need more answers..

[gagirl29]

My husband & his dad are planning on driving for Tri-state expeditors. It's a 10 wheel straight truck. Aprox. what are they looking at for gross a month for each team memeber and aprox. what will the net be for each team member after fuel. They are generally planning on staying out 3 weeks & home 1 week. Can each team member gross $45,000 per year? This truck is 60/40 (team/owner)

Also if anyone has any info on Tri-state will be greatly appericated.

They were also considering purchasing a cargo van to lease on with Tri-state. Is there anyone that can give the same info about the pay on a van as an O/O?

Allie

 

[RichM]

Well based on what you said and doing some quick and dirty math here is what I came up with. You said the truck was a 60/40 split so I assume your Husband and Dad are getting 60% and the owner receiving 40%.
For both drivers to gross $45K before fuel I figure the truck has to gross at a minimum $200k per year. This leaves $120k for fuel and drivers gross. Since the drivers want a total of $90k that leaves $30k for fuel. 30K will buy approximately 13953 gallons of fuel at a average of $2.15 per gallon. Assuming the truck gets 9mpg,works out to a yearly miles total of 125577. They wish to work 36 weeks per year,so they need to do a minimum of 3488 loaded. miles per week of work. This works out to $1.59 per loaded mile. Add about 30% deadhead for which they will be buying fuel and the yearly truck gross will need to rise accordingly.Also will they be able to obtain $1.59 per mile with Tri State.

Expectations may be somewhat high here. Good luck

 

[terryandrene]

One of the great things about open fora is the opportunity to get differing opinions on a given topic. Having said that, I'll now give a different opinion on your revenue requirements for a $90,000 gross for 60% drivers. My calculations suggests a gross to the truck of $150,000. Now let's assume ('cause I don't know) that Tri-state pays straight trucks $1.35 per loaded mile, including applicable fuel surcharges. That would mean they need to drive 111,111 loaded miles during their 36 week of availability. Also a realistic, I think, 25-30% unpaid deadhead for a total of about 139,000 miles. or 3861 miles per week.

With today's avg diesel price of $2.15 and the 9 mpg that RichM mentioned, $33,205 will be required for fuel and another $2000+/- for tolls. That will leave your driving duo a net of $27,400 each.

Of course, RichM's and my figures are estimates based on estimates; You should determine your own costs doing a more realistic cost/benefit analysis with figures provided by Tri-State and/or the truck's owner.

On the topic of adding a van to your truck portfolio, I suggest your men table that thought until they have operating experience in expediting and a sound working knowledge of the opportunities with the numerous expedite carriers.

Good Luck with your choices. Our comments are intended help you be informed rather than discouraged. We hope this lifestyle meets with all of your expectations.

Terry

 

[gagirl29]

Thanks for all your information. I will pass it along to my husband.

 

[RichM]

Terry, looks like I interperted GaGirl's post wrong. I thought and calculated that the drivers wanted to gross $90K after they bought the fuel.

 

[LDB]

I posted the following in the D contract thread but it applies here as well. Also, you mentioned 10 wheel truck which should give a significantly greater payload capacity. You should check with T/S to see if they pay a higher rate on heavier loads and also how often they might get you a heavier and better paying load. More comments will follow the pasted paragraphs.

"The 60/40 split is most common and usually the 60 goes to the driver however it could go the other way just as easily. The 60 side pays for the fuel and receives the fsc. The 60 side is going to net more money for you unless you get into a truck that's worse than a dog for fuel mileage.

For all dispatched miles in 2005 I've earned 12.05cpm in fsc (fuel surcharge). The best was 24.81cpm and the worst zero. At $1.20 per paid mile the split would be .72 + .12 for 84cpm or .48cpm flat. My fuel cost for 2005 is 23.1cpm. Subtracting from 84cpm leaves 60.9cpm taking the 60% plus fsc or still a flat 48cpm taking the 40% route. Numbers will vary depending on the carrier pay per mile and the fuel economy of the truck but that's how it figures.

Other than fuel and tolls there isn't much you would be responsible for paying. Your contract will probably say you pay any parking fees at the few truckstops that charge them. You'd also pay any traffic or weight fines incurred since those are items you control. Documenting the condition of the truck is excellent advice as you'd also be held responsible for anything outside normal wear and tear."

I'm going to use my numbers given above for my arithmetic. Before fuel, at 84cpm, it would require 53,571 miles paid to gross $45,000. Based on 3 weeks out and 1 week home that gives 39 weeks to run 53,571 miles requiring 1375 paid miles per week average. That is certainly a reasonable expectation for 1 driver. You'll have to double the amounts of course since they each want to achieve the same thing.

While I find your income expectations reasonable I think you are optimistic on your time expectations. Most companies with their company drivers as well as a number of the owner's drivers I talk to work on closer to a 1/1 system with that being 1 day home for 1 week out. I think you'll find it difficult to locate an owner willing to have his truck idle for 1/4 of the time. I would ask for perhaps 3 weeks out and 5 days home or 4 weeks out and 1 week home. Both are still a stretch on the home time but more likely than getting 25% home time.

I can't think of anything else at this point. I'm sure others will contribute and add to this as well. Good luck to you.

Leo
truck 4958

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