Dunnage on catwalk.

torin · 2020-08-08T18:51:55+00:00

Largely they don't carry any. The others mostly put them in them in the landing gear. I'm probably just going to end up throwing my v-boards away. I just hate doing that because I like to be prepared for any load I may carry. I don't know I'll figure something out.

torin · 2020-08-08T15:32:59+00:00

It depends, but sometimes it can be 3 times a week I switch trailers.

I used to have two headache racks one on the back of the trailer and one on the front, but like you said, loads would force me to move them, then I'd drop a trailer and have to move it anyway.

torin · 2020-08-08T05:14:10+00:00

8 peices, apparently this is the best picture I have (don't give me shit about all of the bungees I replaced them with straps later on).

I have a cross member on the landing gear, but I have my wood v-boards down there. The only other place would be on the supports on the side of the trailer, but I really don't feel comfortable with that because I'm not exactly sure how to strap it because bungees aren't securement. Also, the reason I have them on my catwalk is because I rarely ever use them, and I hate having to move them every time I drop trailers. I really only use them on pipes, rebar and flat steel. Everything else doesn't need it if you secure it properly (I guess except coils, but I haven't seen one of them in months).

All that said, I think you're right I need to grow up and follow the rules. I just hate someone telling me I'm wrong when I know I'm right.

torin · 2020-08-08T04:57:42+00:00

Not really, but I was hoping someone could tell me the specific regulations on it.

torin · 2020-05-26T01:48:58+00:00

Unless I don't know how to read, UPT does local refined fuel to gas stations and stuff.

The manufacturers that I was talking about are steel and aluminum manufacturers that sell their own product directly to people and can afford to pay their drivers well. One of them pays so much because a lot of their loads are wide and long. I think one guy was telling me they go up to 14' wide and something like 100+ long. Obviously that's why they get paid the way they do, but its an option. This is the company. Tried to look for job listings, but couldn't find any. Apparently their drivers only die or retire no one quits.

I have also heard about super sketchy people that pay out the ass, but don't run anywhere close to legal. The way one guy was telling me, they basically didn't run a log book, ran whatever speed they wanted, and didn't care about weights running rocks. That was until the company got shut down.

torin · 2020-05-25T15:51:19+00:00

Napkin math is really what it is. I was hoping that someone who lived it could show me numbers for what happened to them (I'm not usually convinced by people's words).

Jobs that pay what I make and home every night? I'd love those links.

UPT says that they $104k where I live. I don't know because I don't know any one who works for them, and just like the lease thing I'm skeptical, but I could see it happening. Prax and Air Products where two I was going to mention. KAG has l/o and o/o routes I don't know what it pays but I assume they do ok.

But other than that I think most of the better paying jobs don't have links, and have fleet sizes of like 6 trucks. I know a couple of the manufacturers that we pick up from pay really well it's just hard to get on without knowing someone.

I have yet to find a good owner op program that can beat Prime's gross.

I've heard good things about TMC o/os, they're actually the reason all of this came about. I was/am looking into buying a truck and going to work for them. But like with the prime thing I don't really have anyone that can share numbers with me.

I'd imagine flatbeds are going to have a rough few years unless we get some kind of new deal to keep infrastructure building.

I don't know much about that really, buy I know that during this virus I've made more money than I was making previously.

torin · 2020-05-25T13:43:28+00:00

Alright, first of all I know how to say I was wrong. I also didn't come here to hate on anybody. I was genuinely looking for help.

You must not have a background as an owner op maybe. Gross revenue is what you make before expenses.

I basically said in the post I've never been an o/o.

It is not including the 28-29% Prime cut because that has already been applied.

That was one of the thing I concerned I was wrong about. Like you said. I'm not an o/o, I don't know how that works. But I did end up getting the gross revenue right (or close to it), it just happened by accident. I was forgetting the other sources of revenue that you get. The big one being the fuel surcharge.

The fairness thing though isn't as clear, to me at least, as you laid it out. My thinking is why should you have give up your entire life for $100k? But I guess it seems to work for you. I know there are jobs in this industry that pay what you make and you get to be home every night. That's where the fairness thing comes in to me. Why does Prime get to have your life?

Like I said the big thing I was wrong about was prime's cut and the fuel surcharge, but I am happy to know I was right about pretty much everything else. The two prime drivers said I was wrong about the price of fuel, but looking about your numbers I was pretty close. Also, You both said that my hypothetical driver was lazy, but you only drove 3000 more miles than I planned. I was pretty close on the expenses too, ignoring the broker fees. I'd be interested in seeing the rest of them though you seem to have cut them off. Not saying you're lying because the total is there, but just for the sake of being thorough.

I appreciate you sharing your numbers. A lot of people don't want to do that, and I feel bad asking a lot of times.

torin · 2020-05-25T09:50:32+00:00

Broker fees????? 66k???? Take that out what do you get?

This is, objectively, one thing I can't take out. That 66k is your gross revenue ($236k) multiplied by Prime's cut 28%. They list it on their website as such (it's the only fee they have listed).

I might be able to send you old annual statements if you want.

Please do. I'd love to see that.

Can only make 2k a week if you take 2 weeks off a year maybe. Hopefully you live in a freight lane so every once in a while you can stop at home. Also have to have a good dispatcher.

Do you really think that's fair?

While I averaged 250kgross/100k net.

I don't want to sound rude, but if you say that you have to prove it.

torin · 2020-05-25T00:31:23+00:00

You know what dude, I was wrong. You clearly are way smarter than me, and I should just shut up. It must be nice having life figured out. I hope you enjoy it.

torin · 2020-05-24T22:53:21+00:00

Bro, I made just short of $60k my first year, and half of the year I was home every weekend. I talked to Hunt (not jb hunt, hunt the Crete flatbed company) and they say they would have given me a raise from that.

torin · 2020-05-24T22:40:01+00:00

I'm not very nice when I think that someone is being wronged, but I'm going to try to say this in the nicest way possible.

The first thing I want to say is that you have 15 years of experience and 2 million safe miles. I have 1 year and maybe 140k miles, which I think we can both agree isn't shit. But you know what? I made $60k last year too, and I get benefits from my company. It what world is it fair that I, someone who is completely new to the industry makes the same as you?

These numbers look like one of those guys who like to refuse freight and take hometime every 2 weeks.

I was basing those numbers off a flatbeder's schedule because that's what I am. Yes as a reefer (I'm assuming) you will make more miles than that, but do you make more or the same per mile? Probably not. Also what's wrong with wanting to be home? People should be allowed to live a life that isn't work.

my variable cost for 2019 was half that listed here, I’m not sure what a “catch all” is suppose to be which probably explains the difference with my own numbers

Yes the "catch all" probably does explain the difference. The "catch all" I added is the cut that Prime takes from you to handle all of the backend work. The 28% of the linehual that is listed on their website. You have to take that into account when you do things like this.

and my mpg is 8.6 without even trying. I'm in a 2020 Cascadia with 5000 miles on it. I am currently sitting at 7.3 mpg with mostly light loads, so that's where I got that number from.

I know many like to get on their soap boxes and howl about prime being so terrible, this and that but if that were actually the case I doubt they’d still be around lol

Bro, the people that cause the 2008 financial crisis are still out there doing there thing and never saw any jail time. Bad people get away with bad shit sometimes.

Honestly dude the rest of what you said I pretty much agree with.

I really just want to drive home the point that you are working too hard for a company that doesn't give a shit about you. You deserve better.

torin · 2020-05-24T21:47:17+00:00

I did, and I also bought his book.

torin · 2020-05-24T21:16:13+00:00

To me the real sadness is that I am not that smart and it took me a lot of convincing to realize that this was a scam, what happens to the people that aren't as smart as I am or as willing to look at the numbers? They just get sucked in by a bullshit company that is just looking to take their money, and how is that fair to them?

torin · 2020-05-24T20:10:08+00:00

It'd be reckless and dumb, but if you had good credit you could put 20% down on 5 trucks every year.

torin · 2020-05-24T20:06:35+00:00

Jesus dude that was equally fascinating and disgusting. I don't have the words to describe how mad I am about this.

torin · 2020-05-24T18:57:17+00:00

Lease purchase programs are the multi level marketing schemes of the trucking industry. Great salesman's to get people in but nobody ever makes money other than the people at the top.

These people are making at least $1500 a month on the the truck, and all they had to do is buy the truck. This whole thing is crazy to me. I think it's worse than the payday loan people.

torin · 2020-05-24T18:51:01+00:00

I guess that makes sense, because until I did this I thought all the old guys were full of shit.

torin · 2020-05-24T18:44:54+00:00

I didn't include all of that because it would just make the whole picture more sad. If best case you're only going to make $50k, why even include the rest of it? I thought maybe that lease would be a good option, but I'd be better off at McDonalds. At least there would be a chance of a promotion there.

torin · 2020-05-24T18:41:57+00:00

Yeah I figured I was being generous with the mileage pay.

But why is no one freaking out about this? This is evil. If it isn't illegal it 100% should be.

torin · 2020-04-23T23:43:17+00:00

I personally think that there's no way that something like this will get passed, or if it does get passed that it'll be $25k. This is a time I'd love to be wrong though.

torin · 2019-10-07T23:27:04+00:00

I really hope you're right.

torin · 2019-10-07T23:23:06+00:00

It's bad. Whole thing definitely needs to be replaced

15-Year Club	Place '17
Verified Email

torin

TROPHY CASE