Re: Gas prices

[JoeRaisin <joeraisin@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Robert L Bass wrote:
> "alarman" wrote:
>>
>> Uh, yeah, I'd say you struck a nerve. Most of us here ARE struggling
>> with increased fuel costs, and not just the gas we put in our tanks.
>> You see, we actually have to make a living in this business. If you
>> don't get that, then perhaps YOU are the one who is not in tune with
>> what the true costs of running a business are. And, OBTW, we have, so
>> far, rejected your socialist bent and the taxes that support it. So
>> track that, Bob.
>
> Stevens missed the point.  Sure, gas prices are up.  But that's such a
> small portion of the overall budget of an alarm company as make it
> trivial.  Suppose the average installer gets only 20 mpg in the company
> van and the average job is within 20 miles of the office.  That means he
> uses 2 gallons or less per day driving from the office to the jobsite.
> If gas goes up $1, the added cost is $2 to a day's overhead for the
> employee and truck.  A good truck probably cost $20,000 plus $5,000 for
> racks, shelving, tools, etc.  Insurance can cost upwards of $1,000 per
> year.  Say the truck gets retired in 5 years and the tools inside last
> about the same time (obviously some tools last forever and others break
> or disappear frequently but this is just for illustration). There are
> 240 work days in an average year.  Do the math.  You're spending $125 a
> work day just to have a truck full of tools and parts.  Now you whine
> about an extra dollar or two.  Get over it.
>

I now do testing and PM's for my company.  Take a look at a map of
Michigan - I cover everything from US-10 north, to include the Upper
Peninsula.  I routinely put at least 1000 miles & often 2000 miles per
month (occasionally more) on my truck (Chevy Colorado).

I get about 300 miles from a 16 gallon fill up.

While the install guys don't move around too much during an average day,
we got some service guys who can match my numbers mile for mile...