my game plan.what do you vanners think?

[OntarioVanMan]

Yes our deadhead is pretty much a deal breaker with the cabotage rules. However, the 'top' carrier, and other OOs I mentioned above, are American, so I still stand behind my 30%... but perhaps vanners can speak up if that is a wrong number for vans.

You need to count your DH to your home, it doesn't get canceled out just because you live in SD... everyone lives SOMEwhere, and it's going to affect their DH. Everyone also gos with their own home-time schedule.. some 2 months, 3 months, 5 weeks, 4 weeks.. 6 months.. infinitely..

but, but most of my DH is paid during the course of my 5-7 weeks out...my 2000 mile DH home and back out isn't the norm..it would squirrel the numbers for some people....if we are talking average driver...

I think TJ said his DH for his 75 days was like 9 1/2% and Load 1 told him their average was like 12% at this time...

 

[OntarioVanMan]

No... it's averaged... some weeks will be more, and some less, but the OP is hoping for an average of 1300 LM per week.. I suggested perhaps 1000 would be a better number to plan for.. but vanners can chime in and let him know if even that is not a good number to count on in a business plan for a newbie.

the 1,000 is a better number for a budget...

 

[pjjjjj]

I think TJ said his DH for his 75 days was like 9 1/2% and Load 1 told him their average was like 12% at this time...

Ya but..
Isn't TJ the guy who's willing to sit in BFE for a year? Perhaps a little more DH makes a lot more moulah!

 

[OntarioVanMan]

Ya but..
Isn't TJ the guy who's willing to sit in BFE for a year? Perhaps a little more DH makes a lot more moulah!

that wasn't normal by any stretch of the imagination and he was with a tin horn private owner that did not give a rats azz about him....

 

[pjjjjj]

that wasn't normal by any stretch of the imagination and he was with a tin horn private owner that did not give a rats azz about him....

Well yes.. but I'm sure it still skewed his DH average

 

[skyraider]

Thats a tight budget, this business has lots of suprises too, like water pumps going out,,trannys going out, and so on, and it will happen, if I had a van payment it would not be good for me at the moment,, 2 maybe 3 runs a week is good now,,but I dont have a home to keep up, no rent, the van is it. I stay with the kids when I need to for a few days and then Im gone again. Life is great.................................

 

[greg334]

You know I think it is Chef who has it down, maybe he can explain his dh numbers.

 

[letzrockexpress]

With all due respect, This business isn't something you can really figure that closely until you are out here doing it. If, as we all know, every carrier is a different fit for each individual, and all freight zones are different, estimating 1300 miles per week, though a good low, round number, isn't a concrete figure. Speculating on these number is kinda like the old SNL bit where those "Bears" guys argue over who would win in a battle between Ditka and a hurricane. It's really neither here nor there. Try it or don't. You will have fine tuning once you start no matter how much you figure and refigure before you jump in..I could describe to you all day long how much it hurts to get hit with a baseball bat, but until you actually get hit with it, you can't possibly know for sure...just my 2 cents...

 

[Dakota]

there is usually no tax owed driving a CV....the deductions are just too good....

I didn't owe taxes last year in my straight truck, but then again I barely made a profit(less then 5 grand ) But I still had SS tax.
This year I am setting aside 20% for taxes, if I don't need it it will be nice to have it in reserves

 

[Dakota]

I second the cost of insurance being high at $300 a month. When my 06 Sprinter was brand new I only payed $140 a month. Now its down to $60, that's for everything.

I pay $560 a month for my straight truck thru CIS

 

[Jack_Berry]

have you put it into the ooida cost per mile spreadsheet? try that right now. add in some of the items from above. also....my ins on an 05 e250 was about 70 bucks a month not 300. who pays 92 cents a mile for a cv?

 

[OntarioVanMan]

have you put it into the ooida cost per mile spreadsheet? try that right now. add in some of the items from above. also....my ins on an 05 e250 was about 70 bucks a month not 300. who pays 92 cents a mile for a cv?

Everyone nearly, except E-1.... Time for the dime....

 

[chefdennis]

Alot of good info here, but Letzrock hit right. No 2 carriers are the same and no 2 drivers, o/o are the same and all of our needs are different.

$.92 pm as an avg, just ain't goin to happen....for figur'n I used $.70 pm and didn't figure FSC at all...

1300 miles a week for figurin is also high, I used 1000, but if I were avg'in only 1300 mile a week now, I'd park the van..

My dh is right at 12% of my loaded miles...now..I don't figure anything pertaining to this business like most others..My DH is strictly from where I am sitting to pickup my next dispatch load..i don't figure that if i drop and then drive 50 miles to the closest Flyin J as DH miles pertaining to business..I could stop just about anywhere within 10 miles of a drop, but I chose to go where I do...that personal miles.

Insurance from what I gathered when i looked into it for the van ran about $12 per $1000 in value of the van. Freight insurance and the Workmens comp replacement..i think i pay $55 a week, that could be low, I don't pay it thru the carrier I have my own its takin out of the checking and i never balance or even look at that...my bad...(my wife has a fit, I know there is always enough money in there to cover anything i need to pay or want to do)

Qual com and other deductions from the carrier are $35 a week.

Food is tricky for me. Again I don't look at this like others as from as an expense, believe me, when I don't bring food that i cooked at home or when I run out after 2 weeks out here, I eat very well. I sat in Peru Ill fri and sat of this week, ate out 2 nights at a friends place...I spent over $100 in food for the 2 nights (just me, no 1 else)....but yea you need to figure what food cost are going to be based on how YOU eat..not me or anyone else...if you don't eat TS food, then don't figure based on that....Today is sunday, I'll be eating at the closest steakhouse tonight...

Cell phones, I have 2 of them and also verizon wireless for the computer....I'd have the same thing if i were at home, so again, I don't figure them as a expense (except at tax time, then they are a writeoff) against income for the business...

Showers, the membership to the "Y" or Gym covers them as well as the shower programs that WAS the Flyin J and now the new TA program...so those can be a minimum also..again, id have a "Y" or gym membership at home..

Gas runs me in the neighborhood of $400 a week and i get a consistent 16.5 mpg....you can figure the miles I am running...and it ain't close to 1300....

Ok so look at that and then some of the other info above and then only YOU can decide f you can or want to do this....I was told i would starve out here and not even make enough to pay the bills that this business created for itself....that was almost 3 yrs ago and I for dang sure wouldn't be out here if i wasn't putting money in the bank...but i also don't save money for my next truck as some di, when i want a new truck, i'll go buy it and not worry about it. All I ask this business to do it pay for itself and nothing else, no money made here supports anything from my household...well except when my 16 y/o daughter calls and want to buy a new dress for prom or anything else that a 16 y/o girl knows she can tap dad for....but you get the point...home espenses are not paid by this business....most don't have that luxury....

Oh and don't forget the maintainance and repairs...I just spent clsoe to $400 this weekend on the front end and I did the labor...Also had a trans rebulid in Fla earlier this water and a high dollar ripoff replacement of a water pump on a sunday...so having cash in the bank or a good line of credit that you can repay asap is something you had better have....

All of that said, if you want to work smart as well as hard, you cna do this....its not rocket science...

Asking for advise is a good thing, but in the end after you have taken all of this advise and processed it and adjusted it to your lifestyle it is strictly your decision...based on YOUR wants and needs.....not how I or anyone else thinks it will work out for you...Do a business plan and also the OOIDA spreadsheet that Jack suggested...and go from there...but I'd be willing to bet that you can do this, if you work smart and hard......

PS: As far as Taxes, all I say is what OVM said, you should not be paying any income tax while driving a CV...or any other truck for that matter, but i won't go into that.....LOL....

 

[OntarioVanMan]

Alot of good info here, but Letzrock hit right. No 2 carriers are the same and no 2 drivers, o/o are the same and all of our needs are different.

$.92 pm as an avg, just ain't goin to happen....for figurin I used $.70 pm and didn't figure FSC at all...

1300 miles a week for figurin is also high, I used 1000, but if I were avg'in only 1300 mile a week now, I'd park the van..

My dh is right at 12% of my loaded miles...now..I don't figure anything pertaining to this business like most others..My DH is strictly from where I am sitting to pickup my next dispatch load..i don't figure that if i drop and then drive 50 miles to the closest Flyin J as DH miles pertaining to business..I could stop just about anywhere within 10 miles of a drop, but I choose to go where I do...that personal mile.

Insurance from what I gathered when i looked into it for the van ran about $12 per $1000 in value of the van. Freight insurance and the Workmens comp replacement..i think i pay $55 amonth, that could be low, I don't pay it thru the carrier I have my own its takin out of the checking and i never balance or even look at that...my bad...

Qual com and other deductions from the carrier are $35 a week.

Food is tricky for me. AgainI don't look at this like others as from as an expense, believe when I don't bring frood that i cooked at home or when I run out after 2 weeks out here, I eat very well. I sat in Peru Ill fri and sat of ths week, ate out 2 nights at a friends place...I spent over $100 in food for the 2 nights....but yea you need to figure what food cost are going to be based on how you eat, not me or anyone else...

Cell phones, I have 2 of them and also verizon wireless for the computer....I'd have the same thing if i were at home, so again, I don't figure them as a expense (except at tax time, then they are a writeoff)

Showers, the membership to the "Y" or Gym covers them as well as the shower programs that WAS the Flyin J and now the new TA program...so those can be a minimum also..again, id have a "Y" or gym membership at home..

Gas runs me in the neighborhood of $400 a week and i get a consistent 16.5 mpg....you can figure the miles I am running...and it ain't close to 1300....

Ok so look at that and then some of the other info above and then only YOU can decide f you can or want to do this....I was told i would starve out here and not even make enough to pay the bills that this business created for itself....that was almost 3 yrs ago and I for dang sure wouldn't be out here if i wasn't putting money in the bank...but i also don't save money for my next truck as some di, when i want a new truck, i'll go buy it and not worry about it. All I ask this business to do it pay for itself and nothing else, no money made here supports anything from my household...well except when my 16 y/o daughter calls and want to buy a new dress for prom or anything else that a 16 y/o girl knows she can tap dad for....but you get the point...home espenses are not paid by this business....most don't have that luxury....

Oh and don't forget the maintainance and repairs...I just spent clsoe to $400 this weekend on the front end and I did the labor...Also had a trans rebulid in Fla earlier this water and a high dollar ripoff replacement of a water pump on a sunday...so having cash in the bank or a good line of credit that you can repay asap is something you had better have....

All of that said, if you want to work smart as well as hard, you cna do this....its not rocket science...

Asking for advise is a good thing, but in the end after you have taken all of this advise and processed it and adjusted it to your lifestyle it is strictly your decision...based on YOUR wants and needs.....not how I or anyone else thinks it will work out for you...Do a business plan and also the OOIDA spreadsheet that Jack suggested...and go from there...but I'd be willing to bet that you can do this, if you work smart and hard......

Wow..I am impressed....you typed all that and not one copy and paste.....*LOL* you do have a mind!!

 

[chefdennis]

LOL, only a few functioning brain cells after the abuse they took in my younger years!! Well plus the "adult beverage" abuse from time to time now!!!! but never while i am under load or in service....

 

[Dakota]

Wow..I am impressed....you typed all that and not one copy and paste.....*LOL* you do have a mind!!

Can't tell if that is a compliment or not.
Also I didn't pay taxes last year but I also didn't make much of a profit, this year is much better and we shall see how much I owe

 

[Turtle]

I take my odometer reading from January 1, subtract that from the current odometer reading, then subtract from that the number of loaded paid miles. The result is my deadhead miles. Cost per mile is cost per mile, and it costs to move the van whether you're going to pick up a load or going from the house to the Post Office. That money has to come from somewhere. My current DH is 28%.

Ditka. No contest.

 

[pjjjjj]

....... All I ask this business to do it pay for itself and nothing else, no money made here supports anything from my household...well except when my 16 y/o daughter calls and want to buy a new dress for prom or anything else that a 16 y/o girl knows she can tap dad for....but you get the point...home espenses are not paid by this business....most don't have that luxury....

...... PS: As far as Taxes, all I say is what OVM said, you should not be paying any income tax while driving a CV...or any other truck for that matter, but i won't go into that.....LOL....

No offence intended personally chefdennis, but really?
If you are only doing this to support the endeavor itself, and not to earn an income, provide for your family, support your household, or even save for your next truck, then why?
Is it only to keep occupied, stay out of your wife's hair?
I get the feeling from the questions asked, that there are many newbies who actually expect to earn a living, like support themselves and help to support a household.. they want to be on the road, they want to know how much money they should expect to earn above paying the expenses of the business itself.
If you were a guy with a wife and a home and kids (or not), or a single guy with an apartment or someone to help support, how would you be doing then?

 

[chefdennis]

No offense taken at all. I have said the same thing on this board since before I started or bought a truck....All I ask of any business i get into is to pay its own bills. I will front any business i start (and there have been more then a few over the yrs) the upfront capital and monthly expenses for a few months, but the business needs to be self sustaining in the short term, not the long term.

I currently have 4 businesses having closed 1 just before I started this business. None of them add to the household income. Now if my wife feels the need to take whatever amount out of any of the busines accounts, she does so...but that is usually for vactions or a bigger expense not related to the normal household bills. As I said with my daugher...and I also have 3 other kids that from time to time hit dad up...

I am by no means independently wealthy, but i have done pretty good and I am retired and have some income there and inheritence goes along way if handled right...

As for why...yeap my wife and daughter do a what they call their little "Happy Dance" when I go back in service... But I do this for alot of reasons...like alot of people i love seeing our country...going to watch a college football game on a sat when i am in a city that I wouldn't think about going to if i was at home...A fri night in Hickory NC at the local race track....Going out of service for 4 days running Rt 66 and stopping where ever I want to and not worrying about the "protect time"...

I love to drive..drove a steelhauler TT for my dad as soon as i was legally able to, that didn't last long, but i found out i liked to drive all night and thought maybe one day Id try it again....was retired when I talked to a friend that runs the sales dept for Bolt..we sold cars and trucks together for 10-12 yrs...he aked if i thought about selling again, i said no, but i had thought about running expedite freight...he set me up and i spent some time here on EO and bought a van...

All I ask this business to do it pay for itself and nothing else, no money made here supports anything from my household...well except when my 16 y/o daughter calls and want to buy a new dress for prom or anything else that a 16 y/o girl knows she can tap dad for....but you get the point...home espenses are not paid by this business....most don't have that luxury....

That last BOLD print sayes what you said...

I get the feeling from the questions asked, that there are many newbies who actually expect to earn a living, like support themselves and help to support a household.. they want to be on the road, they want to know how much money they should expect to earn above paying the expenses of the business itself.

When asked I have always offered any advise I can, but i also let them know that I am not the typical Expediter, and you'd be surprise jut how many here on this board that are in simuliar situations as I am..not the exact, but simuliar..there are people here that done own anything but their truck, or others that own their truck and a small cottage or mobile home to "visit" from time to time....and there are others that do this strictly from the investment point that have drivers and have never driven a expedit e truck in their lives...and the income from that truc or trucks is not going to household income or to buy another truck.....

People do whatever they do for whatever reasons they want...some out of need and some to just do it....As I said, I own 4 businesses...I employ 6 people at any given time...I have been self employed for more yrs then i care to think about and i have made made money and lost money...been in busiesses that i should have never even tried, but for whatever reason i did...

So yea, I do this for me and no one else....I put money in the bank and if the need arose, it would be used to pay the household bills...but fortunately I don't have to...

Oh, my wife is going back to school to learn another profession, she took the 1st yr tuition out of this bank account....thats ok too..she owns her own business also..and works 2 other jobs...and this will be the 4th "re-invent" of herself...

PS: Things haven't always been good for me finanically, i have been broke more then once....Now that I am not, and retired, I do this because I can and want to.

So again, no offense taken at all, and i now that not all have the luxury to do this as i do, but there are those that do, and understand...

PSS: of my other businesses, 2 of them I run from the seat of the van...

 

[highway star]

who the heck does 30% DH? where'd ya pull that number from PJjjj???..mines about 15% which is high and includes me going home...

In following posts you say it doesn't include going home. I'm kind of in the same boat as you, living in northern Mich., just not quite as many miles. I include all miles for my numbers and I'm around the 30% range. They will affect your percentage, but you can't pretend they don't exist.