I am currently driving a sprinter van as an employee making $.246 per mile and $8.88 per stop. The pay seems low although I do get to stay in a hotel rather than sleeping in the van. I would like to move on to more of an O/O position where I can decide where I want to run and when. Making the most money possible isn't my priority, I want to have the freedom to run where I want when I want. What is the best option for that? Do I sign with a major carrier, get my own MC and use a broker,...?
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danthewolf00
Veteran Expediter
Owner operators always get paid better.
And get to decide where they go.
And get to decide where they go.
How many miles are you averaging per week? That's pretty gravy if they are putting you up every night. As an owner operator you'll have to sleep in the van. You'll be gutted financially if you try to find a room every night. Then you got to figure out how you're going to stay cool in the summertime and warm in the winter time. Can't idle your van because that'll wear on your engine.
There are many threads on what you need to do to become a owner operator. You should probably check some of those out. Becoming an owner operator does give you more freedom, and you will make more money, however you have increased responsibilities. If you're going to get into this as an owner operator you should have at least 10 to 15 grand of expendable capital, after you buy a van and outfit it. You need to be ready to pay for unexpected issues and maintenance. Right now vehicles are quite expensive. If you do buy van buy a lightly used one instead of a brand new one. It will help you save money.
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My most common run is around 500 miles with a pick up and delivery then stay the night in a hotel after delivery. Then drive back empty 500 miles to the terminal the next day. Sometimes I do local work. I get paid $13.41/hr if I work within 100 miles of the terminal. The good thing about this place is I almost never sit unless i'm in a hotel room between long driving days. They say they make enough money for me to drive back empty after every load. That is why I was thinking I could go out on my own and make much better money. I haven't gotten one yet but there are people who go from WIsconsin to California and drive back empty at the same mileage rate. I guess I may not have it too bad I just wish I had more control over where I went and when.
danthewolf00
Veteran Expediter
I say your making out with just the hotel room as long as your not paying for it....beats sleeping in a super hot or cold van anytime.
Ok, so rounded off it's roughly $125 plus $18 for 2 stops, $140 or a bit more for a day. Are you paid the same $125 for driving back? As an O/O you will sometimes have a 500-600 mile day followed by a 400-500 mile day, so much better. Other times you'll have a 500 mile day followed by 4 or 5 days sitting waiting Friday through Monday or Tuesday on the next run. And unless you spend all the money you made on that last run it won't be in a hotel room. If you get $125 a day for the two days of the job plus the motel overnight it's probably about as good as it's going to get.
The hotel is mostly covered by the company. They want us to average under $85/night and anything over $100 we have the cover the difference. I'm usually only out 2-3 nights a week and slee at home the rest. Most has been 4 nights at one time and 5 nights in one week.
danthewolf00
Veteran Expediter
Expedite is a roller coaster and not a simple driving job like trucking.
When you own the truck your Cost Per Mile (CPM) becomes a major factor in both the loads you accept and your deadhead miles. The CPM includes everything from truck payment to maintenance and repair to tires to insurance and truck washes. It's a lot more than just fuel.
If your CPM is 45 cents per mile, which is in the ballpark if you don't have a truck payment, then that 500 mile deadhead to chase freight is a $225 expense.
The Rule of Thirds tells you that if you drive 1500 loaded miles in a week at $1 a mile, your take-home pay will be roughly $500. Do you really want to spend $225 of that on headheading home, or would it be better to sit and wait on a load that pays you to move?
That's owner/operator expediting.
If your CPM is 45 cents per mile, which is in the ballpark if you don't have a truck payment, then that 500 mile deadhead to chase freight is a $225 expense.
The Rule of Thirds tells you that if you drive 1500 loaded miles in a week at $1 a mile, your take-home pay will be roughly $500. Do you really want to spend $225 of that on headheading home, or would it be better to sit and wait on a load that pays you to move?
That's owner/operator expediting.
What companies are paying loaded miles for empty returns? In my experience if you want money for travel on the back end you have to request it as a bonus or you have to get some crazy rate per mile.
That's actually not bad because you're almost local if you think about it, plus they're putting you up in a hotel room every night which is not cheap by any means.
If you go owner operator you will learn very quickly that you don't take runs to California or the West Coast unless you are getting an insane amount of money to do so which right now as far as I know the market isn't at that point. One reason that I would bid things going to bad places at a stupid rate so they wouldn't give it to me or if they were desperate enough I would get paid well.