truck.

I ran my own authority for the last 6 months of 2006 and went back to tankers, what does that tell you?

PS my flatbed is sitting in my yard and I'm still paying on it.

I have friends who have been doing this longer than I have, NO medical problems to speak of other than getting old and cranky.

I have only saw one guy fall off a tank in 20 years, accident, pure and simple.

With the exception of the munition haulers and oversize/weight haulers, there is NO ONE at Landstar is making the kind of money that the tanker haulers make.

The tanker rates start out at OVER $2 a mile gross to the truck and only go UP from there, some as high as $5 per mile.

$2 gross is $1.20 to the truck (60%) PLUS the FSC, which was 18% last week, do the math.

But, hey don't take our word for it, remember the less people that believe me/us........the MORE work we get to keep :lol: :lol:

 

What can say, that's all music

 

Read your blog Mike3fan,

Don't know if I should post here or there. I'll just toss out a couple things. About the OSU dorms, spoken like a true Wolverine :lol: What do you do with your rubber suit when you aren't wearing it? It seems you'd have to on your toes to keep the icky stuff off your regular clothes and outside the cab of your truck. Lots of waiting, any of that pay detention? Am I to understand you make all your money on the linehaul and nothing for deadhead even when your deadhead exceeds your loaded miles? I'll stop right there until I know where to continue. I actually took notes. :wink: