what pay per mile is good?

I would move on the cost of everything is going up and there dropping pay, every load they move does not pay the same. I don't think it was a bad deal with the old pay but now your running for $.15 a mile less it should be paying $.15 more/mi....

How many miles a week are you getting, it sounds like from your post you have no home time.

 

If I was you with that old of a truck, I would fine brokers, loadboards and fine your own loads. Your making way to cheap. YOU dont even know what what your cost factor is. Long as you pay your bills seems your happy, WRONG !!!! I bet if you had a truck payment and trailer, you would of run the other way long ago. Everyone has a DIFFERENT cost factor. You have to find yours.
I to have an older truck "94" but run locally. Right now freight is slow and I have been sitting at home alot, but I always put away for these rainy days. I will NOT haul cheap freight, but many will, more power to them cause they won't be around to long. To give you an I idea what I bring weekly when Im busy is more than what you stated what you want to make and I go home every night. Miles are around less than 1000.

P.S. My miles are all miles(loaded, empty, deadhead, bobtail)

 

Ropeastar, I guess you will be my first post since it seems you need a little help. First about me; I drove years ago in the late 80's and 90's, left trucking in 98 when i was with MS Carriers and my wife wanted me to change careers, so I went to college and grad school. Now that I am done with that career I am going back to driving and maybe as an owner/operator. The one thing you need to do first is get your bottom line figured out. What I would do is base it on a cpm. Look at the following:

On 10,000 miles a month (Average)

Fixed Costs Monthly


Truck Payment __________ / 10,000 = _______ cpm

Trailer Payment __________ / 10,000 = _______ cpm

[TABLE="width: 100%"]
[TR]
[TD]Collision/Comp Insurance __________ / 10,000 = _______ cpm[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Bobtail Insurance __________ / 10,000 = _______ cpm[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Cargo Insurance __________ / 10,000 = _______ cpm[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Health Insurance __________ / 10,000 = _______ cpm[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Licenses __________ / 10,000 = _______ cpm[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Permits __________ / 10,000 = _______ cpm[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Accounting Services __________ / 10,000 = _______ cpm[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Return on Investment __________ / 10,000 = _______ cpm[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

 

I was trying to finish and for some reason it posted before I was done, but the main thing I am trying to convey is that you need to know what your fixed costs are first and get your base cpm and then work on your variable costs next. There are other costs I did not get to put in there; such as maint, tires and repair per mile which on average about .15 cpm and then there are issues such as tolls and others things you need to account for in misc and so, so, so much more. Get your bottom line costs and then add in your profit margin you need. That will be your base and once you know that, you can succeed. If you do not know what it costs you to run, it is kind of hard to succeed in this business. Just some advice..

 

You are saying 3000.00 week minimum which is 12k a month so on a 10,000 mile month it equates to $1.20 per mile and that is not counting you variables such as the biggest which is fuel. So if you are getting at least 6 mpg well at $4 a gallon, then your fuel cost is at least .67 cpm, so now you are at $1.87 bottom line which is what you need to run minimum at least based on what you are saying. So like any O/O will tell you; the $2 per mile rule is where you should be. As for leasing on to someone, I would recommend talking to F2F (farm to fleet) and see what Bill has to say and go from there. If you do the O/O yourself; then yes a trailer would be needed. I hope I helped.. Cheer up, life is great!!!!!

 

I wish I could have put more spreadsheet options in there as there are many more but you seem to have the idea. There are a number of threads here that go over just what you are discussing. I would use an excel spreadsheet and get your costs down for the business side of the truck first and foremost with actual cpm costs. Good luck on your endeavor