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Last time Diesel chased $5.00, did it impact the number of loads you delivered?

tumbleweeds

tumbleweeds

Expert Expediter
Owner/Operator
Just a quick question. The last time diesel went crazy, did you suffer a significant loss in revenue? I can't remember if that was during the "recession" or just before. How quickly my minds kicks out the bad times and looks for warm beaches and sunshine.

One persons "recession" is anothers "depression".

One driver told me that he had one of his best years then.

Turning to the Oracles of EO for answers.

Thanks
 
guido4475

guido4475

Not a Member
That was the year that I grossed $137,000 in revenue, as an o/o, solo, in a s/t.I also spent $65,000 in fuel that year..But a 550 cat in a 10-wheeler isnt excactly the most fuel-efficient,either..
 
zero3nine

zero3nine

Veteran Expediter
Was operating 5 trucks in California that year. My Chevron bill was upwards of $25,000 per month :eek:

It was the year I sold my Peterbilt so I could keep the straight trucks moving and meet my commitments to my drivers. Revenue was still good for me, as I concentrated on sales for the next 18 months.

In retrospect, if I wasn't living in a house with a $4400 monthly payment and $8500 in property tax I could have kept the truck and trailer. But them dang pesky youngerns woulda set to hollerin if theyda had to sleep down by the crick with the bullfrogs. The wife most likely would have also complained a bit.

fired at you from my Droideka
 
H

Hightech_Hobo

Expert Expediter
As I remember, the overall "feeling" for that year was that I actually did better than usual because my company had a fuel surcharge at the time. I had a fairly fuel efficient truck and actually made more money with the high fuel surcharges.

Overall revenue was down from the prior year but I had to attribute that to what I call the "screw off" factor. I am not all about work and making the most money I can make. My goal has always been to bring in as much profit as I can and still be able to do what I want to do..I.e..visit friends, see places I hav'nt seen etc..

The worst time I remember was after the financial crisis. # of runs and total revenue and the condition of an older truck came very close to putting me out of business that year.
 
jw-bama

jw-bama

Seasoned Expediter
i was still pulling a flatbed back then and we also had a fuel surcharge , was a very good year for me.i think it will be a little different this go round as the economy is what moves us in transportation.
 
TheRebel

TheRebel

Seasoned Expediter
tumbleweeds said:
Just a quick question. The last time diesel went crazy, did you suffer a significant loss in revenue? I can't remember if that was during the "recession" or just before. How quickly my minds kicks out the bad times and looks for warm beaches and sunshine.

One driver told me that he had one of his best years then.

Thanks
Click to expand...

We're talking here about 2008... personally I don't remember any increase on loads volume, but a decrease of my wallet's volume...
 
P

Pianoguy

Seasoned Expediter
Higher fuel prices will hamper those cut throat businesses only, they wont be able to offer free delivery or do moves for 10.00. When fuel goes up it seems we get slammed with business.
 
P

purgoose10

Veteran Expediter
In retrospect, if I wasn't living in a house with a $4400 monthly payment and $8500 in property tax


I would have had a stroke with those payments. How's your nervous system?/??:eek:

I was with the big one then, (Landing on the stars.) I watched that fleet shrink fast. Brokers were cutting deals and sending guy's to the poorhouse. Myself when I had a final offer to run from Ohio to Nevada for $3500 I said no and d/hd'd home and turned in my blue star. It broke my heart. :D I'm no longer a Star, I'm just lost in the country. :p
 
chefdennis

chefdennis

Veteran Expediter
I started this busines in July of that yr...it wasn't diesel but the 1st tank of gas I put in ths van cost me just over $100.00 for 27 gallons...I have been making a "net" profit ever since that day....
 
tumbleweeds

tumbleweeds

Expert Expediter
Owner/Operator
Thany you all for you info. I knew I could count on sage advise and honest answers from the best of the best.

This puts my mind a little more at rest. Paid 3.79 for diesel today. I'm sure it will get higher before it tumbles back to earth.

Safe highways to all and to all a good night. Saw a flat bed and a motorcycle involved on I-40 West of Nashville yesterday. It may have been the bikers last ride. Watch out for our two wheeled friends. Even if they do dumb things.
 
nightcreacher

nightcreacher

Veteran Expediter
It was 2008.The FSC took care of the higher fuel price,personally I actually made more.The discount from Ta was much higher,and as far as load count,it was pretty close to thae same
 
Deville

Deville

Not a Member
I made it work for me. I stayed out on nights I would come home. I took shorter runs with the highest furl surcharge.

The issue that i'm seeing this time around is that the fuel surcharge doesn't exisit & the rates are so heavily discounted that people are going to br dropping like flies. It's a no win situation.
 
Bruno

Bruno

Veteran Expediter
Fleet Owner
US Marines
nightcreacher said:
It was 2008.The FSC took care of the higher fuel price,personally I actually made more.The discount from Ta was much higher,and as far as load count,it was pretty close to thae same
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Steve the discount at the TA isn't worth buying fuel there anymore. We have went to using the Flying J now that they take Com data. We have only been getting like .04 cent off at TA lately but the fuel is higher than the other truck stops. Why buy fuel .10 higher than everyone else and only get .04 of that price. You can go to the Flying J and get a discount that was set up by your carrier.
 
golfournut

golfournut

Veteran Expediter
Deville said:
I made it work for me. I stayed out on nights I would come home. I took shorter runs with the highest furl surcharge.

The issue that i'm seeing this time around is that the fuel surcharge doesn't exisit & the rates are so heavily discounted that people are going to br dropping like flies. It's a no win situation.
Click to expand...

The rates and fsc need to come up or there will be a lot of refused loads. Only those out there working for fuel and not income and profit will be dropping out. There has to be a profit in the load. If we say no enough times, the shippers will eventually get the message.


Your best bet, hire a vet! Please.
 
OntarioVanMan

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
keep in mind if your straight only gets 7 mpg that is on YOU...no one is going to pay more FSC because you drive a fuel guzzler....same for vans....if you only get 13 mpg tough luck...the formula is based on 15 mpg....it is NOT to pay 100% of fuel either....just a portion.
 
golfournut

golfournut

Veteran Expediter
OntarioVanMan said:
keep in mind if your straight only gets 7 mpg that is on YOU...no one is going to pay more FSC because you drive a fuel guzzler....same for vans....if you only get 13 mpg tough luck...the formula is based on 15 mpg....it is NOT to pay 100% of fuel either....just a portion.

The mpg is irrelevant. We drive what we drive. Our CPM was based on that the moment we turned the key the first time. We all adjust to be competitive. If x & y are at .92 per mile driving totally different vehicles, then that's what it is.
We all know what our operating expense is. The rate and fsc both contribute to that. I don't care if one or both are adjusted. As the price of fuel goes up so do our operating costs and personal living expenses. We all need to adjust our CPM to accommodate both. We aren't getting a pay raise, just trying to stay at our levels for income and profit. Everyone else adjusts their prices accordingly, go to the grocery store, so should we.

Your best bet, hire a vet! Please.
Click to expand...
 
OntarioVanMan

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
golfournut said:
OntarioVanMan said:
keep in mind if your straight only gets 7 mpg that is on YOU...no one is going to pay more FSC because you drive a fuel guzzler....same for vans....if you only get 13 mpg tough luck...the formula is based on 15 mpg....it is NOT to pay 100% of fuel either....just a portion.

We all know what our operating expense is. The rate and fsc both contribute to that. I don't care if one or both are adjusted. As the price of fuel goes up so do our operating costs and personal living expenses. We all need to adjust our CPM to accommodate both. We aren't getting a pay raise, just trying to stay at our levels for income and profit.

Your best bet, hire a vet! Please.
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If your straight gets over 10 mpg...do you adjust accordingly?

say like me....the average is on 15 mpg...i get say 22 mpg...I could in theory take a lot less FSC then someone getting 17 mpg...I could out bid them take their load because I can afford to, in my CPM...advantage my home court....
Click to expand...
 
golfournut

golfournut

Veteran Expediter
OntarioVanMan said:
golfournut said:
If your straight gets over 10 mpg...do you adjust accordingly?

say like me....the average is on 15 mpg...i get say 22 mpg...I could in theory take a lot less FSC then someone getting 17 mpg...I could out bid them take their load because I can afford to, in my CPM...advantage my home court....
Click to expand...

Not if you spend 5k a year in maintanance and I spend 2k. Or I live on peanut butter and you live on T bones.

Your best bet, hire a vet! Please.
Click to expand...
 
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