What's your long term plan?

Have you considered how much you would spend on gas for your car if you were working a 9 to 5 job at home? When you drive a truck you are not commuting to work everyday, and filling the gas tank once or twice a week.

That costs a chunk of change.
Out of 40/50k per mth I pay between 15/16k per mth for fuel, then there is the 30% company tax on top of that as well. Fuel over here in Aus is about $1.50 p/ltr, I haven`t added wages or maintenance yet either.:( I pull a side tipper carting rock.
 
Out of 40/50k per mth I pay between 15/16k per mth for fuel, then there is the 30% company tax on top of that as well. Fuel over here in Aus is about $1.50 p/ltr, I haven`t added wages or maintenance yet either.:( I pull a side tipper carting rock.

Sure. But you are an owner operator.

We are company drivers, (Sinister and I) so we don't pay for fuel and maintenance.

Even so, as an owner operator, the fuel and maintenance is part of the gross operating expenses, and after the operating monies are deducted what is left is net income. And as an owner operator you don't have any real commuting costs to speak of. When you return to your home terminal, you drive your personal vehicle home, and then back to the terminal when it is time to go on another run. (unless you take your rig to your home, then you might be able to roll your commuting costs into the gross operating expenses).
 
only paid 40 a year.

There's the thing. A job that has big responsibility, and requires certain experience, and they don't want to pay a fair price for it. And I bet that was a salary too. You wind up putting in way more hours than you get paid for.

**** that ****.
 
I plan to drive until about May 20th, 2014. After that, my youngest will be 18 and child support will end. Once that happens I can afford to take the pay cut that comes with getting out of the truck and working in the office at Dot. Once I'm home every night I need about a year of taking classes in the evening to finish my degree in business administration. Once that's complete I'll move up to a management position at Dot. I'll retire at 65 years old and go back to my first love, working part time as a paramedic until I can't or don't feel like doing it any more.

Or I'll have a heart attack and be dead before 50. One of those two.
 
I left my profession because the government forced me to pay my competitors not to compete. I chose this because it met the requirements of hard currency I need to interact with society at the level I wish. I will stay until that is no longer the case.
 
Plan A - Grow my cabinet parts business and eventually park my truck.

Economy crashed. Sales stopped. Freight slowed. Engine blew. Trailer broke in half.


Plan B - Finally got a good job. Things are looking up.

Four months ago my wife learned she has cancer; again. No insurance; again


Plan C -:dunno:
 
I've been doing this for nearly 20 years and I keep thinking things will get better but they never. Its even worse for O/O I think. I was hoping drivers would be getting smarter but that isn't happening either. I've been working part time starting a second business. When I have enough customers to take it full time I'm outta here.
 
I left my profession because the government forced me to pay my competitors not to compete. I chose this because it met the requirements of hard currency I need to interact with society at the level I wish. I will stay until that is no longer the case.

The government does the same thing in trucking. When they give money to big trucking companies to train drivers its basically a subsidy. This basically allows those companies to keep their rates low. Your taxes pay for it. So in effect your paying for your competitors to keep their rates low and put YOU out of business.
 
There's the thing. A job that has big responsibility, and requires certain experience, and they don't want to pay a fair price for it. And I bet that was a salary too. You wind up putting in way more hours than you get paid for.

**** that ****.

You forgot to mention working in one of the most dangerous professions. Being away from home and family for extended periods should also bump your salary; as well as professional licensing and constant government scrutiny.
 
Have you considered how much you would spend on gas for your car if you were working a 9 to 5 job at home? When you drive a truck you are not commuting to work everyday, and filling the gas tank once or twice a week.

That costs a chunk of change.

I live 150 mils plus from the terminal so I don't think I save much on gas. Also, being out on the road has other expenses associated with it. Being a truck driver isn't cheap.
 
You forgot to mention working in one of the most dangerous professions. Being away from home and family for extended periods should also bump your salary; as well as professional licensing and constant government scrutiny.

Went without saying.

And in my previous life I worked in a dangerous environment, paid for professional licensing and endured constant government scrutiny.

For me nothing changed except the scenery and the commute.
 
Plan A - Grow my cabinet parts business and eventually park my truck.

Economy crashed. Sales stopped. Freight slowed. Engine blew. Trailer broke in half.


Plan B - Finally got a good job. Things are looking up.

Four months ago my wife learned she has cancer; again. No insurance; again


Plan C -:dunno:
Hope everything works out for you and your wife
 
My long term plan is to run with my new promotion.

I was promoted to Transportation Supervisor on Friday. I will be hanging up my keys for a keyboard and routing screen. I'm sure I will miss the road but with Old Man Winter around the corner, my guess is I will manage.
 
The government does the same thing in trucking. When they give money to big trucking companies to train drivers its basically a subsidy. This basically allows those companies to keep their rates low. Your taxes pay for it. So in effect your paying for your competitors to keep their rates low and put YOU out of business.

You'll get no argument from me that all student loans,grants, programs, funding should immediately cease. But the programs you speak of can just as easily be used for welders, mechanics, crane operators.......I understand your point and usually advise new drivers if they are gonna take that route to use local community colleges and technical centers so at least the money is poured back into their local economy.

What I was reffering to was money taken directly out of my sales to pay other producers to slaughter their herds when they wrre so far behind the curve in animal husbandry, nutrition advancements, equipment, land use and rotation they were failing anyways.I could have stayed I chose not to, nor did I participate in the program that precipitated my leaving.
 
Well, Big Yellow Pete, after 27 Yrs. I'm still cruising through my long term plan and even if I were to win the lottery I will still Truck... just in a different way then now(coming and going as I please), in a 132 inch, 2007/379 with an 18 Spd., 600 CAT and a brand new 389/18 Spd., 600 CAT (this one would be legal for the Republic of Calif., so I can visit family there and not get fined trying to do so). Painted in the USA flag...fenders,hood,cab and the back of the sleeper is a painting of Jesus.
 

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