Empty Miles

Sarkus · Nov 20, 2004

Hello and greetings to All;

I posted a message a while ago trying to get some feedback about yearly income, and I'm concluding that I'm well below the average. People who responded suggested that I probably wasn't being utilized properly. Maybe I'm not accepting the right loads.

I've done the math near year end here.............and I'm right around 50 percent empty miles. Probably be just a little higher than that.

As a rule, I've tried not to refuse any loads. I thought that would be good business......... I might have refused 2 loads in an entire year. But, it seems that I'm going to have to be a little more selective. I think I'm getting the loads that no one else wants. I'm sure some of you can relate to that.

Too many loads where you have to dead head the better part of 100 miles to go pick it up.

70 miles empty to pick up.........155 paid........and then 130 empty to get home, because you don't get a load out of there. I keep getting this load over and over I think because nobody wants it.

Not sure if anyone can speak to this...........but I was looking for a sounding board..........seems like 50-52 percent empty miles is just too high..........I believe the average is more like 30 percent.
If anyone has any suggestions or feedback, I'd certainly appreciate it.

LDB · Nov 20, 2004

>Hello and greetings to All;
>
>70 miles empty to pick up.........155 paid........and then
>130 empty to get home, because you don't get a load out of
>there. I keep getting this load over and over I think
>because nobody wants it.

You are probably correct that no one else wants it. Have you asked your company to actively pursue loads out of there? Have you asked them about getting deadhead pay for the empty miles to pick it up? Tell them you notice you are getting it often so it must be a hard to place load and you know because you are getting it so often. Tell them you are willing to help them but they have to help you as well. I got called on a run that was 76 dh and 134 paid and told them I didn't want to run over half the distance dh. They called me back within 5 minutes with some dh money. If the dh is over 1/3 of the paid I will turn it down or they will come up with more money somewhere. I also have a getloaded.com account and have used it to find loads when there isn't anything else. I have to split it with the company and it isn't as good as loads they get me but much better than dh. Hope that helps somehow. Good luck to you.

Leo
truck 767

Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you like.

davekc · Nov 20, 2004

Alot of companies will put out non-profit runs to their new people.
Usually because experienced drivers will turn them down. If they know you will take this type of load they will continue to offer them. Dispatchers will most often take the least path of resistance.
Know what it costs to run your truck.
"Businessman first, driver second"
Davekc

x06col · Nov 21, 2004

SARKUS:

Looks to me the big part of the problem is "130 to get home"
ever consider staying out???

Sarkus · Nov 21, 2004

Stay out quite often and still don't get a load

Sarkus · Nov 21, 2004

You wouldn't be a dispatcher would you x06col ?

Doggie Daddy · Nov 21, 2004

sarkus i think the handwriting is on the wall. you really should be looking to sign on with another carrier,one that can keep you running loaded alot more than you are now. i dont know who you are leased to now(express 1 ?)but i think the time has come for you to move on and see what another carrier can do for you. just my opinion,but what do i know i'm just a truck driver.:7 :7 DD.

Tennesseahawk · Nov 21, 2004

Leo, how much does get loaded.com cost? They won't tell you on their site unless you start to sign up. How often do you use it? Does Express-1 get mad if you do?
I see your point in using it though... as there are times you're stranded way outta the zone and no NLM can be found. If we had some control over getting back to zone, I'd be more comfortable running teams.

T-Hawk

NoProblem · Nov 21, 2004

Excellent Dave!

You hit the nail on the head all the way around with this post. I just started with a new company two weeks ago. I also just left that same company as of yesterday for the reasons you posted.

I'm gonna do a new thread on it.

LDB · Nov 21, 2004

It's $30 a month. I've only run one load off it so far but that was an 832 miler that delivered about 40 miles from home. They set it up under their authority and get a cut but it still paid me way better than to d/h home. I'll probably use it again next month when I need to go to my daughter's college graduation and get back out.

Leo
truck 767

Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you like.

x06col · Nov 21, 2004

NO! I'm a Carrier

Tennesseahawk · Nov 22, 2004

Sarkus...very simple about that 155 mile run... don't take it. Tell them you need something with more miles and less dh. Or, better yet, ask them to pay your dh miles as loaded since no one else will take it. If you're running for Express-1, their dispatchers usually have some room to negotiate if it's obvious you're being screwed on the run.

50% dh is alot. But was your dh included in that 50%? Also, where is home for you? Is it in a good freight spot? You'd think Detroit is, but for Express-1 there are better with a little dh of my own. Lansing, Toledo, Ka-zoo, G.Rapids...all are good. This is a good company... if you like chess. It's not FedEx where deadheading to a zone is just an hour or two away. It's a thinking man's game of when to move, where to move, when to call, what to take, where is good, where is slow. If you can conquer the system, you'll make money. Then again, it may not be as complicated as I've said.

Luck and skill go into getting runs. I run teams right now while I'm training my co-driver. Last week we went to Baltimore and waited a day to get something back. We drove empty till we got a load in Pittsburgh going 280 miles to Morain, OH. I chose to dh cause I don't like gambling. That dh took me back into the freight zone where my partner has picked up another two loads after dropping me off at home. Some may call us nuts for running empty from Baltimore to Pittsburgh... but we're not sitting in PA right now, are we?

Last week we got a run out of Jersey around the same time of the week. I would say both times we were lucky. I've found out time is more expensive than fuel. Give them a day, then book for the zone. I'd say, overall it's a successful experiment.

vernon946 · Nov 22, 2004

Sarkus, the words of DAVEKC gives you a strong clue on what to do with your present company:
>Know what it costs to run your truck.
"Businessman first, driver second"

Here is how I translate that. I don't play with the empty and loaded concepts, as my truck costs me about the same to run it both ways, plus pay me some for driving it. This is known as the cost per mile, and you have to figure it for your truck. You can search the archives on here for cost per mile, or visit the OIADA site.

Then take the offer from your company and add the miles you have to deadhead to the load, the loaded miles, and the miles you know(suspect) you'll have to drive to be eligible for another load. This is your total miles. Multiply your total miles times your cost per mile. The figure you get will tell you quickly whether you can afford the run, meaning is it a good business decision. Let me plug some numbers in.

I do the math on miles and find it is 374 miles. I already know my cost per mile is $1.09. I do 1.09 X 374 and get $407.66. Depending on how close they are on the money offered to me to do the work, I either accept the load or tell dispatch that I cannot afford the job.
If they decide to offer me enough money to do it, fine. If not, maybe they found someone sitting closer that wants it.

If you work this way, most of your miles will be paid miles, and you won't have time to worry about deadhead miles.

Vernon in C2197

raceman · Nov 22, 2004

Vernon said it very well. I also have Getloaded.com and another site I use to watch freight. Key words are I WATCH FREIGHT. Rarely will it do you any good at all to take a load from Getloaded.com over what the company will find you given time. I have used it for friehgt during the first half of July. Even then it was to keep the drivers driving there was no money in it. By the time your compnay takes 15% or the pay there aint no pay. What it is good for is watching freight. I watch it all the time for many reasons but there is no money in taking there loads in this business. It may work if you have your own authority but not when you are using someone elses.

---Why Hug a tree when you can use it as a landmark---

Raceman