I Need Help - Not Getting Enough Miles

If your dropping off a load and picking a load up everyday and still have time to burn 5 or 6 hours of your clock not including the hours you burn loading and unloading plus you still get 2000 miles a week then there is something wrong. Your running like a local driver making local money in flatbed. Thing is at 2000 miles your driving a lot more than a local flatbed driver. I would stick it out a few more months and I would do my very best and if things didn’t improve I would find another flatbed company. Your saying your grossing about 740 a week. Most flatbed companies are getting rookies a 1000 a week minimum provided there’s no issues with detention or breakdown. Your doing 5 loads and working your gloves off. I hope it gets better for you.

That's exactly it. Dropping off and picking up every day with time left on clock.

Sorry, I forgot you’ve never liked what I had to say. I will butt out now.

307 this week.

Sorry, I forgot you’ve never liked what I had to say. I will butt out now.

307 this week.

I was asking questions based on your advice. How does that translate to I don't want to hear it? So your average length of haul is 307 loaded? Or does that include MT?

Let's assume that's loaded and also assume you had a 100 mile MT on each one. That's 407 per day Right? Or are you able to get one loaded and delivered, and get another loaded all in one day? My avg is like (estimate) 150-250 loaded with maybe 100 mile MT. One unload and reload per day. My only point is if I could have an average of a 100 mile MT and a 350 or 400 mile loaded every day, I'd be doing much better. The NUMBERS make sense that way, as long as I'm being as efficient as possible. I was saying that would match up with your "under 500" avg length of haul. Let me be clear, I understand I can get miles with smaller runs, just not ones that are 150-250 miles and involve any type of waiting at shipper/receiver? Does that clarify anything andhe?

The thing with going back local is that it's normally only 40-43 hours. So, the potential is less but it's more consistent. It's almost like playing the stock market at this point. Regional would be the aggressive choice with higher risk/reward, while local would be the conservative lower risk/reward.

I like the way you're looking at it. You have got to decide if the potential is achievable. You already know how much effort you're putting in. It's still questionable at this point whether the consistency will prove to be reliable for you or not. Having peace at home is worth a lot. You've got some tough choices, but I would definitely talk this through with your wife before you make any changes. I'll tell you this... I've been married 35 years. One thing I've learned the hard way is to listen to my wife. She will usually tell me how she feels if I'm really paying attention to the way she says something.

She might be saying she wants me to make a certain decision, but the way she says it clues me in to what she really wants. I don't expect you to completely understand that as a newly married man, but pay attention... she is gonna give you some clues as to what she would like. That's what I would go with. If she's happy, you will be happy. Most people put it like this... "If Momma ain't happy, nobody's happy!"

You're not single any more. You've got to consider how every little aspect of this is going to affect your marriage. Making money is important, but you want to make sure your wife is on the same page with you.

The thing with going back local is that it's normally only 40-43 hours. So, the potential is less but it's more consistent. It's almost like playing the stock market at this point. Regional would be the aggressive choice with higher risk/reward, while local would be the conservative lower risk/reward.

I like the way you're looking at it. You have got to decide if the potential is achievable. You already know how much effort you're putting in. It's still questionable at this point whether the consistency will prove to be reliable for you or not. Having peace at home is worth a lot. You've got some tough choices, but I would definitely talk this through with your wife before you make any changes. I'll tell you this... I've been married 35 years. One thing I've learned the hard way is to listen to my wife. She will usually tell me how she feels if I'm really paying attention to the way she says something.

She might be saying she wants me to make a certain decision, but the way she says it clues me in to what she really wants. I don't expect you to completely understand that as a newly married man, but pay attention... she is gonna give you some clues as to what she would like. That's what I would go with. If she's happy, you will be happy. Most people put it like this... "If Momma ain't happy, nobody's happy!"

You're not single any more. You've got to consider how every little aspect of this is going to affect your marriage. Making money is important, but you want to make sure your wife is on the same page with you.

10/4 good friend. I'll have to see what she wants.

No response andhe? Does anyone know what I'm saying about length of haul? Agree, disagree???

Can i ask what region you run in?

Can i ask what region you run in?

Yes. Southeast. Texas to the Carolinas.

No response andhe?

Sure, but you’re not gonna like it. Instead of wishing for loads you don’t have, figure out how to make the ones you do have, work. Ten weeks is not enough time to reach expert level in clock manipulation, load schedule manipulation, loading speed (don’t show up at noon for example), or even tarping/securement. A bad day for me is anything less than 550 miles and three stops (loading/unloading.) Your problem is as simple as the 350 miles a day with only two stops.

To correct your assumptions, my loads include dh miles. 307 means 3k miles this week with ten loads (eight tarped), which also means some days with two loads and two unloads.

No response andhe?

Sure, but you’re not gonna like it. Instead of wishing for loads you don’t have, figure out how to make the ones you do have, work. Ten weeks is not enough time to reach expert level in clock manipulation, load schedule manipulation, loading speed (don’t show up at noon for example), or even tarping/securement. A bad day for me is anything less than 550 miles and three stops (loading/unloading.) Your problem is as simple as the 350 miles a day with only two stops.

To correct your assumptions, my loads include dh miles. 307 means 3k miles this week with ten loads (eight tarped), which also means some days with two loads and two unloads.

I average 2 loads per week, sometimes 3. My average length of haul for the last 6 weeks is 1,108 miles. 4 tarped loads, 3 Permitted loads, two 2stop loads and a partridge in a pear tree. But I am otr , not regional.