Comments on: Inside Trucking Part 2: Understanding Company Expenses http://www.truckingtruth.com/trucking_blogs/rjensen1918/2010/01/inside-trucking-part-2-understanding-company-expenses Helping Those Who Are Considering A Career In The Truck Driving Industry Sat, 21 Jan 2012 16:48:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: Rhonda http://www.truckingtruth.com/trucking_blogs/rjensen1918/2010/01/inside-trucking-part-2-understanding-company-expenses/comment-page-1#comment-1453 Rhonda Tue, 12 Jan 2010 11:44:16 +0000 http://www.truckingtruth.com/trucking_blogs/?p=2205#comment-1453 I wanted to show how much it costs your employer in fuel as the amounts you may guess will be too low. Mine were. Once I moved into the office and became Safety Director, one of my duties was checking the fuel report against the fuel stop of the logs the drivers turned in. BET YOU DIDN'T KNOW THAT WAS POSSIBLE!!!! Oh yeah, that was interesting. You sign in to your fuel stop--PILOT---TA--FLYING J or whatever with your password and other company info and the cards assigned to the driver and there in front of you is driver, fuel purchased and THE TIME. Your time better match the logs too. This is where the total amount of dollars spent that day/month was brought to my attention. It really is one of the top costs for your employer and you can control it. Flat tires on Super Singles I am not sure except for what I have read on it. Flat off the rim like some get, I'm not sure you can drive it. The tires are to be made "stronger" than the other tires. And the Super Singles I have seen have the air line to the tire with a sensor somewhere in there that does keep the tire inflated to where you should be able to drive to nearest shop. Or to a safer place to park. Will have to check into this. I wanted to show how much it costs your employer in fuel as the amounts you may guess will be too low. Mine were. Once I moved into the office and became Safety Director, one of my duties was checking the fuel report against the fuel stop of the logs the drivers turned in. BET YOU DIDN’T KNOW THAT WAS POSSIBLE!!!!

Oh yeah, that was interesting. You sign in to your fuel stop–PILOT—TA–FLYING J or whatever with your password and other company info and the cards assigned to the driver and there in front of you is driver, fuel purchased and THE TIME. Your time better match the logs too. This is where the total amount of dollars spent that day/month was brought to my attention. It really is one of the top costs for your employer and you can control it.

Flat tires on Super Singles I am not sure except for what I have read on it. Flat off the rim like some get, I’m not sure you can drive it. The tires are to be made “stronger” than the other tires. And the Super Singles I have seen have the air line to the tire with a sensor somewhere in there that does keep the tire inflated to where you should be able to drive to nearest shop. Or to a safer place to park. Will have to check into this.

]]> By: Ike Kendrick http://www.truckingtruth.com/trucking_blogs/rjensen1918/2010/01/inside-trucking-part-2-understanding-company-expenses/comment-page-1#comment-1451 Ike Kendrick Tue, 12 Jan 2010 03:28:20 +0000 http://www.truckingtruth.com/trucking_blogs/?p=2205#comment-1451 Great post. Numbers don't lie and those were some staggering tallies. Great post. Numbers don’t lie and those were some staggering tallies.

]]> By: Rob http://www.truckingtruth.com/trucking_blogs/rjensen1918/2010/01/inside-trucking-part-2-understanding-company-expenses/comment-page-1#comment-1450 Rob Tue, 12 Jan 2010 03:04:53 +0000 http://www.truckingtruth.com/trucking_blogs/?p=2205#comment-1450 I agree that all drivers should watch their MPG. I work for a company where it is mandatory i reach a certain MPG every month, and I am sure they save a ton of money by doing this. I have met or exceeded it every month and am happy to do so. I am just happy that it is an average for the month so that I can get high ones with light loads on flat land and they will offset the low ones with heavy loads in the hills. One question I do have for you though is the super singles- I see them on a lot of trucks and trailers and wondered about them. If you get a flat, wouldn't it massively change the weight distribution on the rest of the tires because it would be almost like getting a flat in side by side tires with tandems? with standard tires if you get a flat you can still run it to get somewhere to get it fixed, but wonder if this would be a bad idea with super singles. Than you would have the road side assistant charge to add to tire replacement, because they have to come to you when you get a flat. Is this true or can you run with one flat? It will work itself out eventually, because if they are a greater benefit, than every truck in America will have them. Just like Automatic transmissions. When they figure out how to make better MPG with automatics, every truck will have it. i have never ran them and so do not know the benefits but I am sure I will one day. Thanks I agree that all drivers should watch their MPG. I work for a company where it is mandatory i reach a certain MPG every month, and I am sure they save a ton of money by doing this. I have met or exceeded it every month and am happy to do so. I am just happy that it is an average for the month so that I can get high ones with light loads on flat land and they will offset the low ones with heavy loads in the hills. One question I do have for you though is the super singles- I see them on a lot of trucks and trailers and wondered about them. If you get a flat, wouldn’t it massively change the weight distribution on the rest of the tires because it would be almost like getting a flat in side by side tires with tandems? with standard tires if you get a flat you can still run it to get somewhere to get it fixed, but wonder if this would be a bad idea with super singles. Than you would have the road side assistant charge to add to tire replacement, because they have to come to you when you get a flat. Is this true or can you run with one flat? It will work itself out eventually, because if they are a greater benefit, than every truck in America will have them. Just like Automatic transmissions. When they figure out how to make better MPG with automatics, every truck will have it. i have never ran them and so do not know the benefits but I am sure I will one day.
Thanks

]]> By: Brett Aquila http://www.truckingtruth.com/trucking_blogs/rjensen1918/2010/01/inside-trucking-part-2-understanding-company-expenses/comment-page-1#comment-1448 Brett Aquila Mon, 11 Jan 2010 10:34:48 +0000 http://www.truckingtruth.com/trucking_blogs/?p=2205#comment-1448 As a long-time small business owner (outside of the trucking industry) I believe the one thing employees do not understand is that to have the best interests of your employer in mind is one of the best things you can do to help yourself. Now I totally understand that in the corporate world many good deeds done by a company's workers go unnoticed. We hear about scandals all the time - rich executives stealing from their own companies and investors. There's a lot of reasons for workers to be skeptical - no question about it. But in the end, a company filled with workers who take a "Me against the management" approach to their jobs aren't going to have a company around to work at for very long. I don't feel like you should become a martyr and sacrifice everything for your company - no way! But if you're wise you'll keep your company's best interests in mind and try to help yourself and your company at the same time as often as possible. Great post Rhonda! It's easy to see that you've not only been in the driver's seat, but also in the offices of these trucking companies as well because your perspective is insightful, well thought out, and balanced. As a long-time small business owner (outside of the trucking industry) I believe the one thing employees do not understand is that to have the best interests of your employer in mind is one of the best things you can do to help yourself. Now I totally understand that in the corporate world many good deeds done by a company’s workers go unnoticed. We hear about scandals all the time – rich executives stealing from their own companies and investors. There’s a lot of reasons for workers to be skeptical – no question about it.

But in the end, a company filled with workers who take a “Me against the management” approach to their jobs aren’t going to have a company around to work at for very long. I don’t feel like you should become a martyr and sacrifice everything for your company – no way! But if you’re wise you’ll keep your company’s best interests in mind and try to help yourself and your company at the same time as often as possible.

Great post Rhonda! It’s easy to see that you’ve not only been in the driver’s seat, but also in the offices of these trucking companies as well because your perspective is insightful, well thought out, and balanced.

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