A mile is a mile

[LDB]

There are no variables in a mile. It is 5280 feet and it's the same whether it's deadhead to the shipper, miles between shipper and consignee or deadhead from consignee to that night's "camping ground". A lot of drivers make a decision on a job based on xx miles to the shipper for a job paying xxx miles to the consignee. They don't take into account the consignee is 47 miles from the nearest decent truckstop. They just deliver and then drive however far they drive to a stopover point. The next day they get a job offer that's xx miles deadhead from where they are sitting for xxx paid miles.

Where do the miles between consignee and stopover fit in? Are you accounting for them? If you are just looking at the miles to shipper and paid miles you aren't accurately determining the profitability of the run offer. You may be taking jobs that are marginal at best and losers at worst. You especially need to think of this if you take a job to Arizona or Utah or other western points.

I don't know of a foolproof system for figuring this out. I just know if you aren't considering the after delivery deadhead you aren't getting accurate numbers on your runs. It's especially important when you may have to deadhead over a hundred miles to get back to a decent service area.

Leo Bricker, 73's K5LDB, OOIDA 677319
Owner, Panther trucks 4958, 5447
Highway Watch Participant, Truckerbuddy
EO Forum Moderator
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[TeamCaffee]

We met a great couple that helped us in this area. When we deliver the load it is over. The deadhead miles from consignee to the express center will go on the next load. We do look to see where the load is delivering and decided from that point if we think we can make enough money to get us out of that area. We just got bit pretty hard on a load delivering to Cheyenne WY. We where pretty sure we could get our of Denver CO and it just didn't happen. That is one of the chances you take when you go to that area. We excepted a lower paying load then we would have normally took just to get us out of that area and back into the freight lanes. As you say even though a load looks great it might not end up so great.

 

[stanleyshenko]

Yes, I do the same. When the load is delivered it's over. I reset my trip odometer and do not reset again until I pick up and deliver my next load. All my miles count against that load. After all, that is what that load cost me wheather I like it or not. I then note the gallons and miles in my notebook along with the other load specifics I wrote down.

Stanley

 

[LDB]

I figure my after delivery miles into the following job. It really isn't fully accurate that way but there isn't an accurate way to add after delivery miles to the job being run so adding to the following job is the way to do it.

Leo Bricker, 73's K5LDB, OOIDA 677319
Owner, Panther trucks 4958, 5447
Highway Watch Participant, Truckerbuddy
EO Forum Moderator
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Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you like.

 

[Broompilot]

I have found I can drive myself nuts trying to figure EVERY LOAD. So I don't. I cannot or will not beat myself up cause the next layover spot is 50 miles or more away. I like to figure things out weekly and monthly I do not care for what one load does, its the month that is important.

We can all have a bad load, bad week, or even a bad month. Going back though a year I do not feel you can compare week to week but month to month is a better judgement guide. Last May for example was terrible for me I could not find a freight zone to save my truck payment. This May however I wish I could relive it over and over again.

The week before last was probably the best single week I have ever had, last week was nothing to brag about, but it evens out to, two very good weeks, on the other hand this is now June so it looks as thought I am starting out slow, its early I am optomistic, I should have a good run of it up to July 4th.