All of this getting ready to get a driver in the truck is kind of like when I started running on my own. A lot of things I wasn't aware of.

I am going to use T-check as a fuel card. I called that other one but it is not cash price at the Flying J.

Today I bought one of those GPS tracking things for the truck. I will NEVER EVER just put someone in something of mine and hope for the best. (I had a rental unit trashed once). With this thing I can know where the truck is, the speed, sudden starts, stops etc...

Someone way out of route or beating the equipment and they are out of there.

Also I don't have to have the driver fill out the trip forms like I do every trip for the IFTA. I pay $7.50 a month and all I have to do is email the T-Check statement to the GPS place and they do the IFTA report for me. I had been paying $38 per month and filling out paperwork.

People have been calling about driving, but most want to stay somewhat local. One told me all he has ever driven is Peterbilts. I will be paying withing 2 days upon receipt of the paperwork. I'll do my part, hopefully I can find someone who will do their part.

I have been helping my friend in his office this week. He is not there all day and things aren't done too efficient yet he went from like 5 trucks up to 14 in a not too long period of time. He has been letting the drivers fuel where they want etc. I have been routing the trucks to the cheapest fuel stops.

I am going to try and help him streamline some things. I've been watching his trucks getting dispatched and called on some myself and these rates are not where they should be.

I'll say one thing, after just 3 days of driving to his office; I hate being inside like this. I hate walking in and saying "Goodmorning" to the same faces everyday. I miss being out there but my goals in life right now won't be accomplished with me out there. Sometimes what's easy (being out there) isn't always the best thing.

 

Keep us posted. Sounds like you've got a plan, stick to it and you'll do fine. You seem to always be a step ahead, which is great. :wink:

 

Thanks Sideman. The real interesting thing will come in a couple of weeks if and when I start trying to broker. I have a lot of questions I feel are going to get answered. However knowing me one answer to one question usually leads me to 3 more questions.

BTW a while ago I mentioned that I was working on a contact for a direct shipper. I have been following up with the guy, but apparently things are going real bad. I think they are closing up shop here from the looks of things.

Oh well, nice enough guy though.

 

Ok,I don't want to be the one to rain on anyone's parade or anything but,I think that the warehousing/brokering/dispatching thing will be a much better oppurtunity for you than owning trucks with drivers in them.

In my opinion you will never be satisfied with the driver,they will either idle too much,break too much,hit too much,spend too much,want to be home too much,call you at 3:30am too much,not want to run the way you want them to run,not make deliveries/pickups on time like you wish,have wives/girlfriends calling you bitching about him not being home enough/too much/selling fuel etc.....

Hey I could be wrong,but in todays climate how many trucks would one have to run to make a decent size profit considering all that goes with having drivers? taxes/insurance/risk/ROI

After reading you're posts for some time now I have no doubt you are motivated and I feel like you can do this,but the problem is with drivers you put alot of you're eggs in thier baskets and personnaly I wouldn't trust most of these guys out here today to depend on them doing the extra little things that are required to make you money,they will get thiers and you will be left with scraps.

 

Great post Mike. Let me also add a few things I've learned along the way about employees. I might be in a different business but these things apply across the board I think.

I never had any luck hiring out of the paper. All I got was everyone elses trash. Good people that make good employees already have jobs and even in slow times employers will do everything possible to keep them busy. However the law of averages probably apply here and you might fare better with the extreme slow down merrick.

Never pay more than you have too and don't start someone too high in salary. The first part was told to me when I started hiring and it sounds harsh but it's true. If you find someone that you're happy with and he'll work for 15 an hour why pay him 20. You might know he's worth more but if he's happy that's all that matters. (numbers were used as example only) Start them low and make them earn it. So many people will BS you in interviews and tell you they're the best thing you ever seen in a truck (or in my case drywall) then they don't produce or their work is nasty looking. So don't believe a word of it, make them prove it, then reward them.

No matter how good they are they don't care about your business the way you do period. In your case fuel mileage, fluid levels, tire pressure, dealing with customers the way you would like etc....... on and on.

Remember your the rich guy, you got plenty of money. You'll see a lot of this, not only from employees but just about every one else too. For me, I get it from other company's superintendents when I'm on a job. Don't try to tell them any different they won't believe you.

I could probably go on but I have to leave soon. The above example is one reason why I'm trying to get into trucking as a business though. I'm tired of dealing with employees or subcontractors, and at 37 yrs old I need to find something that I can do myself to generate money, cause I ain't hanging a 100 sheets of drywall a day no mo.

Keep posting merrick, I really enjoy this thread. Also, I don't mean to sound like it's all bad everyday, it's not at all. I just wanted to post some of my experiences with employees and subs over the last 10 years or so.

 

was it something we said? what happened?

 

I'm sorry mike ops: I have been meaning to respond to what you wrote and Rosty C. too and I really appreciated your comments.

Things just need to settle a bit and I need to sit down in my rambling mood to write out some stuff. :lol:

Actually just checked in a hotel in Kentucky; going to that Mid America show tomorrow.

We didn't leave Miami til 11PM last night; I drove all night and my friend drove today. So we missed today and will be going tomorrow. Just want to crash now as I can't sleep in the day.

Hope all is well with you.

BTW, No_worries, I have been doing my taxes, man that depreciation is something else. I'm thinking I'm doing something wrong, I got like $37,000 just in depreciation. Showing a big loss on my taxes

 

Didn't realize you were heading to the show. I was planning on it but just couldn't pull my schedule together.

The maximum you should have for depreciation using straight line this year would be 1/3 of your truck price and 1/5 of the trailer. But if I remember your purchase dates correctly, you're looking at 1/6 of the truck and 1/10 of the trailer. I've been trying to wrap a few things up, I'll try and catch up to you this weekend. I'm anxious to hear about the show.

 

My plans were changed at the last minute also. Maybe merrick can fill us in on the latest and greatest?