Give me some numbers!!!!please!

[pelicn]

Luvtheroad, If you're looking at expediting, it's not the "miles per week" that matters. Expediters work smarter not harder when it comes to hauling freight.
You could run your butt off and not make as much as the guy that picks and chooses which runs to haul. It's about the rate not the miles

[greg334]

Just more rambling....

I keep seeing one thing, having money on hand that will hold you over the hard times.

The problem I am seeing with this is when do you say "it's not working, got to get out?"

If you are having three months of bad times (and some of us do) while that savings is dwindling to a lower than expected level, than it may be time to sell the truck and get a 9 to 5.

On the other hand if you have a 9 to 5, and want to get into this business right now, ask yourself will you be happy if it does not work out?

pelicn also pointed out something that I keep forget to mention in my ramblings, you don't look at the week but the month to gauge how well you are doing. But you do keep in mind the money you spend and the money you make. Some weeks (like last week for me) I made enough to cover half of my bills and it is the first week of the month, but I expect next week to be slow, so I don't get upset if I only get seven runs next week - it all adds up.

[gotta go]

Just more rambling....
I don't get upset if I only get seven runs next week - it all adds up.

That's okay Greg, I'll help you out and do those other runs you can't fit in

[BillChaffey]

As Pelicn said,
it's not the miles it's the rate. It's been said here many times take the loads that pay, not a load for the sake of a load. Also I don't believe most posters say "Stay away" because of competition, most are trying to save you a financial whipping.

[luvtheroad]

That thread title is mine, but thanks for the info. Figuring miles by the week comes from truckload mentality. Just keep the info coming, I've picked up several good things already. Thanks

[luvtheroad]

sorry I mean it is not mine, cant type sometimes LOL

[greg334]

The thing I forgot to mention is that a lot of these 'expediters' want to always get high paying loads - which is great in better times but you have to take the bad with the good and if one run is near your brake even point and the next one is three times more, well it all adds up.

[Turtle]

"It's about the rate not the miles"

Is it? I drive a van. I get paid $0.77 per mile. I get the same rate for a 400 mile week as I do for 2000 mile week. I can run all kinds of smart, but more miles is still gonna equal more revenue when the rate is the same. People can turn it around and say don't talk about miles, it's about the revenue, it's about the rate, but for many expediters, especially those on per-mile contracts where the rate isn't a factor, where the rate is always the same, there's nothing wrong with talking in terms of miles per week, since it's exactly the same as talking revenue per week.

When you change the conditions and start throwing in reduced rate loads or loads that pay more than the contracted rate per mile, or those running on a percentage of the load rather than a rate per mile, then miles don't necessarily equal revenue. But for most expediters, less miles usually, more often than not, means less revenue, and more miles usually, more often than not, means more revenue.

[pjjjjj]

That is so true. One can boast until nobody will listen any more, about getting $5/mile, but if they only got 300 miles for the month, it isn't looking so hot. And no one is to say those 300 miles didn't come with 150 deadhead miles attached. At least if you're running piles of miles, you can maybe afford to take a hit here and there with some deadhead.
We can all say what our cost per mile is to run, but that cost increases substantially if not enough miles are paid. Even if one is making just a little profit per mile these days, more miles equals more of that little profit.
Not advocating 'cheap freight' by any means, but ya, gimme the miles!!!!!

[bryan]

Hi

Sorry to hear that Highway Star.We use to make that in a van.I miss the road but I don't think I'll be coming back anytime soon.
Something that newbees need to understand is that shippers don't want to use expedited services.Its expensive even if the rate per mile is the same as their regular carrier. A 53 foot trailor hauls 40 skids at a cost of $300.00. Say you put 2 skids on a van at a cost of $300.00 the shipper still needs to ship the remaining 38 skids on the 53 footer so now it cost the shipper $600.00. Get this, it cost the same or more if you use 2- 24 foot straight trucks.
If you have a job that puts food on the table and keeps a roof over your head be thankfull because everday fewer and fewer people have that luxurery.The place where I work has been in business since 1880 and never had a layoff, the week of Thanksgiving they laid off 40 people out of 150 and fired 5.Thats 30% of their entire work force.
Sure if I was out of work and have some free money laying around like $5,000.00 I get back into the business as a driver for fleet owner but thats just because Im already addicted to the business.And I already know some of the scams and who some of the scam artist are.
My son gave me the best advise I have ever heard about these financial time "Take baby steps.You didn't get into this mess over night and your not going to get out of it over night"

[highway star]

It sounds like you have some time on your hands, Bryan. You should get to work on my benefit party. C'mon, the Stones and Famous Dave's BBQ? It'll be a blast!

[nightcreacher]

Bryan,right the shipper doesnt want to use expedite trucks,thats why usually the pay is from the consignee,or a third party.And if the shipper does pay,it was his fault the load is needing an expedite truck to deliver the load on time,and yes, this costs QUITE A BIT MORE THAN HE WANTS TO PAY