what a crock.....truck movers is so full of crap

I'll give one of my better weeks as an example on the Hub side. I got a load from Laredo to McFarland, which was 1,471 miles @ $1/Mile plus fsc at $1.45/Gal (based on reimbursed receipts). On that trip, it took me 2.25 days to deliver and I MADE $1,899.80. Then, I flew back to Laredo to get a 3 way to Springdale, which was 759 miles. Surprise, surprise! Truck wasn't governed. I got that done in one day. I MADE $1,018.33. So far, I've MADE on 2 trips $2,918 (Let's not worry about the pennies from here on out. We'll round it off). My next trip for that week and the last one for that week, was back to Laredo to Indianapolis for 1,324 miles on that one, which paid $1,390 plus fsc. That means I MADE $$1,740 on that trip. For all 3 trips for the week, I MADE a Grand Total of $4,658. NOT BAD!!!

HOWEVER... There are expenses to go along with that and it MUST be subtracted to come up with A Profit. I averaged paying out in fuel about $2.61/Gallon which came out to be 611 gallons and spending $1,600. Now my total is down to $3,058. But wait! There were taxi can rides in all of those. Let's subtract another $120 from that, and now we're down to $2,938. That's not all either. Over the course of 7 Days, I had to stay in a hotel all 7 days at an average of $63/night for a total of $441. Now that brings my profit down to $2,497. So don't get me wrong, money is there and it is possible to do well. HOWEVER... That was my best week EVER and it is NOT the norm.

On other trips, there are expenses like tolls and permits that are the driver's responsibility. For instance, a Laredo to Tonawanda, NY will have about $100 in tolls. No biggie, but what if you go a little further to let's say Plattsburgh? DEFINITELY More tolls! That's not even the bad one. Let's say you get Dublin, VA all the way to Seattle. That pays just under 2,600 miles, but it's really closer to a 2,800 mile run. That trip had $415 in just permits alone!

So seriously... What am I doing wrong? What do I need to do to be able to BRING HOME Over $3,000 a week?

 

Ok you guys can believe what you will and work for whoever you wish, all I know is what my profits and expenses have been. As a single driver and now as a HUB/Deck driver. Last week my profits were $2800 for a HUB load from Laredo-Atlanta for $1150 -$330 for my part of the fuel which made my bring home $820 for a 2 day trip. My expenses for that trip, including hotels, food and drinks was just over $140 so my profit for 2 days was $680

They flew me to Dublin, Va at company's expense where I picked up a Deck Load to Frenso, Ca 2492 miles at 1.32 per mile which paid $3290 -$820 for fuel gave me $2470 for a 4 day run, compared to it being a HUB load which would've been $2492 -$820 for fuel would have given me $1672 so if you look at the difference, I got paid $798 to un-deck 2 trucks which took me right at 3 hours. My expenses for that trip, including hotels, food and drinks was just over $350 so my profit for 2 days was $2120

This week starting Monday picked up Laredo-Atlanta so, $680 2 day profit again, flown to pickup and go from Dublin-Tampa, Lake Wales & Pompano Beach, Fl 2 drops and one single delivery. 926 miles at 1.32 a mile which is $1222 - $280 for fuel, -$120 for expenses which brought me an $822 profit in 1 1/2 days. Compared to it being a HUB load which would have paid $926 minus the same $280 for fuel and $120 for expenses it would've paid $526 so the difference of $296 to un-deck. So Deck loads are the best for profit. I will finish up this load in Pompano Beach tomorrow and pickup a single 37 miles away for Norton Transports in Medley, Fl and take it up to Hebron, Ky 1120 miles for $1120 -$280 for fuel and a bit more expenses, I'll say $200 so I should make a $640 over the weekend closing out the week with a total profit of $2140 vise, flying home and make nothing for the weekend and only making $1500.

It's good to contract onto more than one company to fill in the blanks, especially when the others are running low on loads. For me it's all about making as much as possible, by spending as less as possible since in this side trucking, you've got to spend money to make money. So if you can't plan at least 3 days ahead or, like stopping at every truck stop you see and are not good at managing money, stay where you're at because the first your settlement is a negative amount, you will most likely quit.

Truckmovers may be cruel and unforgiving but, they are not crooks. Trust me, I've worked for a few in my time. And ever since then, I've lived by one simple rule...
"Don't Give Anyone Ammunition To Shoot At You With."

 

I'm lost Slo Pok....you keep mentioning paying for some fuel......but these aren't your trucks........or are they?

Straighten me out driver....

 

As a contractor you are required to pay for 30% but you don't even miss it.

 

Ok. Thanks! That's what I was really looking for. The money is on the decking side. It's not the hub side for sure.

 

OK Chalupa. We're not owner operators, but we are independent contractors, so we still pay for fuel. I think it's not fair, but we also have to pay for permits as well.

 

I've moved cranes that required permits and never once paid for them but I did get to claim them since they were in my name. Also we only pay for 30% of the fuel, as I said.

 

Well Slopok... That's only partially true. It's supposed to be approximately 30%, but it's really closer to half. As a matter of fact, it almost seems as though Truck Movers almost bases their fsc of about half of what the fuel prices are in TX. Not to mention that the trucks that you pick up in Laredo are going to be empty or pretty darn close to it. Not only that, and here's the reason (one of many reasons) that Truck Movers are looked on add crooks: Navistar pays for fuel for delivery of the trucks. Why isn't driver reimbursed for 100% of what the customer pays? Quality drivers gets reimbursed for pulling Truck Movers trucks right off the same yard we do. Why place that financial hardship on the driver on a vehicle that only gets about 5.5 - 6/mpg? THAT'S STEALING! We're not talking about Volvo or Freightliner. Just the fact that they do that with Navistar alone is what makes them crooked.

Also, you say that the only permit that you've had to pay for was for a Crane? Then I'm going to assume that you haven't taken a decked load through AZ, NM, ID, WY, NE, MT, OR, WA, and a few others. Just check your binder. They're in there on which states you have to get a permit for. In AZ, you don't have to get a permit if you "Lease" an AZ plate for each vehicle from Truck Movers at $125 per plate, per year. No matter how you slice it or dice it, that's not giving their drivers the tools that are needed to be successful. No good reason for them to take money like that

 

Ok if you say so because, I have been through NM and AZ with a deck load that I took to Fresno, CA and had to pay $21 in NM and $98 in AZ which I was reimbursed for on that trip settlement. And as far as the fuel goes, Quality does pay for all the fuel but they only pay their drivers 55 cents a mile. I only see the what my bring home is after each trip and I've been more than satisfied. Look fellas... If contractors weren't making any money at Truck Movers then, why have many been here for 15 plus years?

Oh and BTW this last trip of the week ... The bobtail from Medley, Fl to Hebron, Ky 1120 miles that I figured I'd bring home $640? I was wrong... I brought in $860 since it had 3/4 of a tank on pick up!

 

You can make good money with truckmovers,but driver pay for everything on hub and decks.