Thursday, March 19, 2015

Drive Less, Make More

This week in Shipshewana when we were getting the truck worked on, we met a guy at the shop who drives team with his wife.  They run 6,000 miles a week.

What the WHAT???  Six thousand miles???  

Last year we ran 100,000 miles.  I can't even imagine doing more than 2,300 to 2,500 in a week, and if Ed even suggested a 6,000 mile run I'd stomp my feet, cry, and probably refuse to drive.  I can count on one hand how many times, in almost eleven years, Ed and I have driven anywhere close to 6,000 miles in one week.

Here's my advice for you in two sentences:

Don't try to get more miles on a run.  Know what your operating cost per mile is, and negotiate to get a higher rate per mile.

That's it.  Drive less, make more.

Gotta run!
 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2014: While You Were Sleeping
2013: Between Brattleboro And Bennington
2012: Man At Work
2011: Under A Rock
2010: Practicing For Retirement
2009: Truckers Are So Sensitive
2008: Light Sweet Crude
2007: A Antiquing Conundrum
2006: How Can You Not Love This Face?
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

5 comments:

Gil said...

Hi! 6,000 miles a week! Isn't that like a round trip from coast to coast in a week? Definitely crazy! Killing yourselves and equipment. I'll be back hounding you on a regular basis soon.

Belledog said...

Sounds like a plan.

With pie breaks. And good coffee.

heather said...

Maybe things are a bit different now, and I ran a reefer unit so things had to move a bit faster, but I regularly ran 3000 miles a week when I drove. All on my own. That was over 15 years ago, there was no internet to find loads etc... I was leased and checked out load boards and worked with brokers. I tried running team on a flatbed and lasted a month. I couldn't lift the tarps as they weighed almost as much as I did (LOL - at the time). When I bought my own truck and trailer I got into refrigerated and had to keep moving. I have to say, running by myself didn't give me the luxury of playing "professional tourist" as much as you two get to do. I love reading about all of the things you get to see and stops you make!

Marlaina said...

Is the 6,000 mile team an Owner Operator operation or employee drivers? The sad fact for the employed driver is that they are paid by the mile. The Owner Operators has more profit centers. Drive slower, save money on fuel, bank the difference, use OPS filter, save money on oil changes, etc.

We regularly ran 5,000 miles a week for 18 months as a company driver, then pulling expedited air freight, so glad we found a better way.

The Daily Rant said...

GIL: It is a coast to coast roundtrip. I hate it. Thankfully, we rarely do that. Very rarely.

BELLEDOG: Lots of coffee and pie!

HEATHER: I couldn't imagine doing this on my own. And without the internet? OMG. I'd die. Driving as a team does make covering ground a lot easier and being owner-operators helps with being able to be "tourists". Thanks for taking the time to read AND leave a comment!

MARLAINA: It was an owner-operator team. To that, I have to say "Why??" Of course the employed driver has no choice - and they only care about miles - but you're right, as an O/O you can certainly do all of the things you said and more to increase profit. I'm so glad I found Ed. LOL