[TeamCaffee]

There has been numerous posts lately knocking company stats but to us this is why they are beneficial.
Truck Statistics are a bench mark to see how you are doing at a company and if used properly can tell you if you are at the right company or you need to move on. To us the way to look at the statistics that are kept by the company will let us know quickly if the company still fits our business model. If our stats drop I want to know why? Are we staying out of service to much and not being profitable? Are the loads so unacceptable to us that we are refusing most loads offered? We know what it costs to move our truck and we know what we want a load to pay before we accept an offer. I keep a spreadsheet of these stats over the past years so I can easily see how each year is going and where we are compared to the past. So you can fight the stats and say it isn’t so or you can use the company stats as an aid to your business model.

[iceroadtrucker]

I am going to voice my opinion here.

Dont be so big on stats. When I was at 18% I was making money and I was cherry picking. When I went back up to 90% I was taking everything and Guess what Im at Poverty level. Dont blow the smoke no more about acceptance on here. I dont buy it. Also Far as calling the company It wouldnt be necessary if they give loads that i can make money vice putting the truck in red. If it does I cant do the load. The owner dont got the fuel money so I cant ask him for it. Rest my case. May be I should run it till no money left then call the owner and say hey man I need more fuel money. Boy that would be realy stupid. Ya I take a load run the fuel outa the truck to put money in my pocket. That would be realy good. So to the Company since u moniter this sight knock off the 1.40 1.50 1.60 run offers I cant run the Tractor for that 40% x the total amount = fuel and toll money I run the truck with. 1100 miles 1400 bucks x 40%= 560.00 bucks to down load for Fuel But 1100 miles divide by 6 miles per gallon x 4.45 = 815.00 is my over all cost to do the load now Im in the Red and short on money cost more to do the load then I was able to down load to the card for fuel. not to mention if there was tolls involved as well. HINT.
Ya that is realy good yup sure is.
cost to the truck is in the red to do that load for the company. Now would Team Caffee take that run on the above. Information. (Well that is a true plain example Im am being given out here.) If you say Yes You would on the above Ur Crazy. Thats the kind of loads that new system is offering out. By the way it offers out to the top trucks in all the surrounding centers.
if you 4th truck and U decline the load but the 5th truck takes it does count against you. I asked and boy what a slap in the face. Now that 5th truck could be closer but with less dwel time now go figure that one out. You got more dwell time but are farther out and cant take it but some one with less dwell time and is closer take its. the 5th truck that was closer may be its doable for him but not for the 4th truck.
U have a nice day.

[ebsprintin]

Stats are a good thing if they are used as a tool, and like any good tool you have to use the right tool for the right job. And I can't overhaul an engine with only a screw driver--have to know how to use the whole tool box. I'm a firm believer that I can't own too many tools. I just have to remember which ones to carry in my toolbox, so I'm not always carrying everything.

Another thing about stats is that their purpose is to average out the minutia, so we don't have to worry about the...minutia.

And what would we be saying about a company that didn't publish stats--we'd be cursing them for hiding things from us...

I like stats. They allow me to see myself as the company sees me. And stats allow me a consistent way to compare myself to myself over time.

eb

[jaminjim]

Not sure if Ice knows it or not, but he did make a valid point about one truck that is a lot closer to the load and make money on it, while a truck 200 miles further from the pick up would lose there butt on it.

[mcbride]

Truck----- Example for entire month of service or 30 days

3000 Paid loaded miles including fuel surcharge at $1.50 per mile---$4500.00-week
3000 Paid miles at 8 miles per gallon 375 gallons of fuel at $4.70---$1762.50-week
Weekly portion of monthly expenses---$1425.00
$3187.75---weekly expenses
$1312.25---weekly left over

*Per Month-----
Truck payment-$2500.00
Insurance and QualComm-$550.00
Food-$1500-or $50.00 per day
Cell Phone-$150
Maintenance Fund-$1000.00 for oil changes, washes, tires, repairs etc

No other truck or personal expenditures included

Example is set with fuel at $4.70 per gallon….and a vehicle that gets 8 miles per gallon---does not include fuel consumption from generators and/or idling OR dead head. This means that you will be taking 58 cents of the $1.50 per mile just for fuel alone.

Now, if someone can, please explain to me why we should we take load offers at $1.50 or less per mile?

[Broompilot]

[Any successfull (profitable) business owner knows ones own bottom line. And using any guidestick to AID in that spreadsheet is not just a tool it is good Business Knowledge. Everyone makes a good point on here, but Iceroad whats the attack for? Or did I read it wrong?

Linda, by any account is probably one if not the most knowlegeable person on here that I know of on what it takes to make ones goal of profitability.

Many drivers love to bragg. We all hear it "I AINT DOING THAT OR RUNNING HERE ETC.." When they get a load they want they run 70mph scream at other drivers over the CB "get outa my way, here i come" only to sit and wait at the other end. But they are clueless as to how much better MPG they might get by slowing down. (just one example) And generally offer any advice and they have jumped higher, ran faster, and gambled better.

Now I am not accusing anyone who posted here of that above paragraph, but you know the type, learn from those who know more than yourself on a topic.

[pelicn]

Just like Linda and Broom said, stats are just another tool that can be used in running your business.

[iceroadtrucker]

Originally Posted by Broompilot

[Any successfull (profitable) business owner knows ones own bottom line. And using any guidestick to AID in that spreadsheet is not just a tool it is good Business Knowledge. Everyone makes a good point on here, but Iceroad whats the attack for? Or did I read it wrong?

Linda, by any account is probably one if not the most knowlegeable person on here that I know of on what it takes to make ones goal of profitability.

Many drivers love to bragg. We all hear it "I AINT DOING THAT OR RUNNING HERE ETC.." When they get a load they want they run 70mph scream at other drivers over the CB "get outa my way, here i come" only to sit and wait at the other end. But they are clueless as to how much better MPG they might get by slowing down. (just one example) And generally offer any advice and they have jumped higher, ran faster, and gambled better.

Now I am not accusing anyone who posted here of that above paragraph, but you know the type, learn from those who know more than yourself on a topic.

Look man are you let explaine somthing to you. My Friend as Your Buddy John Mcain says listen, The company uses status of Loads accepted. Hmm well when Mine was High I was not making money as they peg me as the one who will take anything when it was low I was accused of cherry picking. But I was making money. Now go figure that one out.
Let tell U a secret some one told me dont worry about the stats if your going broke and taking all the runs your wrong as you will get labeld as such. I did and have once again . Well I said ok when I started pulling a dry box in June guess what Im down to 450 and 500 dollar weeks as driver pay before I take out the taxes. Thats unsat. So to the person that told me to up the Stats load Acceptance
go jump in a lake your all wet!!! Im not making more I am making less money.
I proved my case and Ur system proved my point all on its own. with the help of people saving the crap runs to give to me. and I hope your reading this as I did what i said to you and promised in good faith when i was in Olive Branch MS ...well. Dont you ever quote stats to me again about load exceptance when its putting me in the poor house. Now you have it.

If you or any one dont like what I have said tough I dont care. I spoke the truth.

[aristotle]

Can you believe the angst?

[cheri1122]

IRT, can't you see that what you're saying just proves Linder's point? She said that stats can help you decide whether you need to change something, including the carrier - and if your acceptance percentages are low, then maybe that's what you need to change: the carrier. Because you sure can't change the load offers, eh?

[Dispatched]

Originally Posted by TeamCaffee

Truck Statistics are a bench mark to see how you are doing at a company

And you'd think it would be one of the 1st things you'd do, once signed on with anyone.
It ain't gotta be all fancy or nothin.....but ya gotta have it recorded.

[greg334]

I don't agree at all.

The company stats should not be the tool to use, there are too many issues with some companies to keep accurate stats and in some cases if mistakes are made that skew the stats, it may impact your decisions unless there is some mechanism that allows corrections to be made consistently.

At FedEx, I had some issue with refusals that never happened, mileage recordings that were off and late stats which for some reason the computer decided to give me. It was nearly impossible to get some of it corrected and after explaining the same problem to four or five people and getting four different stories on how they can be corrected I gave up trying to maintain those great and accurate stats.

The best tool to use is to establish and maintain accurate records yourself and take the time to record details of your business load by load. It all matters that you have a hand into what goes on in your business.

[dabluzman1]

Stats are a game.
Both sides wield them as gospel and they can be used against each others' argument.

I agree with Greg, the only relevant stats are the ones you need to keep to know
where you stand.

BUT, be aware of the terms and conditions that regulate the stats for whom you drive.
Ignoring them could mean a canceled contract.

Hey Ice, sounds like your having a tough time. Sorry bout that.

Be informed.

[spudhead911]

We look at out stats the company posts with a grain of salt. We also keep our own spread sheets. the carrier stats is a little helpful, but we find that our spread gives us a more accurate picture.

As Iceroadtrucker said, we find a lot of times the carrier states will be up and we are making less money and sometimes when our stats are lower we are making more. I am talking about acceptance rates here.

Most of the time we don't have to look at the carrier stats. We can usually tell what we neeed to do by comparing our weekly srttlement statements, to miles run. We know how much per mile we need to make to break even. We don't haul cheap freight. We will do our carrier a favor now and then and take a load for less than we usually do, if they need the freight moved and there is no other truck that is close enough with the right requirements to take the load. other than that we will not take a load below the freight rate we have set for ourselves.

If we are offered a load that doesn't meet our rate requirements but is close to it, we will call dispatch and try to get them to bump up the rate. We explain why we need the rate bumped, sometimes they will bump it up and we will accept the load, other times they can't do it and we decline the offer. We are talking load offers not load oppertunities, which is a different animal.

We consider the carrier posted stats as just another tool to combine with the stats we keep on our spread sheet.

[Dispatched]

Originally Posted by greg334

I don't agree at all.

And we all have our opinions.

I'd certainly be more confident following the suggestions made by Bob & Linda. A proven team with many years of experience. Talking/Typing is one thing....... the Caffee's have actually walked the walk.