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How Do Cargo Van Drivers Make Money At 70 Cents Per Mile?

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Crazynuff

Veteran Expediter
I read an article in "Overdrive" last month about a cargo van owner that said he ran 100,000 miles last year , grossed $65,000 and paid $18,000 for fuel . $.47 a mile before paying truck payments (2012 Nissan ) , insurance , tires , oil changes , etc. , etc . ?
 
OntarioVanMan

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
Crazynuff said:
I read an article in "Overdrive" last month about a cargo van owner that said he ran 100,000 miles last year , grossed $65,000 and paid $18,000 for fuel . $.47 a mile before paying truck payments (2012 Nissan ) , insurance , tires , oil changes , etc. , etc . ?
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That is about right for a CV at a normal carrier...when ALL miles are figured in...
 
guido4475

guido4475

Not a Member
OntarioVanMan said:
Might be 3 years old but the rates still apply...
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And there are still those willing and trying to give themselves away for far less than they are worth. Why be out here, trying to make a living, if you are not compensated correctly for what you are doing? I know this subject has been beaten to death in the past, but still,.......
 
BobWolf

BobWolf

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
greg334 said:
well, so when can a straight truck driver make money at $1.10 a mile?
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Not if they like to eat even if you run 100,000 miles a year.
These are a few of my local / regional expenses I didnt include IFTA as I run a non CDL S/T typicaly I average arround 50,000 miles / year. Both van and truck

TRUCK PAYMENT. $125,000 3 yrs $0.42
AND INSURANCE. $5,000/ yr. $0.05
MAINTAINENCE $0.30
New York State
HIGHWAY USE TAXES $0.02
SALARY $0.55
MISC EXPENSES tolls etc. $0.20
SUB TOTAL $1.39
FUEL $0.50
YOUR pay should be at least, $1.89

Add in your franchise fees if you have them, AND qualcom, tripack, mail etc bridges, IFTA, dead head miles and im sure your at almost $ 2.25 to $ 2.30 per mile...
Even in a van figure new van pmt, insurance, fuel, maint, should be arround $.89/ mile pluss salary and expenses. should be arround $ 1.50

Also remember even if your truck is paid for you will have to replace it. So you should be getting paid as if you still have the payment and at a current price.

My expenses may be structured a little different than yours as I am not heavy OTR and major carriers do have some discounts but Im sure if you add all your miles and expenses Im at least in the ball park for an average.


Bob Wolf
 
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M

Marty

Veteran Expediter
Not much has changed in 3 years. Pay is low. Carriers over hire. Logistics companies have ripped the heart out of the industry. We still have newbies, who are the most vulnerable, wanting to lease onto these carriers after hearing the lies they are told by recruiters. Politics in America shows us how many millions of people blindly believe in unsubstantiated promises.
 
Opel2010

Opel2010

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
Crazynuff said:
I read an article in "Overdrive" last month about a cargo van owner that said he ran 100,000 miles last year , grossed $65,000 and paid $18,000 for fuel . $.47 a mile before paying truck payments (2012 Nissan ) , insurance , tires , oil changes , etc. , etc . ?
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I don't believe he paid only 18k for fuel... unless the NV's got a discount card for fuel...


Sent from my SGH-T999 using EO Forums
 
ExFedEx

ExFedEx

Veteran Expediter
Charter Member
Owner/Operator
"Even in a van figure new van pmt, insurance, fuel, maint, should be arround $.89/ mile pluss salary and expenses. should be arround $ 1.50"

Thank you, I believe my point is clear. I have posted before on several threads about rates, and this is what I run for. Sometimes less, sometimes more. I knew somebody would see it my way!
 
Monty

Monty

Expert Expediter
BAck to the original post.

Is it really possible to turn a profit at 70 cents per mile? Have any of you "cargo van" drivers tried to run the numbers on 70 cents per mile plus an 8 cent fuel surcharge?
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Seems such contracts should NEVER be entered into.

Though I am no longer on the road .... have I mentioned lately how much I appreciated Landstar Express America?
 
wvcourier

wvcourier

Expert Expediter
Notanewbie said:
BAck to the original post.



Seems such contracts should NEVER be entered into.

Though I am no longer on the road .... have I mentioned lately how much I appreciated Landstar Express America?
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What excactly is a BCO and Agents...are the agents contractors also? Do you need a Sprinter? So what was you running for at Landstar? Can you get hired with a class c, how much hazmat did you actually haul. Do they reallt sale qualcoms at a flat price instead of leasing? How do you get paid? Do you have to run Canada?

Sent from my Teddy Ruxspin
 
Monty

Monty

Expert Expediter
What excactly is a BCO

BCO- Business Capacity Owner ... Landstar likes fancy words. Just means owner operator in the real world.


and Agents...are the agents contractors also?

Yes agents are contractors, to a degree. They have their own freight, (some of them get it like everyone else, from the Internet, some have very sucessful sales teams and sell their own freight,) which is transported via Landstar's operating authority.

Do you need a Sprinter?

You need a high capacity van, only a few regular CV's left.


So what was you running for at Landstar?

You mean rate? Very sledom less than $1.05 a mile, (to the van, including FSC). Most often $1.20 or higher. And if an agent, (most anyway), knew they were sending you into a "no freight" area would sweeten the rate a bit from their cut of the revenue.

Can you get hired with a class c, how much hazmat did you actually haul.

You must have a Hazmat endorsement, Landstar's rules, though you are not required to haul it. Another quirk that I didn't really understand.

Do they reallt sale qualcoms at a flat price instead of leasing?

Not for Express America. the QC is required. And it is to your advantage to have one. The agents need to be able to locate you quickly. The QC was only used for dispatch, it is not a tracking device, UNLESS we were hauling freight for FEDCC ... they bugged the agents constantly wanting to know where the van was.

If you are a "carrier" operator on the other Landstar divisions, the purchase was there if you wanted it. It was not required, except for some shady operators thet could not seem to comply with regulations. It was required then as a condition of your continued lease to them.

How do you get paid?

Any bill submitted by mid day on Monday was paid on Wed, via a Comcard. Landstar issues two cards, one for fuel advancements, for for settlements. While I was there, the rate was $3.00 to load the card, and nothing to use it.

Do you have to run Canada?

You don't have to run ANYWHERE, that is your decision. But Canadian freight pay's well, so why not?
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The things I said, were in affect at the time I was there, until last June .... things may have changed.
 
bobwg

bobwg

Expert Expediter
OntarioVanMan said:
A big outfit like that does not do direct deposit?.....$3.00 to get your pay?..
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Some may want cash right off the Comdata card so you choose what you want with the card cash or direct deposit from your card to bank account. Anyone that hates banks would be able to use the card to get paid
 
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OntarioVanMan

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
FlyingVan said:
Some of these big companies do some things in a very, shall we say, antiquated way.

Sent from my PC36100 using EO Forums
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I noticed....just the odd little thing that comes from like the 60's and makes one shake your head and go "Huh"...LOL
 
Monty

Monty

Expert Expediter
No matter how it is paid, it is indeed paid! No waiting 20-30 days for settlement, and NEVER a different amount than you were quouted when you accepted the load.
 
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