Got that first load delivered. Here are the numbers for those who are interested

[Tobin S.]

I had a lot of expenses before and on my first trip and they are all included here. I also started out with empty fuel tanks. So I didn't do very well on my first trip despite a good mileage rate. Here are the figures:

Total revenue: $2157.60
Fuel: $1063.59
Scale: $9.00
Truck wash: $25.00
Maintenance: $559.70
Miscellaneous: $348.76

So $2006.05 in expenses on the first trip means a net of $151.55. Not exactly breaking the bank, but I won't have a lot of those expenses on every run. I've got about 150 gallons of fuel in the tanks, so I can run a good ways on my next trip without having to fuel up. On average, my maintenance costs will be about 10 cents per mile so you can cut off about $400 there. And under miscellaneous I bought a cb ($106), a refrigerated cooler ($95), a load lock ($42), a truck stop guide ($15), and several other things that I won't have to buy again for a long time. So actually, my net for such a run will be closer to $1100 before taxes in the future. Including deadhead, I ran 1510 miles on this run over the course of 3.5 days. I also may be getting some detention pay for those 11 hours I spent at the Walmart distribution center, but I don't know if our operations manager will be able to swing it, so I'm not counting on it.

My next load should give a more accurate picture. Looks like I'll be heading out to the bay area in NoCal, but I won't know for sure for another couple of hours. I'm hoping I get to go out there. It's been a while since I've seen the western 2/3 of the country.

[flvegan]

1. I'm telling you, one 1977 Trans Am in black and I'm your man.

I kid. Looks like you're well on your way to some good prosperity. Remember, it takes money to make money, so these hard costs initially will pay off tenfold in the future.

I wish you a ton of luck.

[Tobin S.]

2. Man, I'll have to turn up my truck if we're going to do that

Right now all I can do is 80. But I do believe this old cornbinder can be turned into a triple digit truck with the help of the good folks at Cummins.

Actually, 80 is pretty scary in one of these things, let alone 100+. My steers are only rated at 75mph. :scared:

Thanks for the well wishes. :thumbsup:

[jmowreader]

7. If you REALLY want to haul ass, forget Cummins...

You have an ISX in that thing, right? Well, visit http://www.pittsburghpower.com and let Bruce's crew improve your rig.

And since it's yours, go see either Bruce or Four State Trucks anyway, and get yourself a performance muffler. It'll give you half a mile per gallon more mileage. It'll be a bit pricey--you've got a 2007 as I remember, which means you've got a DPF hence you need a DPF-rated muffler. (DPFs heat up like crazy.)

[Tobin S.]

9. Is a DPF one of those partical filter deals?

If so, I don't have one. The truck was manufactured in 2006.

I really don't need more speed, but I would like to have more horsies for pulling hills. Yeah, it's an ISX rated at 435 hp. They say it can go to 500 hp.

[jmowreader]

22. It'll go higher than that

http://www.pittsburghpower.com/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=4&products_id=109&osCsid=1ea6621aa6b5602f42199a5e8ce99cad

Bruce claims he's getting "up to 220hp" more out of that engine just by changing the ECM. And yes, you are VERY lucky to not have a DPF--for some strange fucking reason a hell of a lot of Pilots still don't sell ULSD, which you must burn in a truck with a DPF.

But you're damn straight about the hills with that engine. I had to pull a load of Bud Light from Syracuse to Lynchburg, VA--which means you get to go through West Virginia, and if you've only got 435hp you're going through West Virginia at 20mph.

500hp would be just about right.

[Tobin S.]

25. hahahahahahaha!

My first truck was a cabover, spring ride suspension, 330 horse motor, no jake, and I took that bastard everywhere. :D Yes, in fact, I was crazy. :crazy:

[jmowreader]

29. No jake? Yes, you were crazy!

[Flaxbee]

3. Sounds like you're off to a good start, Tobin!

I really have always been curious what trucking earns, what the costs are, etc. Where do you sleep on runs like this? Are you supposed to stop at a truck stop? Rest stop? How long are you allowed to drive in a given day?

:hi:

[Tobin S.]

5. I bed down wherever I can find a spot

Truck stops, rest areas, terminals, customers, and preferably some place with access to a toilet.

The laws governing truckers' hours of service are complicated to the uninitiated, but basically after I come on duty I have a 14 hour window in which I can drive a maximum of 11 hours. Once the 11 hours driving or the 14 hour window are up I have to take a 10 hour break before I can drive again.

[handmade34]

4. you deserve a hug

for reminding me of a dear friend who did just what you are doing. He used to come visit me in his big truck when he was in the area. I miss him.

[Tobin S.]

6. Here's a virtual hug

:hug: ;)

[Capn Sunshine]

8. that's a big 10-4 good buddy

I used to run with truckers back in the day, had a CB and a motorhome the size of a bus that ran on diesel. Never really got rid of the travellin' jones. In my motorhome I was eye to eye with most trucks as I sat in the same cab position.

You guys must get a kick out of all the giant motorhome drivers who think they are truckers, huh.

[Tobin S.]

10. I never really talked much to the motorhome folks

Nothing against them, I just never had the opportunity. I find that they usually know how to handle their vehicles well just by watching them drive.

[A HERETIC I AM]

27. Not to be a downer or anything, but ...

the term "Good Buddy" is seen as a pejorative in the trucking community.

Ever since that movie "Convoy" with Kris Kristofferson in 1978, and the boom in CB usage by "4 wheelers" and their subsequent over use of that term, it has morphed into an insult phrase, with the connotation of being a homosexual.

Keep in mind that the American Trucker, as a general rule, lives in a relatively separate culture. With present company excluded (Tobin and the other DU truckers, of which I am one with 20 years driving OTR) Saying "10-4 good buddy" or saying "good buddy" to a trucker is essentially calling him a homosexual, and the American Trucking population is pretty Homophobic.

Just a heads up. A lot of the CB "lingo" and protocol that used to be commonplace has gone by the wayside.

Here's an example;

It used to be if you wanted to find out if there were any cops ahead of you, the conversation would go something like this:

Me) "Break One-Nine"
Other Driver (OD) "Go ahead Breaker"
Me) "'Preciate the break. How 'bout ya Southbound, got a copy? (Or "got your ears on? or something similar)

OD) "Ya got a Southbound, go ahead."
Me) "'preciate the comeback, Southbound, how's it lookin' over your shoulder?" (or "how's it lookin' where ya been? or something similar)
OD) Ya got a Diesel bear workin the coops at the 175 yardstick and one shootin ya in the gashole at the 192" (Translation, a "Diesel Bear workin the coops" also known as a "creeper cop" is a DOT officer, doing inspections at the weigh stattion, known as the "chicken coops". "Shooting you in the gashole" means he is shooting radar as you pass, so his radar is hitting the back side of the truck.


Again, that was then. This is now;

Me) "Hey Southbound, where' the cops at?"

None of the break 19 stuff anymore. None of the politeness. Just get to the point. I got to where I didn't even turn my CB on unless I wanted to know the reason the traffic was stopped because the conversation and nonsense just got out of hand, particularly around exits where there are several truck stops. At the very most, I would turn it on long enough to find out roughly where the cops were working and then shut it off. I got to the point of never running more than about 5 over the limit anyway, so I didn't really care where the cops were. Keep in mind I first started driving tractor trailers the year "Convoy" came out and got my first OTR gig in 1987 (the year the national 55 MPH limit was repealed). Times have changed.

It ain't like it used to be.

[Gormy Cuss]

11. You had money in your pocket after the first run? That's a great start!

If you get that load for NorCal, pack some long sleeved shirts and a good jacket. It's really cool on the coast.

[Tobin S.]

12. CHANGE IN PLANS

I'm going to Pheonix. Not a bad run, but I'll likely have to take a cheap brokered load over to southern California to get something decent coming back east.

[elleng]

15. Phoenix from where?

(Want to imagine your trip!)

Where do you 'get' your loads/business? That is, how do you find loads?

[Tobin S.]

16. I'm in Dallas, Texas

I have leased my truck to a company that will be providing most of my loads. Every once in a while I'll get in a spot where they won't have anything. Then I'll have to try to get a load from a freight broker.

[Ikonoklast]

20. Will they search for you, or can you look for yourself?

We use Internet Truckstop for our subscription service, but there are quite a few decent free loadboards you can search for freight, and get some loads before they hit the for-pay services.

Some of the free ones I use:

http://www.rmxglobal.com/
http://www.mynla.com/viewopenorders.cfm
http://www.landstarbroker.com/
http://www.stevenstransporttl.com/

...and last and usually the least money, good 'ol 'Cheap and Heavy' Robinson...
https://www.chrwtrucks.com/default.aspx

...although you can actually squeeze good money out of them when they get into a pinch.


You can easily sign up for these on-line, with just an e-mail addy.


Good luck, Driver. I'm going back out tomorrow.




Oh, and see the Diesel Doctor in Effingham, IL. He can turn up your truck for cheap $$$ compared to Cummins.

[Tobin S.]

23. Thanks for the links and the Diesel Doctor

I can look for a load myself and negotiate a deal, from there it's out of my hands.

[Odin2005]

13. Congrats!

[elleng]

14. Knock on wood, Tobin S!

:thumbsup:

[Arctic Dave]

17. Truckers. The blood cells of the nation.

[MiddleFingerMom]

18. You had a net return on your FIRST run!?!?!?!?

.
To me... that sounds amazing!!!
.
.
The numbers look GREAT!!! How do you feel? Drained? Tired? Energized
and ready for more?
.
.
Do kids still beg you to pull your air horn? Does that give YOU a big
kick seeing what a big kick you're giving them?
.
My parents LOVED you guys for doing that on our long trips. We were
much less cranky and much less often was heard the oft-repeated, "Now,
MiddleFingerMom... give your sister back her head, that's a good dear."
.
OK... the truth is that my sister, much like Skittles, was capable of
kicking much MiddleFingerMom ass 24/7. So, I'll 'fess up and say it was
REALLY, "Now, MiddleFingerMomSis, give your brother back his head and
make sure that blood doesn't get on the upholstery, that's a good dear."
.
Not much fazed MiddleFingerMomMom -- I guess you HAD to be that way with
three boys and an asskicking girl.
.
.
Keep the good stories coming. I think the VAST majority of people who've
seen what you're doing are fascinated -- AND pulling for you in a big
way.
.
.
Get enough sleep, my friend -- you know better than I, but lack of sleep
is probably your WORST enemy out there on the road.
.
.
GREAT to hear such uplifting news from you.
.

[Tobin S.]

19. Answers for MFM

I feel good and so far I am very happy with my decision to do this. So, yes, I'm ready to roll.

Yeah, I still pull the horn for the young-uns. My horn is kind of wimpy, though. They don't make them like they used to.

I'm glad you are enjoying these threads and I'll be sure to get enouggh rest out here. I'm not a cowboy. I only have one log book and it's always legal. If I'm feeling tired and a 24 oz MegaGulp of coffee won't wake me up, I turn in for the day. The strongest drug I use is caffeine.

[kimi]

21. Glad to hear you're doing good and happy with your vocation

And looking forward to your stories. You really do have a way with words, you know. It all flows from there.

Best of luck. There are lots of folks pulling for ya. Take care and be safe!

[Auggie]

24. Thanks for the update

Very interesting (really)

[lost-in-nj]

26. YEAH Tobin!!!

if you ever find yourself in northern New Jersey let me know and I will cook you a meal!!!!

and I have a shower and a toilet.. :-)

truck rules are in affect for a bridge but there is a LaQuinta close enough that I could pick you up!


lost

[In_The_Wind]

28. Good luck on getting any dentition pay from Wally World.

Detention pay seems to have evaporated out here.

We spent several hours in Tibido, Louisiana waiting for a bucket truck to lift low hanging wires when I was escorting a load for Machinery Transport out of Henderson Texas. The truck driver signed my bill for 5 hours of detention pay but it never showed up in my check. That same company also miscalculated the date they needed me but I also didn't get paid for the No Go. I was 240 miles into my trip to meet 'em when I got a phone call to go back home.:mad: Lost wages, time and gas money.

I'll be escorting energy storage tanks within the next few weeks. :D



Happy trucking!