Any RV Transporters Out There?

[Scooter]

IN any biz $1.08 is too cheap.

I can run through a break down:

Fuel 9mpg at $3.45 a gallon .38 per mile
Insurance 500,000 liability .05 per mile
Tires 40k life $800 replacement .02 per mile
Oil changes every 5000 .012 per mile
Replacement of truck 35k at 400000 miles .10 per mile
Repairs .10 per mile
Total ROUGH Estimate .662 per mile

Daily per diem $54 a day .15 per mile
Total cost .812 per mile

Profit at $1.08 per mile .268 cpm

How many miles to make 40k? 149253 per year

The daily per diem cost is a little high, but I don't see how $40k a year is worth that much headache.

 

[bushpilot]

Scooter -

Thanks for doin' the math. I suspect as a supplemental income 40k
probably isnt too bad ('specially if youre already drawing one or TWO
pensions).

I agree though, its alot of work for an income that could probably be
earned closer to home & w/ less wear and tear on the truck.

I know everyone wants to be a trucker and i love driving as much
as anyone...but this seems kinda risky...a blow tranny or worse and
you could be playing catch up the rest of the year.

I guess if its a part time job & your looking for someone to pay for
your "travels" then it might not be ALL bad.

 

[bears4x4]

check those thrust bearings at 200k when towing alot?!?!?! , they will tear up a trans quick just my 2cent, just learned about them going out. Good luck, my dad drives over the road and loves it.Have fun!!!!!

 

[uloadit]

Do thay pay dead head back !!You have to make at least $2.00 a mile

 

[BamaSixGun]

Do thay pay dead head back !!You have to make at least $2.00 a mile

Nobody pays dead head or back haul miles. You haul at your own risk and find your own loads.

 

[BudMan]

Back hauls some times

I'll post a note in a couple of days and provide info on the job. I accepted one of the offers and will be pulling JayCo tailers out of Middlebury, IN. Pay is $1.10 a mile for the lower 48, $1.15 for Canada. I suspect there are few opportunities for back hauls although they are bringing horse trailers from OK and IA toi be fitted with living quarters at the Middlebury plant.

I am not sure I can make money at this but I am willing to find out. Actually, breaking even isn't bad, as long as it pays for my out of p[ocket (including the truck payment, insurance, maintenance) then the SO and I will get to see the country on somebody else's dime.

If I run to Vancouver at 2373 miles then the pay is $2728.95. Fuel at 10 mpg will be 280 gallons or $924 at $3.30 per gallon. I will buy fuel wherever I can find it cheap. I have a 38 gal main fuel and now have a 115 gal aux tank.
The IRS allows 48.5 cents per mile so that turns out to be $2,301 tax credit. The IRS allows $54 per day for MI and E. I can drive 660 miles per day at 11 hours and 60 mph so I will be there on the fourth day. Turning around, I should be able to make it back in three so that's another $378 off the yearly income taxes.

I am planning on doing that twice a month so I will probably be working 15-16 days and grossing $4602. Fuel will be $1848 and of course some meals will be coming out and other incidentals. The rest will go in the bank to either pay off the truck or save up for the inevitable repairs.

I have two separate retirement incomes so I am not depending on this as my main source of income.

BudMan

 

[tonkadoctor]

I was an over the road driver for 8 year and have owned 4 semis over that time, 2 years were spent running Canadian fleets. I like running Canada, paperwork ain't bad and I was always able to keep loaded because too many drivers refuse to go there. I personally like running north and south between Larado, TX and Toronto, ON vs east and west. BTW the passport rules changed recently, it's not required until summer of '08 instead of January now, no set date as of yet.

The key to making money as an owner operator at a fixed milage pay like this is to run and keep the truck moving and loaded as much as possible. Yes you can make $40k - $50k a year profit but you have to run 100,000 LOADED miles a year and keep your deadhead to only about 40% which means you'ld run 140,000 miles loaded and empty, if they have a backhaul, take it... If not, deadhead back, get another load and try again.

You have fixed costs like payment & insurance that don't change when you are sitting still and need to run a minimum amount of miles just to break even. Variable costs such as fuel, maintenance etc... increase with miles run.

Watch your daily living expenses. I've always set a limit for myself at $100 - $150 a week for food, cigarettes etc. If you spend every night in a hotel and eat every meal in a restaraunt, play video games, video poker etc you can easily burn up the whole paycheck and then some.

That said, I also have a retirement check and I'm doing the same as you and started getting the truck ready today. I just accepted an offer to lease on to Horizon Transport in January at the beginning of the season when the manufacturers start cranking out new trailers. I like what they have to offer, I like the fact they are one of the largest RV haulers, they are family owned and operated and really like being able to look at all the loads and dispatch myself over the internet.

Oh and I'll take the loads out east over the west......much rather deal with the small hills here than run the long grades and mountains out west and put up with the DOT and special permits or plates they want you to buy in certain states at the port of entries.