travel expenses out of town

[ratrod56]

I am working on estimate for out of town work.

From home to three cities and back is 1200 miles.
1200 divided by 70 mph equals 17 hours.

What should my hourly rate be for two guys sitting in a truck driving? Should it be 100% of what I normally charge or some other percentage?

This hourly rate is in addition to hotel, fuel, per diems, and actual job. Thank you in advance!!!!

 

[charlie b]

I can't answer the cost question. Though you will note that if your two persons were not driving for that amount of time, they would be working - at normal rates - on some other job. My suggestion is that you figure it at 50 mph. There will be stops for gas, food, and "other breaks," and I don't think you can bill the client for the traffic tickets you would get by trying to make up the lost time at speeds above 70 mph.

 

[LarryFine]

... if your two persons were not driving for that amount of time, they would be working - at normal rates - on some other job.

Absolutely.

My suggestion is that you figure it at 50 mph. There will be stops for gas, food, and "other breaks," and I don't think you can bill the client for the traffic tickets you would get by trying to make up the lost time at speeds above 70 mph.

Ditto.

 

[iwire]

I am working on estimate for out of town work.

From home to three cities and back is 1200 miles.
1200 divided by 70 mph equals 17 hours.

What should my hourly rate be for two guys sitting in a truck driving? Should it be 100% of what I normally charge or some other percentage?

This hourly rate is in addition to hotel, fuel, per diems, and actual job. Thank you in advance!!!!

I do this sort of thing all the time, it really depends on the customer. I have bid 350+ locations across 7 or 8 states.

For a job like you describe I usually carry the travel time at my cost. In my area I don't have to pay the guys OT for traveling. In other words if they do 40 hours of work and 20 hours of travel time (You are not really doing 1200 miles in 17 hours, bathrooms, fuel stops, traffic etc) they would be paid 60 hours of straight time.

And this travel time is not taking place during working hours so I am not losing 'work' hours as Charlie was talking about.

 

[iwire]

Though you will note that if your two persons were not driving for that amount of time, they would be working - at normal rates - on some other job.

Absolutely.

Notice he said Hotels, that suggests to me travel time will be done 'off hours' and they will be working 8 or 10 hour days.

 

[xformer]

I am working on estimate for out of town work.

From home to three cities and back is 1200 miles.
1200 divided by 70 mph equals 17 hours.

What should my hourly rate be for two guys sitting in a truck driving? Should it be 100% of what I normally charge or some other percentage?

This hourly rate is in addition to hotel, fuel, per diems, and actual job. Thank you in advance!!!!

What would you expect to pay yourself for personally doing the same job?

 

[xformer]

I am working on estimate for out of town work.

From home to three cities and back is 1200 miles.
1200 divided by 70 mph equals 17 hours.

What should my hourly rate be for two guys sitting in a truck driving? Should it be 100% of what I normally charge or some other percentage?

This hourly rate is in addition to hotel, fuel, per diems, and actual job. Thank you in advance!!!!

Sorry, my last post sounded harsh. Did not mean it that way. Personally, I think that someone driving a company truck should receive some hourly compensation. If they are not on the clock while driving the company vehicle and are involved in an accident with injuries, how can they seek treatment? What are the legalities for that? Does workman's comp still cover the employee even though he was not "on the clock"? I feel that at the minimum they should be paid minimum wage for drive time. At the maximum 100% of their wage. Just my opinion though.

 

[petersonra]

I think you are going to have a tough time getting anyone to "volunteer" to drive 17 hours to work somewhere without being paid for the travel time, even if it were legal. It probably is not legal in most states.

I would figure it as regular work hours for the guys, OT, and all, and regular billing to the customer.

If that makes the price higher than you want to charge, then reduce your profit.

The way I see it, it is going to cost you $X to perform the work. You need to charge $X+. How you get to that number is not real important.