drayage owner- operators - Asia Pacific Gateway Skills Table
Transcription
drayage owner- operators - Asia Pacific Gateway Skills Table
DRAYAGE OWNEROPERATORS Understanding Container Drayage Owner-Operators in Metro Vancouver SUMMARY REPORT Acknowledgements The Asia Pacific Gateway Skills Table (APGST) would like to thank the many individuals and organizations who generously gave their time and advice throughout this project: Owner Operators Interviewed for this study, and participated in January 2013 workshop. Trucking Companies » BST Management Ltd. / Pro-West Transport » » » » » » » Industry » BC Trucking Association » Port Metro Vancouver This study was led and the following report prepared by: Indian River Transport Ltd. David Colledge, President Colledge Transportation Consulting (CTC) Inc. Delta, British Columbia CNTL With support from: Harbour Link Container Services Canaan Group KTL Transport Damco Distribution Services Prudential Transport Ltd. Terence D. Smyth, Director Seaport Consultants Canada Inc. Vancouver, British Columbia This project is funded by the Government of Canada’s Sector Council Program. The opinions and interpretations in this publication are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the Government of Canada. Some photos in this report by courtesy of Port Metro Vancouver and the British Columbia Trucking Association. UNDERSTANDING CONTAINER DRAYAGE OWNER-OPERATORS IN METRO VANCOUVER SUMMARY REPORT Prepared by Asia Pacific Gateway Skills Table © July 2013 TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Introduction 6 1.1 Purpose of Project Project Outputs 6 6 1.2 Methodology 7 Metro Vancouver Drayage Operating Environment 8 2.1 Gateway Supply Chain Context 8 2.2 The Role of Drayage in the Container Supply Chain The Drayage Process Key Requirements to Access PMV Container Terminals 9 9 10 2.3 The Metro Vancouver Container Drayage Industry Industry Structure Key Characteristics of the Industry 12 12 13 Understanding the Owner-Operator Business 14 3.1 Who Are Drayage Owner-Operators? 14 3.2 Key Business Activities 14 3.3 Basic Requirements to Enter and Operate the Business 15 3.4 Other Required Resources 17 3.5 Selection of Work Selection of a Drayage Company to Work For 17 18 3.6 Key Business Drivers Productivity Truck Utilization 19 19 19 3.7 How Industry Stakeholders Impact the Business 21 TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Appendices Financial Aspects of the Owner-Operator Business 22 4.1 Revenue and Compensation 22 4.2 Truck Cost / Financial Model Principles of Financial Models Treatment of Revenue in the Financial Model Understanding Truck Costs Truck Cost / Financial Model Methodology and Key Assumptions Sensitivity of the Model to Changes in Productivity 23 23 24 25 25 26 29 Best Practice Findings and Recommendations 29 5.1 Owner-Operator Value Proposition 29 5.2 Company Criteria: Selecting Good Owner-Operators 30 5.3 Owner-Operator Criteria: Selecting a Good Company to Work For 30 5.4 Key Challenges 31 5.5 Recommendations for Improving Drayage Sector Performance Recommendations for Owner-Operators Recommendations for Other Stakeholders Toolkit Recommendations 32 32 33 34 Appendix 1 Interview Question Guide 36 Appendix 2 Ready Rate Scale Do the Ready Rates Affect Market Rates? 38 40 Appendix 3 Pro Forma Financial Model Inputs 41 Appendix 4 Sample Cost / Financial Model Results 44 6 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 PURPOSE OF THE PROJECT — As part of the Asia Pacific Gateway Skills Table’s mandate to ensure that Canada’s Pacific Gateway has enough people with the right skills and training to meet its labour needs, the organization sponsored a project to help the 950 owner-operators in the container drayage industry in Metro Vancouver understand and manage their businesses more effectively. The project was carried out in partnership with the BC Trucking Association (BCTA). In 2007, Port Metro Vancouver (PMV) instituted a moratorium on owner-operators to prevent an oversupply of operators that could destabilize the market. While this report notes there are low cost barriers for owner-operators to enter into the drayage market, as long as the moratorium remains in place, it acts as a regulatory barrier. This report outlines some of the issues and challenges associated with the entry of new owner-operators into the market and in anticipation that these challenges will be acknowledged and addressed by policymakers, shippers and other stakeholders before the moratorium is lifted. The project objectives were to: » Develop a better understanding of the local container drayage business as well as a drayage cost model; » Conduct research and interviews with successful trucking companies and owner-operators to identify and compile best business practices that could be shared with other owner-operators to improve the sector’s performance. The project had two main outputs. One is a toolkit (separately published) that will provide the basis for an online resource for potential and existing owneroperators to help them better understand and manage their businesses. The second is this report, which profiles the Metro Vancouver container drayage operating environment, including its role in the supply chain, the nature of an owner-operator businesses, its financial and cost structures, and industry best business practices. This information may be used to inform policy decisions, support education and awareness campaigns, and support human resource initiatives in the sector. Project Outputs Owner-Operator Toolkit Provides a business resource for drayage operators: J Overview of the drayage business J Getting and operating my vehicle J Managing my business and money Project Report Provides a profile of the owner-operator business for trucking companies, governments, industry associations: J Understanding the drayage owner-operator business J Financial aspects of the owner-operator business J Best practice findings and recommendations CHAPTER 1 1.2 METHODOLOGY — The project’s findings are based on research and analysis as well as on the consultant’s own experience in the gateway. The project methodology included: » A literature review to compile relevant information and data on the drayage sector (provided in a separate Project Briefing); Consultations for the project included one-on-one interviews with trucking companies of varying sizes and types of operation as well as interviews with 13 individual owner-operators, including senior representatives of the Vancouver Container Truck Association–CAW Local 2006. Many of these operators possess more than 20 years’ experience in the local container drayage market. A workshop was also held in January 2013 with 11 owner-operators to obtain their feedback on the draft toolkit. » Research pertaining to existing off-the-shelf cost models and the development of a cost model specific to Vancouver-area container drayage operations. The cost model was based on inputs from existing models supplemented with current cost data derived from industry interviews carried out between October 2012 and February 2013. Companies Consulted: » Extensive interviews conducted with PMV, trucking companies and individual owner-operators to identify operating practices, equipment and skills requirements, resource gaps, and industry best practices. The interview question guide is provided in Appendix 1. » KTL Transport » BST Management Ltd./Pro-West Transport » Harbour Link Container Services » Canaan Group » Indian River Transport Ltd. » CNTL » Damco Distribution Services » Prudential Transport Ltd. 7 8 CHAPTER 2 METRO VANCOUVER DRAYAGE OPERATING ENVIRONMENT 2.1 GATEWAY SUPPLY CHAIN CONTEXT — In 2012, Port Metro Vancouver handled 2.7 million 20-foot equivalent units (TEU) of import and export containers shipped to and from a wide range of domestic and international locations. Approximately 32% of all loaded import containers arriving at the port are transported by truck to locations in the Lower Mainland and beyond. Some 63% of all loaded export containers arrive at the container (marine) terminals by truck. The remainder of container traffic is moved to/from the container terminals by rail. It is estimated that there are about two million truck-trip legs required to handle this volume of container traffic moving through the gateway.1 The various supply chain participants—importers, exporters, shipping lines, container terminals, drayage companies, off-dock terminals and other participants, such as freight forwarders—must operate in a highly coordinated manner to meet customer requirements for efficient door-to-door transportation (see Exhibit 1). The actions of any single supply chain participant may have significant system-wide effects that impact the efficiency, performance and reputation of the entire gateway. Exhibit 1: Container Supply Chain METRO VANCOUVER IMPORT/EXPORT CONTAINER SUPPLY CHAIN Connects North American and overseas customers in 160 different countries GOAL: CUSTOMER SERVICE EXCELLENCE THROUGH OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY Participants Principal Assets Business Drivers IMPORTERS & EXPORTERS* SHIPPING LINES CONTAINER TERMINALS DRAYAGE COMPANIES OFF-DOCK FACILITIES Thousands of companies About 20 different lines call at the Port TSI Terminals, DP World, Fraser Surrey Docks 158 local drayage companies of varying sizes 50+ facilities in the Lower Mainland Cargo owners (entity that pays the transport cost) 8,500 TEU ships typical TSI: Vanterm, Deltaport DP World: Centerm FSD: Fraser Surrey Docks A fleet of 1,050 company trucks and thousands of chassis Distribution / transload / reload centres, container storage yards Each supply chain partner seeks to maximize their own return on investment (ROI). The key business drivers are: Reliable, cost-effective end-to-end supply chain performance Market share; environmental stewardship Highest possible revenue generating throughput Revenue trips per shift, revenue per move Highest possible revenue generating throughput *Cargo owners, also known as BCO’s, or beneficial cargo owners. 1) This volume of traffic requires about 800,000 truck gate moves. Based on US research, a gate move typically requires an average of 2.5 truck-trip legs due to the need for some tractor-only moves associated with container repositioning, resulting in approximately two million truck-trip legs in the region (i.e., 800,000 x 2.5). CHAPTER 2 2.2 THE ROLE OF DRAYAGE IN THE CONTAINER SUPPLY CHAIN — The container drayage sector is an important part of the complex international supply chain serving Port Metro Vancouver, Canada’s largest trade gateway with Asia, and more generally, the world outside North America. Drayage refers to the pickup and delivery of containers to a seaport terminal and associated off-dock locations (e.g., warehouses, transload centres, rail yards, container storage yards) by truck, often within an urban area—in this case, Metro Vancouver. The Drayage Process Exhibit 2 offers a simplified view of the import and export drayage process. The import process is driven by the shipping manifest, provided by the shipping line to the marine terminal.2 The cargo owner contracts with the drayage company, which in turn acquires an appointment to access the container terminal and dispatches a truck driven by either a company driver or an owner-operator. The export process is driven by the cargo owner (shipper), who acquires a booking number with the shipping line that serves as a reservation for an outbound container on a specific voyage. The booking triggers several activities, including the ordering of an empty container by a transload facility, the establishment of a delivery date to the terminal, and an appointment by the drayage carrier with the container terminal operator to drop off the container. SHIPPING LINE Manifest DRAYAGE FIRM Recieves Manifest TERMINAL Recieves Manifest Create Pickup Order Dispatch Driver Pick Up Load Delivers Load Recieves Empty Source: Truck Drayage Productivity Guide, National Cooperative Freight Research Program, U.S. Transportation Research Board, March 2011. SHIPPER Export Booking DRAYAGE FIRM Unload Container Recieves Booking TERMINAL Export Drop off Empty to Terminal Bring Load to Importer CONSIGNEE Import Exhibit 2: The Drayage Process Receives Booking Load Container Create Empty Order Dispatch Driver Pick Up Empty Delivers Empty Bring Empty to Exporter Drop off Load to Terminal Recieves Load Note: These flow diagrams exclude references to the reservation system. 2) The manifest is the list of import containers on the inbound ship. It identifies which parties to notify when the container is unloaded and ready to be picked up. 9 10 CHAPTER 2 Key Requirements to Access PMV Container Terminals Three main requirements must be satisfied for drayage companies to access the marine terminals within PMV’s jurisdiction: they must have a valid truck license issued by PMV; they need a Port Pass as a security measure to access federal port property; and they need a reservation to pick up/deliver containers, obtained through the reservation systems administered by each marine terminal. Each of these requirements is discussed below. Truck Licensing System In order for a truck to access a container terminal, it must be registered under the Truck Licensing System (TLS) administered by PMV. The TLS was introduced in 2005 to manage the number of vehicles and drivers. It was later amended to impose safety and environmental standards regarding the condition and age of vehicles serving the port. The TLS also gives PMV a mechanism to impose sanctions on operators whose behavior does not meet the port’s standards or service requirements.3 PMV issues two different types of licenses under the TLS: » Full Service Operator (FSO) Licenses These are intended for drayage companies that have direct relationships with cargo interests (shippers, consignees, shipping companies and agents), provide a complete dispatching service, and are equipped to provide services in an efficient and ongoing manner. There are two types of FSO licenses: Ì Local: A local license allows a truck to pick up and deliver both local and long-haul containers; Ì Long-Haul: A highway license restricts a truck to picking up and delivering long-haul movements. » Independent Owner-Operator Permits These are meant for drayage entities that may be incorporated companies and do not have a significant pool of equipment or access to the reservation systems. Owner-operators can only access port property through a subcontract with an FSO. There has been a moratorium on owner-operator permits since early 2007.4 The purpose of the moratorium was to prevent an oversupply of owner-operators from destabilizing the market. At the same time, it allowed drayage companies that wanted to expand their fleets to invest in companyowned equipment and employee drivers, since this business model was deemed to be more stable than the owneroperator model. One of the unintended consequences of the moratorium has been the proliferation of small drayage companies that could be formed with as few as three trucks, further fragmenting the market and resulting in extreme competition that puts pressure on profitability in the sector. In July 2013, PMV launched a pilot project introducing a new temporary driver category. This category of local TLS 3) It should also be noted that trucking company safety oversight responsibilities, such as vehicle maintenance and driver hours of service, are governed by the National Safety Code, which falls under provincial government responsibility. 4) In 2009, the moratorium was expanded to include all local and long-haul license and permit holders and to preclude fleet expansions by existing licensees. In 2011, the moratorium on the issuance of new licenses and the restriction on fleet expansion were lifted for FSOs only to allow them some flexibility to respond to changing market conditions. CHAPTER 2 drivers will operate within the Port under a Joint Temporary Permit ("JTP") signed by and issued jointly to the hiring TLS approved local FSO License holder and a non-TLS approved owner-operator. Port Passes All workers such as truck drivers requiring regular and frequent access to PMV property must have portauthorized photo identification called a Port Pass5. Failure to have a valid Port Pass may result in being refused access to the port. The Port Pass is a means for PMV, through its marine facility operators, to comply with Transport Canada security regulations that require identification of all individuals on port property. Reservation System The marine container terminals in Vancouver have had mandatory appointment systems since 2005. In order to access a container terminal by truck, drayage companies 5) BCTA is authorized by PMV to issue port passes to drivers of vehicles over 5,000 kilograms and the employees of its member companies. must make a reservation using one of four different reservation systems (one for each of the four different marine terminals). Reservations are intended to make terminal operations more efficient by limiting the arrival of each truck at a terminal gate to a specific time window to reduce “peaking” and truck traffic congestion. In addition to reducing peaking of traffic during normal daytime operations, the appointment system has been used to shift traffic to night or to off-peak gates by restricting the number of daytime reservations available. The appointment system makes the coordination of drayage operations somewhat more complex by requiring more precise scheduling of truck trips to accommodate the appointment windows at the terminal gates. There are also reported difficulties in obtaining reservations because the truck gates of three of the four container terminals are at capacity during the day shift. Firms that do not comply with their reservations risk reducing their ability to obtain reservations in future and are subject to penalties issues by the marine container terminals, which would effectively curtail their business opportunities. 11 12 CHAPTER 2 2.3 THE METRO VANCOUVER CONTAINER DRAYAGE INDUSTRY — Industry Structure Metro Vancouver’s container drayage industry is comprised of approximately 160 local drayage companies operating a fleet of about 1,050 trucks. These companies supplement their fleet with an additional 952 trucks by contracting with independent owner-operators who provide their own vehicles, bringing the total drayage fleet to almost 2,000 vehicles.6 Drayage companies range in size from the smallest operators with as few as three trucks to the largest firms with more than 100. It is estimated that the top 15–20 companies control some 20% of the total fleet and handle up to about 40% of all gate movements at the marine terminals. There are several different types of drayage companies (see Exhibit 3). Pure drayage operators depend entirely on revenues earned from moving containers and use company drivers (employees) and equipment and/or owner-operators (independent contractors). Some companies also have long-haul divisions to transport containers to and from locations outside Metro Vancouver. In contrast, diversified full-service drayage companies earn income from multiple sources and may operate separate divisions, transporting other types of freight (e.g., flat-deck truck division to haul forest products or steel). These mixed full-service operators may transload forest products that have been transported by rail to Metro Vancouver into export marine containers. Some of the larger companies also operate off-dock container yards that can accommodate the handling and storage of loaded and empty containers. In some cases, a range of other services is also provided. Examples include staging of bonded or pre-cleared containerized cargo for delivery to customers; sufferance bonded facilities; and warehousing. Exhibit 3: Different Types of Drayage Companies in the Market PURE DRAYAGE OPERATORS MIXED FULL SERVICE OPERATORS INTEGRATED COMPANIES Depend entirely on revenue from transporting import/export containers. Are diversified into related logistics functions. Vertically integrated players affiliated with other supply chain partners. Examples: Prudential, Indian River, Quantum Transportation Examples: KTL, which owns Euro Asia terminal; Harbour Link, with an off-dock yard; LEI Cartage (warehousing); Aheer (large regional truckload carrier in the Pacific Northwest, warehousing and storage, brokerage) Examples: Damco (owned by A.P. Moller-Maersk); CNTL (owned by CN); Canaan Group (integrated logistics, warehousing, customs brokerage, air freight and courier service) 6) Source: PMV, as of October 2012. These figures exclude companies registered under the TLS as long-haul carriers, which would bring the total number of companies to more than 200. Long-haul carriers do not play a large role in local drayage operations. CHAPTER 2 The third type of company is affiliated or vertically integrated with other participants in the supply chain such as railway or ocean carriers. A good example is Damco, which is owned by A.P. Moller–Maersk Group, which includes Maersk Line, one of the world’s largest shipping lines. While Damco once handled both import and export containers, today it specializes in import containers for relatively large retailers such as Staples, The Gap, Wal-Mart and Canadian Tire. Key Characteristics of the Industry The drayage industry in Metro Vancouver is fragmented, extremely competitive and characterized by a high degree of misunderstanding and mistrust. This manifests itself in numerous day-to-day operational issues that often lead to frustrations and inefficiencies. Exhibit 4 highlights the key characteristics of the industry. Exhibit 4: Drayage Industry Characteristics in Metro Vancouver CHARACTERISTIC DESCRIPTION IMPLICATIONS Highly fragmented There are 158 privately owned local trucking companies in the market and 952 owner-operators. The business is highly competitive, which can result in price-cutting, low profitability and concerns regarding safety and operating standards. Low entry barriers7 The cost to enter the drayage business as an owner-operator is relatively low and can result in a high rate of entry of operators into the business. However, there is some evidence that entry barriers are growing with the increasing cost of obtaining a reliable truck and the implementation of more stringent standards under the National Safety Code (NSC). Peaking of traffic at container terminals may create an incentive for expansion of owner-operator fleets employed by trucking companies. This can result in a supply-demand imbalance, contributing to instability in the sector. Limited capacity for investment At the owner-operator level, there are limited opportunities for scale efficiencies and service improvements. Owner–operators have a limited financial capacity or incentive to make investments in technology. This makes the selection, funding and adoption of technology more difficult to roll out across the industry even though technology is likely to be a key factor in improving efficiency and performance. 7) In 2007, Port Metro Vancouver (PMV) instituted a moratorium on owner-operators to prevent an oversupply of operators that could destabilize the market. While this report notes there are low cost barriers for owner-operators to enter into the drayage market, as long as the moratorium remains in place, it acts as a regulatory barrier. 13 14 CHAPTER 3 UNDERSTANDING THE OWNER-OPERATOR BUSINESS 3.1 WHO ARE DRAYAGE OWNER-OPERATORS? — There are generally two types of truck drivers in the container drayage industry: company drivers and owneroperators. Company drivers are employees of drayage companies and may be union or non-union workers. Industry observers estimate that approximately 70% or more of all company drivers are non-unionized.8 Owner-operators act as independent contractors selling their services to drayage companies as drivers and tractor owners. 3.2 KEY BUSINESS ACTIVITIES — The owner-operator business is fairly straightforward. The direct customer of an owner-operator is the trucking company; the principal activities are indicated in Exhibit 5. The main truck-trip legs for an owner-operator are outlined below. Not all of these moves are necessary for each job. It depends on the nature of the job and the owner-operator’s activities before and after the job. The owner-operator generally does not offer other services. Truck trip leg possibilities: The main difference between company drivers and owneroperators is that company drivers are usually paid by the hour, as employees do not provide tractors. Owneroperators, on the other hand, are normally paid by the trip based on a share of revenue received by the drayage company from its customers and on existing regulated or contractually agreed rates. They are small business people who take risks like any other small business owners. These risks include the acquisition of the truck and the opportunity cost of their time working in an environment where there is little control over the business in terms of loads hauled and revenues earned.9 Owner-operators may also be restricted in their ability to expand due to limited financial resources. The terms and conditions for owner-operators vary. Some may work under the regulated rates or achieve only lower unregulated rates between off-dock terminals.10 Others may have superior compensation packages that include fuel subsidies, paid waiting time at terminals, or remuneration for deadhead moves (i.e., a bare-chassis move to pick up a container). » To the point of empty chassis pick-up. This is a bobtail move (i.e., no chassis or container attached to the truck) from the day’s starting point or the end of the last trip to a point at which the owner-operator picks up an empty chassis but no container. Such a move would not apply if the truck already has the right chassis attached to it at the start of the trip or if the truck has no chassis attached because it is picking up a container already on a chassis at the terminal of origin. » To the terminal of origin to pick up a container. This could be a bobtail move to pick up a chassis holding a container (as noted above) or a move with an empty chassis onto which a container will be loaded at the terminal. » From the pick-up terminal to the delivery terminal. This is the main and often the only paid component of the move. The move may be between a container terminal and an off-dock terminal (customer) or between two off-dock terminals. It could also be between two container terminals, but this would be unusual. 8) There is no available data, however interviews with a small sample of unionized drivers indicated that Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) representation in the drayage sector is likely less than 300, and that the number of unionized workers in the industry has been declining since 2005. 9) See also Section 3.7 for additional details regarding the impacts of various supply chain participants on an owner-operator’s business. 10) See Chapter 4 for discussion of regulated rates. CHAPTER 3 » From the delivery terminal to an empty chassis drop-off point. This applies if a truck has an empty chassis attached to it and must drop off the chassis at a location other than the container delivery terminal. It does not apply if the truck drops off a container and chassis at the delivery terminal (virtually always an off-dock terminal in this situation), or if it has the right chassis attached for the next container move. Exhibit 5: Principal Drayage Activities of Owner-Operators IMPORT MOVES Loaded import marine containers holding primarily consumer goods from Asia are moved from container terminals to off-dock warehouses and distribution centres, where they are unloaded for local distribution or transloaded into larger domestic containers for movement by truck or rail to locations outside Metro Vancouver. EXPORT MOVES Loaded export containers holding mainly forest and grain products are moved from transload centres and other shipper facilities to container terminals. EMPTY CONTAINER MOVES Empty containers account for a significant level of activity in order to reposition containers between empty container storage yards, container terminals and the large number of off-dock terminals located throughout Metro Vancouver. 3.3 BASIC REQUIREMENTS TO ENTER AND OPERATE THE BUSINESS — The owner-operator drayage sector has few barriers to entry. In Vancouver, the only requirements are: A: Sufficient resources to purchase and insure a post-2006, 10-wheel tractor; B: A Class 1 commercial driver’s license; C: Other licensing requirements; D: Passing a safety exam and periodic commercial vehicle inspections. Each of these requirements is described in more detail below. A: Equipment The only essential equipment required for an owneroperator is a 10-wheel tractor of appropriate vintage to meet PMV’s requirements for accessing container terminals. For the typical owner-operator, a reliable used truck in the Vancouver market costs about $50,000 to $60,000. Less expensive trucks are available, but would require some knowledge about vehicles or the right contacts outside of British Columbia to acquire. PMV has specified conditions and age limits on trucks allowed to become part of the TLS.11 The situation as of April 1, 2012 is: » Trucks 2006 and older and not already in the TLS are prohibited from entering the TLS; » Trucks already in the TLS that are: Ì 2002 and older must pass an annual exhaust opacity test; Ì 1998 and older can remain in the TLS only with an approved age exemption. 11) Port Metro Vancouver, “TLS Environmental Requirements 2012 Program Overview,” January 24, 2012. 15 16 CHAPTER 3 Engine retrofits or replacements can be used to meet emission standards regarding age exemptions. The PMV requirements for future years are evolving. By 2017, trucks must be 2010 and newer to meet TLS requirements, or 2007 or newer and already in the TLS. PMV’s goal beyond 2012 is to have all trucks in the TLS meet the federal 2007–2010 emission standards. Secondary equipment includes a two-way radio for communications with drayage company dispatchers and a mobile telephone for general communications. A number of owner-operators carry smartphones, but are reluctant to use them to communicate with dispatchers; they prefer two-way radios because the exchanges can be heard by other parties, creating a communications record. B: Commercial Driver’s License Requirement To qualify for a Class 1 commercial license, a driver must: » Hold a BC driver's license (Class 5 or 6) or an out-of-province equivalent; » Have an acceptable driving record with less than four penalty point incidents in the past two years and no motor vehicle-related criminal convictions within the past three years; and » Be at least 19 years of age. The necessary steps to acquire a Class 1 commercial driver's license are: » Study Driving of Commercial Vehicles. The driver must study the BC government publication Driving Commercial Vehicles. » Take the commercial vehicle knowledge test. The driver must pass a knowledge and road signs test and meet medical standards. » Practise to gain adequate skills. Upon passing the knowledge test, the driver is issued a commercial learner’s license. The driver must practice under this license until his skills are adequate to pass the road test. » Take and pass the commercial road test. The test has three parts: Ì A pre-trip inspection test, including an air brake pre-inspection; Ì The road test itself; Ì Driver’s medical exam. To operate vehicles equipped with air brakes, a driver must also obtain an air brake endorsement by completing an air brake course, pass a knowledge test, and pass a preinspection test. A driver may be exempt from an air brake training course with proof of sufficient air brake experience. C: Other License Requirements Owner-operators should obtain a local business license from the municipality where the business is registered and must obtain a truck license from the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC). In addition, two other requirements are needed to access federal port property: a Port Pass and a truck license under the TLS that costs $300 a year (see Section 2.2 for more details). D: Commercial Vehicle Inspection Requirements All commercial vehicles with a licensed gross vehicle weight greater than 8,200 kilograms are subject to the Province of British Columbia’s Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement (CVSE) regulations. This generally requires an inspection by a shop accepted by CVSE as a Designated Inspection Facility (DIF). A trucking company that maintains its own fleet may get its shop approved as a Preventative Maintenance Facility that can inspect its own fleet. Most owner-operators use a DIF for such inspections. CHAPTER 3 3.4 OTHER REQUIRED RESOURCES — 3.5 SELECTION OF WORK — The other main resource required by owner-operators is equipment that is compatible with the dispatching technology used by the trucking companies for whom they work. Typically drayage companies will provide this equipment. The dispatching systems used by trucking companies have differing degrees of sophistication. Drayage companies provide several different services that directly influence the businesses of the owneroperators who work for them as independent contractors. These companies have direct relationships with customers—cargo owners, such as big box retailers, other types of importers and exporters, shipping lines, freight forwarders and third party logistics providers—whereas owner-operators generally do not have such relationships. For example: » An operator of a major import distribution centre that operates an in-house drayage company to serve its clients uses a proprietary freight tracking system. It was developed for a major importer, is web-based, and can be used on a mobile phone. Containers passing through a terminal gate trigger settlement of the transactions. » A trucking company with about 60 non-union owneroperator tractors dispatches by mobile phone, but believes in-cab communications units would be better. The company also has GPS units installed in its trucks. » A trucking company with about 70 CAW owner-operators under contract uses a digital Java-based dispatching system and does not have GPS. » A large employer of CAW owner-operators with 24/7 trucking operations dispatches via Blackberrys using a proprietary program developed by its parent company. Other resources required to support a drayage owneroperator’s business can include office equipment (furniture, telephones, fax machines, computers, printers, etc.) and small business software. Some of the most popular software programs are Quicken (personal finance software with some business accounting features); Simply Accounting; and QuickBooks (small business software with more robust features). It is this customer relationship upon which the trucking companies have built their businesses. Many companies have made significant investments in land, buildings, dispatching and cargo tracking systems, chassis, computer systems and office staff. Owner-operators, by contrast, have relatively low levels of investment. They provide a truck and contract their services to trucking companies at contracted rates. As noted previously, the nature of drayage companies varies depending on several factors such as their customer base (e.g., import, export), business model (companyowned trucks with employee drivers, owner-operators, or a mix of the two), and their relationships with other supply chain participants. Some companies handle all types of traffic, including imports, exports and transload cargo, while others focus on one segment or customer type. 17 18 CHAPTER 3 Selection of a Drayage Company to Work For Owner-operators generally choose drayage companies based on word-of-mouth information. The choice of which company (or companies) to work for is critical because it affects shift schedules, the types of loads that are assigned to the operator, and ultimately the owner-operator’s revenue stream. Some of the key factors in selecting a company to work for include: level of compensation, payment terms, the opportunity for double-ended moves, driver turnover rate, and how long the company has been in business. Drayage companies use a similar word-of-mouth approach to hire new owner-operators. Nevertheless, some companies that advertise for owner-operators have received large volumes of responses. Based on industry interviews, a “good” owner-operator possesses several qualities, including a focus on safety; mechanical aptitude; the ability to see the “big picture”; and the ability to understand and manage stress. Selection of Loads and Work Schedules Owner-operators typically do not have much say in the selection of loads they move because the dispatcher of the company for which they work generally specifies the work based on customer demand and on the marine container terminal reservations the company has been able to obtain for a particular day. A typical work schedule for an owneroperator begins at 5:00 a.m. to pick up the first job of the day. The working day usually ends between 4:00 and 5:00 p.m., when the marine terminal gates close. Including travel time to and from the first and last jobs, operators typically put in 12- to 13-hour days. In addition, some three hours or so are required each week to handle administrative aspects of the business. Senior owner-operators generally do not work night gates. Some junior owner-operators will work night gates as a second shift to earn revenue as long as they remain within the 14-hour on-duty time in a day permitted under National Safety Code trucking hours of service regulations. Examples of working hours based on selected industry interviews are: » One company operating primarily as a freight forwarder, with its own trucks and agreements with owneroperators and trucking companies, is open from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. » A drayage company with a small storage yard for containers is open from 6:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. weekdays and on Saturdays and Sundays as required. » A company with about 70 CAW owner-operators under contract maintains that shifts should be 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. or 5:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. to give drivers a reasonable quality of life. For unionized owner-operators, seniority dictates work assignments. The first move in the morning—considered to be the best move of the day—is generally given to operators with greater seniority. As an example, we interviewed an experienced CAW driver who has been driving with his current trucking company for only one year. Even though he has been in the industry for several decades, he is low in seniority relative to the work assignments received. The seniority issue makes switching among trucking companies an unattractive proposition for unionized owner-operators with long tenures. CHAPTER 3 3.6 KEY BUSINESS DRIVERS — Given that owner-operators have only a limited degree of control over their workloads and revenue streams once they have selected a company to work for, their profitability critically depends on productivity and the utilization of their truck. Their truck is the principal asset in the business. These factors, discussed below, explain why owner-operators look at the number of turns per day as a key metric in performance evaluation. A rule of thumb in the industry is that a minimum of three round-trip revenue moves a day are needed for a driver to make money. be more productive, increase revenues and lower operating costs by reducing unproductive travel. Reduced travel also helps decrease road traffic congestion and lessens the environmental impact of trucking. There are no reliable data regarding double-ended movements. Discussions with various operators revealed a wide range of performance. Some carriers achieve more than 50% of their total moves as double-ended moves, while others may achieve only 10–15% or less. Anecdotal evidence based on consultations carried out for this report suggest the industry average has deteriorated from about 30% double-ended moves in 2005 to around 20% today. Productivity From the owner-operator’s perspective, productivity corresponds directly to the number of revenue-generating moves completed in a working day. Productivity is a key factor impacting an owner-operator’s income, because compensation is typically calculated per trip and not on an hourly basis. Therefore, the number of revenue moves per day that a driver can complete will directly dictate how much income the driver earns. This differs from company employee drivers, who are typically paid on an hourly basis and whose compensation is therefore independent of the number of moves completed per day. A key factor impacting container drayage productivity (and thus owner-operator income) is the ability to achieve double-ended moves. A double-ended move occurs, for example, when a truck is able to deliver an export container to a terminal and pick up another import container on the same visit. Double-ended moves allow owner-operators to Truck Utilization The truck (tractor) is the largest capital expense in an owner-operator’s business. Buying one is a fixed cost that is incurred whether or not the truck is operating. Therefore, increasing the use of truck equipment enables fixed costs to be allocated across more revenue-generating trips, decreasing fixed costs per trip. These savings, in turn, result in increased revenue and profitability. Given the limitations on operating hours permitted by safety regulations, increased truck usage can only be accomplished by adding a driver to existing truck equipment. But owner-operators typically have little incentive to bring in a second (relief) driver because they want to maximize their own activity on the day shift and there are limited opportunities to work evening shifts. Few drivers want to work for the limited number of moves available on a second shift. 19 20 CHAPTER 3 Most night-gate moves are one-way. Only the container terminals and a limited number of warehouses and off-dock terminals are open after 5:00 p.m. (e.g., CN intermodal in Langley, Canadian Tire Corporation, The Bay). The only way container terminal night gates will work is if receivers, such as warehouses and a number of off-dock terminals, are open until midnight (or 24/7). But many off-dock facilities are too small to be open at night, leaving nowhere for a drayage operator to hold the container overnight. As well, there is no compensation for overnight storage or for the additional unpaid trip to transport it the next day. Some containers hold valuable cargoes and must be secured; they cannot be left on the street. Considering all of these factors, there is limited incentive for an owner-operator to bring on a second driver, and the relief driver model is not generally feasible. Furthermore, owner-operators are cautious about risking the use of their truck by another driver. Another option to expand the business is to add more trucks. However, financial constraints are often an issue in acquiring the vehicles; and some trucking companies do not allow their owneroperators to have more than one truck as a matter of policy. CHAPTER 3 3.7 HOW INDUSTRY STAKEHOLDERS IMPACT THE BUSINESS — Different supply chain participants, including the railways, can have a potentially significant impact on an owner-operator’s business. The roles and relationships of these participants and the degree to which they impact the owner-operator work environment are summarized in Exhibit 6. Exhibit 6: Supply Chain Participants and Impacts on Owner-Operators STAKEHOLDER ROLE IMPACT ON OWNER-OPERATORS Shipping Lines Shipping lines transport loaded and empty containers to/from the port for cargo owners and freight forwarders, and contract with marine terminals, drayage companies and railways to handle landside logistical activities. » » Influence the use and distribution requirements of empty containers Late ship arrivals create volume bubbles that increase congestion and the timely flow of containers through terminals Degree of impact – HIGH Marine Terminals The primary role of marine container terminals is to provide throughput of containers. The focus is on reducing the time that containers wait in the terminal. The terminals only have operational relationships with drayage companies. » » » Surges in import/export container volumes increase wait times at the terminal and lead to increased truck-turn times Longshore labour productivity has a major impact on terminal operations A terminal operator can ban an owner-operator or trucking company from accessing the terminal and there is no appeal mechanism Degree of impact – HIGH Railways Railways contract with shippers and shipping lines to transport containers by rail to/from marine container terminals. Inbound containers arriving in Vancouver by rail from central/eastern Canada are a major user of trucks for transport to final destinations in local markets. » » » Trains can block road intersections and increase truck wait times Rail activity impacts labour availability in the marine terminals and therefore truck productivity at terminal gates Railways dictate the location for storage of empty containers at marine terminals that can take up to 40% of terminal capacity Degree of impact – MODERATE Importers / Exporters (Cargo Owners) Trucking Companies Cargo owners ultimately pay the transport costs. They contract with shipping lines, drayage companies and railways to move cargo from domestic/foreign origins to foreign/domestic destinations. The focus is on end-to-end supply chain reliability and cost. » » Trucking companies have direct relationships with cargo owners, and contract drayage work to owner-operators based on both customer demand and the marine container terminal reservations that the company has obtained for a particular day. » Can influence the selection of drayage companies Impacts timing of available loaded and empty containers for truck transport Degree of impact – LOW to MODERATE » Trucking companies directly influence the selection of work (type and number of trips), shift schedules and ultimately the owner-operators’ revenue stream Impacts the compensation level and payment terms Degree of impact – HIGH Port Metro Vancouver PMV leases terminals to marine terminal operators under long-term (50-year) leases and administers the Truck License System (TLS). » » » PMV effectively dictates the terms of access to the container terminals that are located on federal port property TLS costs owner-operators $300 a year PMV is requiring the use of newer vehicles that are relatively more expensive than used trucks. Unless owner-operates achieve much better productivity, the business case for acquiring newer trucks is hard to justify Degree of impact – MODERATE 21 22 CHAPTER 4 FINANCIAL ASPECTS OF THE OWNER-OPERATOR BUSINESS The previous chapter described the owner-operator business and what it does. This section of the report will focus on the financial and cost characteristics of the business. This chapter presents the only comprehensive drayage costing model available in Metro Vancouver today. It also provides several analytical tools that may be used by owner-operators to prepare a business plan, which, in turn, may be used to evaluate and benchmark their business or obtain financing. The purpose of these tools is to help owner-operators better understand and manage their businesses in order to improve their financial performance. These cost and financial tools may also be used to analyze a variety of operational and policy questions, such as12: » Should potential new owner-operators get into the business? » Should existing owner-operators exit the business? » What are the financial impacts of improving productivity in the drayage sector? » What are the cost/financial impacts of operating new versus used trucks? » Do the existing regulated rates adequately compensate owner-operators, who comprise approximately half the drayage labour force in Metro Vancouver? The chapter begins with a discussion of revenue and compensation, followed by a description of the owneroperator truck cost/financial model and the main assumptions used to develop the model. Appendices 3 and 4 provide additional detailed assumptions and some sample results from the application of the model. 12) The costing model and financial tools described herein form part of the owner-operator toolkit mentioned in Chapter 1 and are available in a separate Excel spreadsheet format. 4.1 REVENUE AND COMPENSATION — To understand the current financial situation of Metro Vancouver owner-operators, some background is appropriate. In the summer of 2005, concerns by owner-operators regarding high fuel costs and excessive wait times at container terminals that significantly reduced truck productivity and income led to a five-week shutdown of the port when owner-operators withdrew their services. The dispute was resolved through the Vince Ready Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between trucking companies and owneroperators, which established a schedule of minimum rates (“Ready rates”) that non-unionized owner-operators would be paid to move containers.13 A number of steps were taken to develop the current Port Authority Operations Regulations14 for the purpose of facilitating stability in port operations. The Regulations created a legal obligation for the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority (i.e., PMV) to establish a system of written agreements in the form of licenses (administered under the TLS) that established minimum conditions regarding truck trips to/from port terminals. The key aspect regarding compensation is that owner-operators must be paid the equivalent of a rate published in a collective agreement of a competing drayage operation (for unionized drivers) and not be paid less than the rates set out in the MOA (for non-union drivers). Although the rates are enforced by a system of audits carried out by the BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure as an appointee of PMV, this system is widely viewed in the industry as ineffective and virtually impossible to enforce. 13) Vince Ready was appointed by the provincial and federal governments as a mediator to the dispute. The Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), dated July 29, 2005 between Trucking Companies (Owners/Brokers) and the Vancouver Container Truckers’ Association, covered drayage moves to/from the Vanterm, Centerm, Deltaport and Fraser Surrey Docks marine container terminals and the intermodal yards of CP and CN. 14) Refers to Port Authorities Operations Regulations (SOR/2000-55). Regulations are current to 2013-03-04 and were last amended on 2007-07-31. See http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/SOR-2000-55/. CHAPTER 4 Although the regulated rates include a fuel surcharge component that provides a small offset for rising fuel costs (the surcharge is only about 6% applied to the total Ready rate), the Ready rates have not changed since August 1, 200615 despite changing market and cost conditions. The rates are prescribed on a per-trip basis for different origins and destinations in Metro Vancouver to provide a theoretical rate floor (see Appendix 2). Initially, the MOA and Regulations were interpreted as applying to the delivery or pick-up of containers, including hauling containers between the marine container terminals, customers and final locations that included off-dock sites. However, in 2010, PMV concluded that the Regulations only covered the trip leg between the customer and the port, not the leg to/from an off-dock location. Transport Canada supported this interpretation and determined that federal regulation applied only to those moves that originate or terminate at the port’s marine container terminals. The impact is that owner-operators may not always be fully compensated for “third leg” moves (i.e., moves between off-dock locations, such as terminals, storage yards and rail yards) that are not on port property. This is significant because large proportions of the drayage activity in the region relate to moves between off-dock locations, while moves to or from container terminals often involve at least one empty chassis move. The third-leg remuneration issue has been exacerbated by the continued development and dispersion of off-dock facilities throughout Metro Vancouver. 15) On July 29, 2005, the Ready MOA established the schedule of minimum rates (Schedule 1) that came into force under an Order-in-Council requiring Vancouver Fraser Port Authority (i.e. PMV) to implement a mandatory Truck License System (TLS) and to enforce the Ready rates for non-unionized owner-operators. However, the current rates are those contained in Schedule 2, and came into effect August 1, 2006 per the regulation that replaced the original 2005 Order-in-Council. The Schedule 2 rates are slightly higher than those contained in Schedule 1. See Appendix 2. One carrier stated that up to 80% of import containers go to an off-dock location once their import cargo is unloaded in the Metro Vancouver area. On the export side, the figure may be lower, perhaps in the 30–40% range. The level of compensation for an off-dock movement varies widely depending on company policy (see also Appendix 2 for commentary on the Ready rates). 4.2 TRUCK COST / FINANCIAL MODEL — This section outlines the technical foundation and methodology used to develop the owner-operator truck cost/financial model. It begins with a review of the principles of financial models in a trucking application, followed by a description of the main truck cost elements, the cost/financial model tools that were developed, data sources and key assumptions. Sample results from the model are provided in Appendix 4. Principles of Financial Models Financial models are generally used to evaluate business decisions regarding operations and investments. They incorporate revenues and expenses, estimate profits and compare profits with the investments required. Expenses in financial models for trucking can involve various kinds of estimates, including: » Estimates from first principles. Examples include fuel cost estimated as consumption per unit, such as litres per kilometre multiplied by the prevailing market price for diesel; labour costs at current rates multiplied by workload per year; and tires at a cost per set (typically 10 tires for a tractor) and their replacement cycles. » Estimates from surveys of trucking costs. Detailed surveys of truck operators generate a good database of operating costs as inputs to a financial model. Because surveys are conducted at a particular point in time, it is generally necessary to escalate costs from the time of the survey to reflect current price levels. 23 24 CHAPTER 4 » Evaluations of accounting data and other records. If an owner-operator maintains good records of costs and business activity, it is possible to generate cost estimates customized for particular operations for each year of activity. It is possible to export data from accounting software into analytical software, such as Microsoft Excel, to estimate unit costs for modeling purposes. The financial model that was developed for this study is essentially a combination of all three of these approaches and is described in the methodology section below. Treatment of Revenue in the Financial Model Revenue is a simple calculation in principle: payment for the sale of a good or service multiplied by sales volume. However, it is less simple in the case of owner-operator container drayage. This is due to the variety of different payment schemes (i.e., union collective agreements, Ready rates for moves to and from marine container terminals, and market rates for some other moves) as well as the variety of truck movements that an owner-operator can make to serve different origins and destinations.16 The latter includes paid movements, such as transporting full or empty containers between terminals, and movements that may be paid in some cases but not all, such as picking up or dropping off empty chassis. The treatment of revenue in the financial model for the purposes of this study is straightforward. The model use has two approaches. The first approach requires the user to input total revenue in any given time period (i.e., per move, per day, per month). The second approach derives revenue from the Ready rate scale that compensates owneroperators by the trip, depending on the origin and destination for the container move. 16) For example, the Ready rate (without fuel cost escalation) to move a container from New Westminster to Deltaport is $135 per trip; the rate from New Westminster to Vanterm or Centerm, located at Burrard Inlet, is $115 per trip. Understanding Truck Costs Since the revenues that owner-operators receive are largely beyond their control, at least in terms of the per trip rates they receive, success as a business owner critically depends on understanding and managing costs. An operator who can reduce costs by five cents per kilometre will save $3,000 a year over 60,000 kilometres driven in one year. These savings go entirely to bottom-line profits. Expenses generally have fixed and variable components (see Exhibit 7). Fixed costs may be viewed as the costs of time—they do not change from month to month, and include ownership of tractors (depreciation, capital recovery, etc.), insurance and license fees. Fixed costs are allocated to period costs, such as a trip in proportion to distance in relation to the annual utilization of a tractor in kilometres. Variable costs are those costs that vary with trucking activity, such as distance traveled or time spent, and include fuel, operator wage allowance, and maintenance. Some costs may have both fixed and variable components. For example, tire costs may be treated as either variable costs (e.g., tire replacement cost divided by tire life measured in kilometres) or short-term fixed costs by treating tires as a capital replacement cost (e.g., tire replacement cost every two years); the choice of approach may depend on the distance driven in a year. Costing models usually divide investments into fixed assets (primarily tractors in the case of this study) and working capital (funds required to run the business). The main elements of working capital are cash, accounts receivable (income for work performed and invoiced, but not yet paid) and the liability of accounts payable (expenses incurred but not yet paid). Accounts receivable are a particular issue for small businesses like drayage owner-operators: if customers are typically slow to pay, the owner-operator must have sufficient capital to allow for this. CHAPTER 4 Exhibit 7: Fixed and Variable Drayage Cost Elements VARIABLE COSTS FIXED COSTS » » » » » » » » Driver* Fuel Maintenance and Repairs Tires Miscellaneous * Includes wage cost for driving, the cost of waiting time for loading /unloading, and overhead costs (annual vacation, Workers’ Compensation, etc.). Tractor (truck) depreciation** Licenses (provincial government, TLS) Overhead and financing costs*** ** Since owner-operators do not generally own chassis, the focus is on tractor costs. ***Vehicle insurance (drayage company typically pays cargo insurance), administration, working capital. Truck Cost / Financial Model A consistent theme that emerged from the industry consultations is the need for owner-operators to identify and better understand the costs of operating their businesses. The most successful owner-operators in the industry are keenly aware of and closely manage their costs. This is critically important because every dollar in cost savings goes directly to the bottom line. The truck cost/financial model consists of three analytical tools as the most practical way to identify, manage and benchmark an owner-operator business. These tools are based on best business practices to help owner-operators improve their financial performance: » Profit Estimator. Assesses an owner-operator’s profitability for any defined period of drayage activity (per day, week, month, etc.) based on three simple inputs: revenue, distance driven and hours worked. The profit estimator can be used to evaluate the profitability of any type of drayage activity in Metro Vancouver. It can be useful to evaluate multiple trips that may involve double-ended moves such as those engaged in by successful operators. The result is simple—the total return to the owneroperator per activity (trip, day, etc.), per kilometre and per hour. Of these, perhaps the most useful is the return per hour, since it can be compared with wage income. » Trip Cost Analyzer. Develops the full costs (including wages and allocated fixed costs) and a profit contribution of a particular trip from start to end. It provides the structure of overall costs and an estimate of the costs of the trip against which owner-operators can compare their trip revenue. The trip cost analyzer can be used to determine whether or not to accept a particular container movement job or to evaluate the adequacy of remuneration paid to an owner-operator by a drayage company. » Pro Forma Financial Tool. Evaluates the business from start to either a future “steady state” or its termination. It includes estimates of revenue and expenses over a number of years (including income taxes and inflation), owner-operator capital requirements, loan draws, loan repayments and interest, sale of assets at the end of the business, and some measures of financial return (e.g., return on capital, return on equity, discounted cash flow). The principal use of the pro forma tool by an owner-operator is to address questions such as: Ì How much capital do I require? Ì What annual returns can I expect? Ì Do I really want to get into this business? Ì What financial information is needed in a business plan that I could take to a financial institution to obtain a loan to finance my business? 25 26 CHAPTER 4 Methodology and Key Assumptions The initial database used for the container drayage truck cost/financial model is derived from Ray Barton and Associates (Barton), who have prepared periodic surveys of trucking costs in Canada for Transport Canada for a number of years.17 Barton uses several data sources, principal among them surveys of trucking companies, and prepares costs for Canadian regions and for different kinds of tractor and trailer combinations. The Barton model provides a credible framework for the drayage financial model. However, in order to better reflect the cost characteristics of the Metro Vancouver container drayage industry, the Barton model was refined in a three-step process. First, the costs were indexed to bring them to 2012 levels, since the Barton model used 2010 values. The second step refined the Barton model based on select data obtained from Metro Vancouver trucking companies and owneroperators.18 Several adjustments were made to reflect local drayage operating and cost conditions. The main adjustments made to the Barton model are: increased driver costs to reflect longer wait times at container terminals; lower tractor ownership costs due to the use of older, less costly trucks; higher maintenance, repair and tire costs; and lower overhead and administration costs. The third step was to refine the model to allow user inputs for several major cost items. These are hourly driver wage rate, fuel cost per kilometre, maintenance cost per kilometre, administration cost per year, tractor capital cost, and annual tractor utilization. Exhibit 8 highlights the primary data sources and key assumptions used in the truck cost/financial model. 17) Ray Barton and Associates, Logistics Solution Builders Inc. and The Research and Traffic Group, “Final Report Operating Costs of Trucking and Surface Intermodal Transportation in Canada,” Transport Canada RFP File # T8080 – 100234, March 15, 2011. 18) Note that the scope of this study did not permit an extensive data collection survey. The Trip Cost Estimator and Profit Estimator allow the user to modify the following inputs in order to analyze any type of container drayage operation in Metro Vancouver: » Average annual tractor utilization (in kilometres), which is part of fixed-cost allocation » Average speed » Tractor financial parameters, including new or used vehicle, capital cost, vehicle life and residual value » Trucking distances to cover all likely moves (i.e., to point of empty chassis pick-up, pick-up and delivery at terminals and to the point of empty chassis drop-off) » Waiting time at terminals or off-dock locations » Profit as a percent of total cost » Ready rate origins and destinations The Pro Forma Financial Tool allows the user to adjust the following inputs: » Capital expenditures for equipment other than the tractor » Working capital and loans » Trip characteristics based on annual averages » Annual revenues, costs and escalation factors to allow for five-year business projections All three models allow users to choose between model default values or enter their own estimates for the following operating costs: » Fuel (the default value is per kilometre, but the user can enter specific estimates of fuel consumption, such as litres/kilometre, as well as fuel price per litre) » Maintenance cost per kilometre » Administration cost per year CHAPTER 4 Exhibit 8: Cost/Financial Model Key Assumptions COST ITEM DATA SOURCE VARIABLE Driver Wage ASSUMPTION / COMMENT Variable costs typically comprise about 80% of total truck operating costs, or $2.50/km, including an allowance for wages. User input The default value used in the model is $25.00/hour plus a 15% wage burden for CPP and workers’ compensation. The driver wage covers the cost of driving plus wait times at pick-up and delivery points. At the end of the day, the wage rate is what the owner-operator hopes to make from the business and may be compared to other employment opportunities an operator may have. If a value of zero is used in the model, then the profit for the trip (or trips) in any given time period is equal to the driver’s income. Fuel User input or default value from Barton confirmed through consultations The Barton default value is $0.548/km. Since fuel is one of largest variable cost items, accounting for approximately 22% of total variable costs, the model provides the option to input a specific fuel consumption rate in miles per gallon and current price per litre. An owner-operator pays about $40,000 a year for fuel if he drives 70,000 km/year at a cost of $0.548/km. Maintenance & Repairs User input or default value from Barton confirmed through consultations Barton cost is $0.081/km for a new truck, or $0.121/km for a used truck, at the user’s discretion. The used truck cost is assumed to be 50% higher than the new truck cost. The user can choose to enter his own estimate of maintenance and repairs in dollars per km. Maintenance and repair costs are about 5% of total variable costs. Tires Barton $0.028/km, or about 1% of total variable costs. This assumes the cost for a set of 10 new tires that last for 2 years is about $5,000. Miscellaneous Barton $0.015/km, or about 0.5% of total variable costs. This cost category includes items such as small tools and equipment, truck cleaning, communications equipment, etc. FIXED Fixed costs comprise about 20% of total operating costs, or $0.60/km (the cost per km is sensitive to annual truck utilization). Tractor Ownership User input or default value based on consultation results and industry best practices The default value in the model is $60,000 for a typical used tractor. The user has the option of substituting any value to reflect a specific vehicle (newer vehicles can cost $90,000 to $140,000). A key factor for ownership cost is the annual vehicle utilization rate that is used to allocate this cost over time. Truck utilization varies widely among owner-operators. Depending on the nature of the drayage operation (i.e., pure drayage, or shunting at a major customer, or more highway moves from rail intermodal terminals), truck utilization ranges between 25,000 and 120,000 km a year. The tractor cost and assumed use have a major impact on tractor ownership costs and represent 40% to 50% of total fixed costs. Licenses Barton $2,400/year, representing about 6% of total fixed costs. Insurance Barton $8,000/year, representing about 20% of total fixed costs. Administration User input or default value based on consultation results and industry best practices The default value is $10,000/year based on best practices and covers general administration and bookkeeping, accounting and legal fees. General overheads are assumed to be 45 minutes per working day. The user of the model has the option of using any other value stated as an annual cost. 27 28 CHAPTER 4 Sensitivity of the Model to Changes in Productivity The Profit Estimator provides a powerful tool to evaluate the financial impacts of different drayage operating scenarios. For example, it could be used to assess the impact of improving productivity by increasing the number of double-ended moves, reducing wait times at container terminal gates, or improving travel times associated with infrastructure improvements, such as the South Fraser Perimeter Road. It could also be used to evaluate the potential impacts of policy changes, such as promoting the use of newer trucks in order to reduce the environmental footprint of port-related activities. Exhibit 9 illustrates the impact of improving truck productivity on owner-operators’ returns. In the base case scenario, the owner-operator makes three revenue trips per day, and has to travel 20 kilometres to the terminal to pick up the container as well as another 10 kilometres from the delivery terminal to position for the next revenue load. This results in a total of 30 kilometres of unpaid driving activity, and limits the number of paid container moves that can be handled in the day. Under this scenario, the net return to the driver is $20.30/hour. In the second scenario, the operator achieves four revenue trips per day and is able to reduce unproductive driving activity from 30 kilometres in the base case to 10 kilometres due to double-ended moves. This reduces both the total distance driven and unproductive time. The result under this scenario is to improve the net return to $32.29/hour, a gain of 60%. Under the third scenario, five revenue trips are made in the day, and additional double-ended moves and reduced queuing time at the terminal improve productivity even further. The net return increases to $38.95, a gain of 92% over the base case. These scenarios demonstrate the high degree of sensitivity of owner-operator returns to changes in productivity. Productivity improvements are one of the most critical aspects in improving operating conditions in the drayage sector. Exhibit 9: Sensitivity of Returns to Truck Productivity Improvements (Revenue and cost, $/day) ITEM BASE CASE 4 TRIPS/DAY 5 TRIPS/DAY Revenue ($) 450.00 600.00 750.00 Variable Cost ($)* 128.14 113.90 142.38 Gross Operating Profit ($) 321.86 486.10 607.62 Fixed and Overhead Costs ($) 108.67 98.59 120.74 Net Return to Owner–Operator ($) 213.19 387.51 486.88 Net Return (per hour) $20.30 $32.29 $38.95 Difference (per hour vs. base case) — +$11.99 +$18.65 Difference (per cent vs. base case) — +60% +92% * Excludes driver wages. Driver compensation is shown in this example as the net return after covering all other variable costs such as fuel, tires, maintenance and repairs. CHAPTER 5 BEST PRACTICE FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS The previous sections of this report focused on the owner-operator business in terms of what the business does (business model) and how it makes money (cost model) in order to provide a better understanding of the container drayage sector in Metro Vancouver. This chapter builds on this information by examining the business practices of successful operators collected through industry interviews with both drayage companies and owner-operators. The objective is to identify the key factors and skills that lead to success in the industry and to provide recommendations to owner-operators and industry stakeholders in order to improve the business and economic performance of the drayage sector in Metro Vancouver. The discussion begins with a focus on the customer value proposition and is followed by the key factors that drayage companies look for when contracting an owner-operator, the factors owner-operators should consider when selecting a drayage company, and finally what can be done to improve the overall performance of the drayage sector. 5.1 OWNER-OPERATOR VALUE PROPOSITION — From a drayage company perspective, owner-operators provide benefits that enhance the value of their own business, as well as the services they are in turn able to offer to the importers/exporters and shipping lines who are their primary customers: » Cost advantages. Drayage companies could achieve a competitive edge by using owner-operators because they may be able to pay them less than what they pay company drivers. This is because the company avoids the cost burden of fringe benefits and wage overhead costs. Such cost savings could also be used to advantage by sharing a portion of the savings with owner-operators as an incentive. The fact that some large drayage companies such as CNTL have converted to a 100% owner-operator model is evidence of the benefits. » Reduced financial risks. Companies can reduce their capital requirements and financial risks by using owneroperators, since the company is able to avoid the capital costs of purchasing a fleet of trucks. » Flexibility. Companies that use owner-operators have the flexibility to adjust the size of their operation by expanding or contracting in a timely and cost-effective manner in response to changing market conditions. » Access to TLS Independent Owner-Operator Permits. Given the existing moratorium on TLS licenses for owneroperators, those who already have a license add value by providing a ready supply of labour to companies looking to bring on additional operators. 29 30 CHAPTER 5 5.2 COMPANY CRITERIA: SELECTING GOOD OWNER-OPERATORS — A common theme that emerged from the interviews is an emphasis on safety. Several companies indicated that owner-operators must have a clean safety record and comply with National Safety Code (NSC) standards regarding drivers and vehicle maintenance. The main skills/attributes used by companies to identify and select good operators include: » Good reputation in the industry for reliability; » Sufficient driving experience; » Positive attitude, willingness to learn and an understanding of the gateway container supply chain “big picture”;19 » Dependable and flexible—able to handle frequently changing work requirements; » Responsible and to have developed a business plan, business systems and a regular preventative truck maintenance program; » Understands and manages stress (self-awareness); » Mechanical aptitude. 5.3 OWNER-OPERATOR CRITERIA: SELECTING A GOOD COMPANY TO WORK FOR — As noted previously, there are some 160 local drayage companies of varying sizes in Metro Vancouver. Owneroperators contract out their equipment and services to one or more of these companies. The choice of which company (or companies) to work for is critical because it affects workload, shift schedules, quality of life and income. 19) Interestingly, several interviewees had the misperception that PMV somehow controlled the container terminals. From an owner-operator’s perspective, the key questions to ask when selecting a company to work for are: » How long has the company been in business? The longer the better. » What is the company’s driver turnover rate? The lower the better, because high driver turnover may indicate poor working conditions. » Does the company provide a signed contract with clearly defined terms of the business arrangement? » What do discussions with other owner-operators who work for the company indicate about the company and its working conditions? » How does the company compensate its owner-operators in general and what are its detailed compensation terms? » Will it be possible to get double-ended revenuegenerating moves? » Does the company pay for waiting time at marine terminals and subsidize fuel costs? » How long does it take to get paid after hauling a load? » Does the company have established arrangements with a repair shop that can help owner-operators with truck repairs under the company umbrella? This last point can be extremely valuable because it helps reduce delays in getting unexpected repairs completed, thereby minimizing downtime in the event of mechanical problems with the vehicle that is the owner-operator’s chief source of income. CHAPTER 5 5.4 KEY CHALLENGES — There are major opportunities for growth on the horizon. Import and export container traffic volume moving through the port is expected to approximately double by 2030 to about 6 million TEUs. To realize the growth opportunities ahead, the operation and performance of the drayage sector serving the port must be improved. The fundamental challenges confronting the drayage sector may be grouped into three broad areas: » Lack of a sustainable economic model. Intense price competition, the fact that the Ready rates do not keep pace with current market conditions, and the false security of the rate “floor” under the regulated rate regime mean there is no sustainable economic model in the drayage sector—a factor that contributes to instability and reduced profits for owner-operators. » Lack of integrated planning and operations. Without closer coordination among supply chain participants to align interests, drayage productivity will continue to be an issue, resulting in long and unpredictable truck turn times at container terminals and sub-optimization of double-ended revenue moves. » Limited knowledge and understanding. There is a general lack of knowledge in the drayage sector with respect to understanding and managing truck operating costs and how businesses can improve their financial management. In addition, the roles and responsibilities of different supply chain participants are not generally well understood by owner-operators. This lack of clarity poses a significant communications challenge when it comes to addressing key issues and the implementation of system-wide solutions. Several of the challenges are symptoms of underlying systemic factors, for example: the inherent seasonality of the container trade, which causes periodic volume fluctuations; legacy reservation systems of the terminal operators; longshore labour paradigms; and container terminal capacity constraints. The combination of these and other factors results in a significant degree of “noise” and finger-pointing in the system, and are exacerbated by daily operational frustrations that occasionally flare up as well as a general lack of trust. These issues cause a great deal of anxiety in the drayage community. The systemic challenges are beyond owner-operators’ control or influence. Other issues are a matter of policy, such as the extent to which the provincial and federal governments should be involved in rate regulation in the drayage sector and whether or not market forces would promote greater stability. 31 32 CHAPTER 5 5.5 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVING DRAYAGE SECTOR PERFORMANCE — The research and analysis into best business practices carried out for this project led to recommendations for owner-operators and other drayage sector stakeholders, and are shown below. Recommendations for Owner-Operators ITEM BEST PRACTICES Cost Control » » » Reducing costs by just 5 cents/km will save $3,500 a year for an owner-operator who drives 70,000 km per year—these savings go directly to the bottom line. Understand and manage all costs, fixed and variable Focus on minimizing the most significant cost items, such as fuel and tractor purchase Implement a preventative truck maintenance program to keep costs under control and minimize revenue lost to equipment breakdowns. 1% Tires 20% Fixed Costs 4% Maintenance & Other 24% Driver Operating Time 18% Fuel 33% Driver Wait Time Source: CTC-Seaport Drayage Trip Cost Analyzer. Truck Assets » An owner-operator’s truck is the most important asset—having a safe, reliable, cost-effective vehicle(s) is critical for success. Consider acquiring a new truck that offers the following potential benefits: Ì May be more reliable than an older, used vehicle Ì Less costly due to fewer mechanical issues Ì Repairs covered under warranty Ì Performance Monitoring Successful owner-operators adjust for changing conditions to maximize profitability —the key here is to track performance against a business plan and budget in order to determine what adjustments to make. » » » » » Complies with PMV age/emission standards, which are becoming more stringent to improve port standards Develop a business plan and budget to track finances Keep good records to determine how the plan/budget is working and whether or not adjustments are required Utilize accounting software for bookkeeping and reporting Account for depreciation by setting aside money for eventual vehicle replacement Keep a reserve ($10,000–$15,000) to accommodate unforeseen expenses, such as major vehicle repairs CHAPTER 5 Recommendations for Other Stakeholders Some of the key challenges identified above are already being addressed through other initiatives, for example those led by the Container Drayage Leadership Team and Port Metro Vancouver, particularly with regard to the development of a more integrated planning and operations environment and the collection of data on drayage operations and activities in the region. Technology also has a significant potential role to play in the solutions. The following five recommendations are advanced for other stakeholders to improve the performance of the drayage sector in Metro Vancouver. The objective of these recommendations is to create a more stable and sustainable drayage sector and to improve knowledge and understanding within the industry: maintenance, driver training and other aspects of safety management. Insufficient compensation to drayage operators increases the risk of sector instability, reduces owner-operators’ financial means to invest in newer truck equipment, and can be an impediment to attracting a sufficient number of quality drayage operators to service projected gateway container traffic volumes. » Develop a drayage cost index that can be used to identify and track operating costs in the industry on an ongoing basis. The index would provide a useful bench-mark for owner-operators and drayage companies to advocate for rate increases and help transition away from the existing regulated rate regime to a market-based system. » Develop a communications protocol, in cooperation with the BCTA and PMV, as a means to increase the general knowledge and understanding of owner-operators working in the drayage sector and communicate the steps that industry and governments are taking to address structural challenges in the industry. » In order to address the challenge of limited knowledge and understanding of the financial management aspects of the drayage business, consideration should be given to developing an education and awareness program for owner-operators. The goal is to provide basic information and the fundamental principles of business management and financing to help existing and potential new owneroperators better understand best business practices. » Develop a shipper education campaign to increase awareness and understanding of the impact of shippers’ decision-making on the drayage sector in general and on owner-operators in particular with respect to vehicle » Consider creating a drayage sector ombudsman to act as a credible, empowered and more unified voice for the industry in order to address operational issues and communicate progress on these issues. 33 34 CHAPTER 5 Toolkit Recommendations The toolkit is the other main output for this project. It is a separate resource for owner-operators that highlights successful business practices and the skills required to improve business performance. It is recommended that an online version of the toolkit be developed as the best way to disseminate the information and promote its use. The recommended structure of the toolkit is shown below. THE DRAYAGE BUSINESS Owner-Operator Essentials MY BUSINESS Managing My Business & Money » 1.1 Drayage Business Environment » 3.1 Budgeting & Bookkeeping » 1.2 Lifestyle » 3.2 How Am I Doing? » 1.3 Business & Financial Considerations » 3.3 How Can I Make More $$$? » 1.4 Choosing a Company to Work For » 3.4 Understanding My Costs » 1.5 What Companies Look For » 3.5 Financial Tools MY TRUCK Getting & Operating My Vehicle GLOSSARY A – Z » 2.1 Financing Options » 2.2 Getting Bank Financing » 2.3 New vs. Used » 2.4 Importance Of Maintenance » 2.5 Safety » 2.6 Fuel Efficiency » 2.7 Practical Terminal Information APPENDICES 36 APPENDIX 1 APPENDIX 1 INTERVIEW QUESTION GUIDE 1. What is the nature of your business and who are your key customers (import, export, transload, etc.)? 11. Is there a driver shortage in the Lower Mainland? If so, what should be done to address it? 2. What services do you provide and what are your customer requirements? 12. Do you currently have a driver training program? 3. What is the typical work schedule? 4. What are the most critical factors impacting this schedule (terminal issues, road congestion, reliability of drivers, etc.)? 5. What is the proportion of company drivers to owner-operators in your business? » What are your needs in this area? » What resources would be helpful to improve driver training? 13. How are your drivers paid (own drivers versus owner-operators)? 14. Are the Ready rates current with respect to market conditions? » What factors determine this? » What is the revenue split with owner-operators for Ready rate moves? » What issues dictate the choice between company drivers and owner-operators? » How do Ready rates vary from the non-regulated drayage market? 6. Are your drivers unionized? If so, what is the proportion of unionized drivers in your business and to what unions do they belong? 7. How does your dispatch system work and what does it cost to operate? » Are there any lessons in it for owner-operators? 8. What equipment do you need for your business (tractors, chassis, hardware, software, communications, GPS, etc.)? 9. How was this equipment financed and what does it cost to purchase/lease? 10. What is the average age of your own tractor fleet? » How many kilometres a year does your average tractor operate: for drayage and for long-haul? 15. What tools/resources would you find the most useful to improve the performance of your business? 16. What are the key factors affecting your profitability, both within and outside of your control? 17. Would you find value in having real-time information to operate your business? What would be most valuable? 18. Regarding owner-operators: » How do you select owner-operators? » What qualities define a “good” operator? » Is there a high turnover of owner-operators at your business and in general? If so, why? » What is the typical age of their tractors? » What is a typical tractor utilization in kilometres (or hours or other)? » How suited are their tractors to container drayage, and what are the issues? APPENDIX 1 INTERVIEW QUESTION GUIDE » How knowledgeable are owner-operators about their own trucking businesses? Ì What is their understanding of basic business principles? Ì What is their understanding of their operational costs and bottom lines? Ì To what extent do they use accounting systems? » What skills, tools, etc. would make owner-operators more effective in their businesses? » What kinds of real-time information would be valuable to owner-operators, perhaps via an app on a mobile phone (iPhone, Android, etc.) plus a website? Examples could include: Ì Real-time updates on road information, congestion and travel speeds (Google Traffic?) Ì Reports on congestion at marine container terminal gates Ì Daily market conditions » To what degree do you think owner-operators understand simple and complex business and general concepts? How much does this vary by individual? » What are some good ways to get new concepts and information across to owner-operators about their business and business practices? Visuals, stories, workshops, examples, manuals, storyboards? Other? 19. Regarding trucking costs (main focus on owner-operators): » How do you record, evaluate and use trucking costs in business planning? » Are there any lessons in this for owner-operators? » What is the price of a new tractor appropriate for Metro Vancouver drayage? Ì What are its specifications? Ì How long would you keep such a tractor and what would be the resale price? » What are some typical characteristics of owner-operator tractors? Ì Age at acquisition and price Ì Appropriateness for Metro Vancouver drayage Ì Typical specifications Ì How long would an owner-operator keep such a tractor and what would be the resale price? » Regarding variable tractor operating costs in general, what are unit costs (per kilometre) for: Ì Maintenance? (And how does this vary for new and older tractors?) Ì Tires? Ì Fuel? Ì Driver (operating)? Ì Driver (waiting—should this be per hour?)? Ì How does one handle the cost of tractor waiting time in general? Ì Driver time with fixed costs allocated per kilometre and variable costs close to zero? Ì Should one differentiate between standard time allowances at terminals and non-standard time, such as gate queuing? » Regarding fixed tractor costs: Ì Licensing: What is the annual cost of licensing a tractor? » Insurance (operating) cost: Ì What is the annual tractor insurance cost, and is it strictly fixed? » Administration (operating) costs: Ì What are the key administration items for an owner-operator? Ì What level of annual administration costs would you expect for an owner-operator? How does this vary with annual tractor utilization? » Tractor ownership costs: Ì What is best way to handle them for owner-operators? Ì Depreciation plus interest? Ì Loan payments plus a return on own capital (equity)? Ì Capital recovery (overall return to cover debt and equity)? Ì Other? Ì Are there any other significant fixed costs? PMV TLS? 37 38 APPENDIX 2 APPENDIX 2 READY RATE SCALE Schedule 1: Rates in Effect from Date of Return to Work FROM / TO VANTERM CENTERM DELTAPORT FSD CP CN Vancouver Docks $90 $120 $110 $120 $120 North Vancouver $95 $125 $120 $130 $130 West Vancouver $100 $130 $125 $135 $135 Burnaby North $95 $120 $100 $110 $110 Burnaby South (South of Highway 1) $100 $120 $95 $110 $115 Richmond North $95 $110 $95 $120 $120 Richmond South (South of Westminster) $100 $100 $95 $125 $120 Annacis Island $110 $110 $90 $115 $115 New Westminster $105 $120 $95 $110 $115 Coquitlam $105 $120 $100 $100 $105 Port Moody / Port Coquitlam $110 $130 $105 $95 $110 Pitt Meadows $120 $135 $110 $90 $115 Haney / Maple Ridge $125 $145 $120 $95 $120 Surrey North (North of 72, West of 152, FSD) $110 $110 $90 $110 $100 Delta North (Tillbury) $120 $90 $90 $120 $115 Surrey South (includes White Rock) $120 $110 $110 $135 $110 Cloverdale $120 $120 $105 $115 $90 Port Kells (North of Highway, West of 208) $120 $130 $100 $115 $90 Langley City $130 $120 $110 $120 $95 Langley South (South of 40) $150 $110 $110 $130 $100 Pacific Highway $150 $110 $110 $130 $100 Fort Langley / Aldergrove $140 $150 $120 $140 $110 Abbotsford / Clearbrook $160 $160 $145 $150 $120 Mission $160 $170 $150 $130 $130 Chilliwack / Sardis $185 $185 $170 $170 $160 APPENDIX 2 READY RATE SCALE Schedule 2: Rates in Effect from August 1, 2006 FROM / TO VANTERM CENTERM DELTAPORT FSD CP CN Vancouver Docks $100 $135 $120 $135 $135 North Vancouver $105 $140 $135 $145 $145 West Vancouver $110 $145 $140 $150 $150 Burnaby North $105 $135 $110 $120 $120 Burnaby South (South of Highway 1) $110 $135 $105 $120 $130 Richmond North $105 $120 $105 $135 $135 Richmond South (South of Westminster) $110 $110 $105 $140 $135 Annacis Island $120 $120 $100 $130 $130 New Westminster $115 $135 $105 $120 $130 Coquitlam $115 $135 $110 $110 $115 Port Moody / Port Coquitlam $120 $145 $115 $105 $120 Pitt Meadows $135 $150 $120 $100 $130 Haney / Maple Ridge $140 $160 $135 $105 $135 Surrey North (North of 72, West of 152, FSD) $120 $120 $100 $120 $110 Delta North (Tillbury) $135 $100 $100 $135 $130 Surrey South (includes White Rock) $135 $120 $120 $150 $120 Cloverdale $135 $135 $115 $130 $100 Port Kells (North of Highway, West of 208) $135 $145 $110 $130 $100 Langley City $145 $135 $120 $135 $105 Langley South (South of 40) $165 $120 $120 $145 $110 Pacific Highway $165 $120 $120 $145 $110 Fort Langley / Aldergrove $155 $165 $135 $155 $120 Abbotsford / Clearbrook $175 $175 $160 $165 $135 Mission $175 $185 $165 $145 $145 Chilliwack / Sardis $200 $200 $185 $185 $175 39 40 APPENDIX 2 READY RATE SCALE DO THE READY RATES AFFECT MARKET RATES? — This question is difficult to determine; general anecdotal evidence includes: » A trucking company with about 60 non-union owner-operator tractors pays for container movements according to the Ready MOA. The company also pays drivers an additional amount to compensate for their time handling empty chassis moves. The compensation for this additional work is based on mileage at a predetermined scale. For example: Ì For a five-kilometres repositioning move, the driver would receive $75. Ì For a 20-kilometre repositioning move, the driver would receive $85. » An operator of a major import distribution centre that operates an in-house drayage company to serve its clients pays its owner-operators based on the MOA plus a percentage of the Ready rates if an empty chassis move is involved. » One company stated that it pays its owner-operators for container moves based on the MOA and must do so because of audits. This company has adjusted the rates it pays for inflation but only at some 2% a year. If there is a mix-up at a marine terminal that results in an unavailable container, this company will pay owner-operators, typically at 50% of the Ready rate. The company pays 100% of the Ready rate for certain kinds of delays or lack of container availability. » Unionized owner-operators mentioned that some non-unionized owner-operators undercut the Ready rates. They also mentioned that “cash back” refunds occur. These involve owner-operators invoicing trucking companies at the Ready rates to support audits, after which—following payment of invoices—the non-unionized owner-operator rebates in cash a portion of the amount paid, resulting in a rate that is effectively below the Ready rate. APPENDIX 3 APPENDIX 3 PRO FORMA FINANCIAL MODEL INPUTS The pro forma model input worksheet has several sections, as follows: The components of the model and key assumptions are outlined below. Average Utilization and Speed Working Capital Assumptions This is an input value with the default 40 kilometres per hour. Working capital is the difference between current assets and current liabilities. The principal current assets are cash or cash equivalents and accounts receivable. Accounts receivable are amounts owed for services performed and invoiced but not yet paid. Selection of Input Costs The user can: » Input his own value for driver compensation and payroll burden. » Choose between model defaults for fuel cost or enter his own values for miles per gallon and fuel price per litre. » Choose between model defaults for repair and maintenance costs or enter his own value per kilometre. » Choose between model defaults for administration costs or enter his own value per year. Selection of Financial Parameters The user can enter: Discussions with owner-operators indicate that they are paid several weeks after they make a container drayage move; a value of 45 days was used for accounts receivable. The principal current liability is accounts payable. These are for items that have been purchased but not yet paid for. An example is a tank of fuel bought on a credit card and paid for as part of the credit card payment. Invoices for goods and services often have payment terms of 30 days; a value of 30 days was used to calculate accounts payable in the pro forma model. Driver “wages” were not included in accounts payable; it was assumed that owner-operators draw “wages” throughout each month. » Tractor financial parameters » Other capital expenditures, such as a computer and tools » Start-up year » Income tax rate » Working capital parameters A loan with an interest rate of 6% and a term of five years was assumed. This would be typical of a small business loan secured by an asset such as a house. Some owneroperators reported difficulty in securing line-of-credit loans because they could not demonstrate adequate proof of income. » Capital contributions to the business » Loan interest rate and term Selection of Trip Characteristics & Revenue The next section deals with trip characteristics, revenue and related calculations. The trucking distances per trip were generalized from discussions with trucking companies and owner-operators. They can be modified to reflect the outlook of each individual owner-operator and the contract terms he has with a trucking company. The travel time per trip is calculated at the average speed above. The calculated annual truck utilization in kilometres 41 42 APPENDIX 3 PRO FORMA FINANCIAL MODEL INPUTS is calculated based on the average trip distance, the number of working days in a year, and the number of trips per day (see below). Three categories of truck waiting time are listed: waiting at a pick-up terminal (0.5 hours assumed for a typical off-dock terminal); waiting at a marine container terminal to discharge a container (1.0 hour as typical at PMV terminals); and an allowance for other queuing, which might be at a container terminal gate or a road congestion point. The total waiting time is the sum of these; the total time per trip is the sum of travel and waiting time. The basis for revenue is the number of working days per year, the number of paid trips per day and the average payment per trip. This version of the model assumes 250 working days a year (day-shift weekdays only, less 10 days’ holiday time) and three trips a day at $150 per trip. These figures were generalized from discussions with owneroperators, who reported that given the congestion at container gates today, they typically make three trips a day and their daily revenue is $450. The calculated annual times are next. The total working time of 2,625 hours that results is reasonable; working time generally should be around 2,000 hours a year for the owner of a small business such as owner-operator trucking. Escalation Rates The final subsection deals with the escalation of revenue and costs to allow for price increases over time. The base year for escalation is 2013 (i.e., the first year of escalation is 2014). Three cost categories are listed: general (consumer price index inflation), which is used when there is no particular escalation rate to use; and tires and fuel, both of which have increased at rates in excess of inflation and are likely to continue to do so in future. In the case of revenue, the model is set up to input one set of values for all years in Column C and escalates them over the evaluation period. It is also possible to override the input values for each year, such as the revenue per trip. Only one approach should be used. For example: » If an owner-operator has a long-term contact with a trucking company that specifies the rate per trip by year, the rates should be entered manually in the line “Revenue per Trip” and revenue escalation should be set to zero. » If the rate per trip is known for the current year and the market seems that it will allow revenue escalation over the next five years, the rate should be left constant in the line “Revenue per Trip” and revenue escalation set at a rate that reflects the prospects. The escalation rate could be less or greater than general inflation. In this example, the rate per trip is left constant for each year and the revenue escalation rate of 2.0% a year is applied over the five-year projection period. APPENDIX 3 PRO FORMA FINANCIAL MODEL INPUTS Profit and Loss Statement Assumptions The structure of the operating costs is similar to that of the trip cost model but there are some differences. The costs are built up as follows: » All variable cost items except driver waiting time are calculated on a per-kilometre basis. The annual cost is the rate per kilometre multiplied by the annual tractor kilometres. » The cost of driver operating time is calculated as annual operating time multiplied by the hourly rate input by the user plus a 15% burden. The cost of driver waiting time is calculated as annual waiting time multiplied by the same hourly rate. » Driver operating and waiting times are treated in the pro forma model as expenses, which would be the case if the owner-operator withdrew these salary-like amounts each month. The owner-operator could also make periodic draws through the year and sort out the allocation of these draws to driver time and other items at the end of the year. Inserting these items as costs in the pro forma model provides a better overall picture of the tractor business. » Depreciation is calculated on a straight-line basis as (tractor cost minus residual value, if any) divided by life and other capital expenditures divided by life. Note that depreciation remains constant in spite of inflation because it is based on the historical cost of assets and their lives. » Interest is calculated as the average loan balance in a year multiplied by the interest rate. » Licenses, insurance and administration are treated as fixed annual costs. » Income taxes are calculated at the 13.5% rate applicable to small incorporated businesses in 2012 and probably in subsequent years. On the assumption that this is an incorporated business, taxes apply only if profit before taxes is positive; otherwise taxes are zero. Losses can be carried forward to write off against future profits, but this provision is not built into the pro forma model. If the owner-operator business is not going to be profitable, it may be better to operate it as an unincorporated business to allow write-off of losses against other personal income. The main taxation benefit of an incorporated small business is the ability to retain profits in the company at a modest tax rate and to engage in income splitting (over time for the owner-operator and perhaps among members of his family). The bottom line is profit after tax. This flows to the cash flow statement. Strictly speaking, the straight-line depreciation used in the pro forma model for tax calculations should be replaced by declining-balance depreciation under the Capital Cost Allowance (CCA) rates and rules specified by Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). While the CCA amounts specified by CRA result in more rapid asset write-offs, the impacts on this simple and short-term pro forma evaluation will be minor. 43 44 APPENDIX 4 APPENDIX 4 SAMPLE COST / FINANCIAL MODEL RESULTS This appendix demonstrates an application of the cost/financial model for a typical drayage operation in Metro Vancouver. The following tables show sample results for a typical drayage operation. This includes results for the Profit Estimator, the Trip Cost Analyzer and Pro Forma Financial Tool, including five-year pro forma results, a profit and loss statement, working capital statement, cash flow statement, balance sheet and overall owner-operator financial evaluation for two scenarios. Profit Estimator Trip Cost Analyzer Table 1 summarizes the Profit Estimator results for a working day with the following characteristics: revenue of $450, 10.5 hours worked, and total driving distance of 180 kilometres. All other inputs were left at the model default values. The results are based on a hypothetical move from Vanterm or Centerm in Burrard Inlet to North Delta (see Table 2). The key assumptions are: » Revenue per trip from Ready rate scale is $143.10, including the fuel surcharge Table 1: Example of Profit Estimator Results » Annual truck utilization is 60,000 kilometre ITEM PER PERIOD PER KM PER HOUR Revenue $450.00 $2.50 $42.86 » Acquisition price of used tractor is $60,000 Variable Costs $128.14 $0.71 $12.20 » Tractor life is 5 years with zero residual value Operating Profit $321.86 $1.79 $30.65 Fixed and Overhead Costs $108.67 $0.60 $10.35 Net Return to Owner–Operator $213.19 $1.18 $20.30 » Total trucking distance travelled is 57 kilometre (includes travel to point of empty chassis pick-up, distance to the terminal to pick up container, distance from the terminal to deliver the container, and distance from the delivery terminal to chassis drop-off) » Average truck speed is 40 km/hour » Total trucking time for the trip is 1.43 hours » Total waiting time at terminals is 2.0 hours » Total trip time is 3.43 hours APPENDIX 4 SAMPLE COST / FINANCIAL MODEL RESULTS Table 2: Example of Trip Cost Analyzer Results* USER INPUTS Average Annual Truck Utilization (km) Average Truck Speed (km/h) 60,000 Revenue Assumptions (user input) *Based on Ready Rates 40 Tractor Financial Parameters New or Used Acquisition Price of Tractor Pick Up Terminal: Vanterm/Centerm Delivery Terminal: Delta North, Tilbury Used $60,000 Life (years) 5 Resale Value (% of Acquisition Price) 0 Trucking Distances (km) To Point of Empty Chassis Pickup To Terminal to Pick Up Container 20 From Pick-Up Terminal to Delivery Terminal 27 From Delivery Terminal to Chassis Drop-Off 10 Total Trucking Distance 57 Calculated Travel Time (Hours) 1.43 Truck Waiting Times (Hours) At Pickup Terminal 0.50 At Delivery Terminal 1.00 Other Queuing 0.50 Total Waiting Time 2.00 Total Time (Hours) 3.43 Revenue (A) 143.10 2.51 41.78 Truck Costs Per Trip Per Km Per Hour 31.22 0.55 9.12 6.92 0.12 2.02 Variable Costs Fuel Repairs & Maintenance Miscellaneous 0.85 0.01 0.25 Tires 1.58 0.03 0.46 $40.58 $0.71 $11.85 $15.04 $0.26 $4.39 2.27 0.04 0.66 $17.31 $0.30 $5.05 Insurance $7.60 $0.13 $2.22 Administration $9.50 0.17 2.77 Total Overhead Costs $17.10 $0.30 $4.99 Total Fixed and Overhead Costs (C) $34.41 $0.60 $10.05 Total Trip Costs (Variable + Fixed) $92.30 $1.61 $21.89 Net Return to Owner-Operator (A-B-C) $68.11 $1.19 $19.89 Total Variable Costs (B) Fixed Tractor Costs Capital Recovery Charges (Ownership) Licenses Total Tractor Fixed Costs Overhead Costs * Note that these results are for a single trip with low productivity. Depending on the number of double-ended revenue generating moves the owner-operator is able to achieve, the returns for a longer period (such as a day/week/month) would be greater than shown above. 45 46 APPENDIX 4 SAMPLE COST / FINANCIAL MODEL RESULTS Pro Forma Cost Model This model builds on the trip cost model, adding a pro forma financial evaluation of an owner-operator drayage trucking business. All models were developed in one Excel file so they could share input costs; revisions to costs can be made within one file. A pro forma financial model projects the financial statements of a business over a period of time. The model has three principal financial statements: » The Profit and Loss (P&L) or Income Statement compares revenue and expenses to arrive at profit before and after tax. » The Cash Flow Statement shows operating cash generated by the business and takes into consideation the acquisition of assets (such as a tractor), how the business is financed, and the net addition/reduction to cash at the end of the year. » The Balance Sheet provides a financial snapshot of the status of the business at the end of each year. The pro forma model addresses the most common questions of potential owner-operators looking to enter the business, such as: » How much equity capital do I need? » How much money can I borrow, and can I repay it? » How much do I get out of the business? » What will the position of the business be in five years? » Do I really want to do this? Model Inputs The full input page to the pro forma model is described in Appendix 3. The following comments deal with the specifics of this illustrative case. The inputs for fuel and other costs are all at the default model values. Table 3 summarizes the inputs discussed below. The average speed (40 kilometres/hour) remains. It is used to calculate driving time from annual distance driven. The tractor financial parameters remain, but they are used to calculate tractor depreciation rather than capital recovery and to provide inputs to the cash flow statement and balance sheet. There is also an allowance for other capital expenditures, such as office equipment (telephones, computers, software, etc.) and tools. In the pro forma model, annual utilization is calculated from the assumptions regarding annual trip activity. The start-up year is stated as 2013, which affects the column headings in the model. A corporate tax rate of 13.5% is specified. This is the small business tax rate in British Columbia in 2012 (and likely in future years) for taxable business incomes under $500,000. Revenue is assumed to be $150/trip, which generally reflects the Ready rate for the average trip characteristics in the model. Annual revenue is based on three trips a day, 250 days a year, consistent with industry practices. In the pro forma model, owner-operators are assumed to earn $450 per day and average gross revenue of $112,500 a year. Additional assumptions used in the model are discussed in Appendix 3. APPENDIX 4 SAMPLE COST / FINANCIAL MODEL RESULTS Table 3: Pro Forma Financial Model Inputs GENERAL INPUTS Average Truck Speed (km/h) 40 Tractor Financial Parameters New or Used Acquisition Price of Tractor Driver Compensation and Payroll Cost Used $60,000 Life (years) 5 Resale Value (% of Acquisition Price) 0 Driver Wage ($/hr) $25.00 Non-Voluntary Wage Burden (%) 15% Driver Payroll Cost ($/hr) $28.75 Other Capital Expenditures Office Equipment and Tools Life (years) Start-Up Year Corporate Income Tax $5,000 5 2013 13.5% Working Capital Parameters (Days) Accounts Receivable 45 Accounts Payable 30 Loan Interest Rate 6% Term (Years) 5 TRIP CHARACTERISTICS AND REVENUES Trucking Distances per Trip (km) 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 20 20 20 20 20 To Point of Empty Chassis Pickup To Terminal to Pick Up Container From Pick-Up Terminal to Delivery Terminal 30 30 30 30 30 From Delivery Terminal to Chassis Drop-Off 10 10 10 10 10 Total Trucking Distance 60 60 60 60 60 45,000 45,000 45,000 45,000 45,000 1.50 1.50 1.50 1.50 1.50 Calculated Annual Utilization (km) Calculated Travel Time (Hours) Truck Waiting Times (Hours) At Pickup Terminal 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 At Delivery Terminal 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 Other Queuing 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 Total Waiting Time 2.00 2.00 2.00 2.00 2.00 Total Time per Trip (Hours) 3.50 3.50 3.50 3.50 3.50 250 250 250 250 250 3 3 3 3 3 $150 $150 $150 $150 $150 Travel Time 1,125 1,125 1,125 1,125 1,125 Waiting Time 1,500 1,500 1,500 1,500 1,500 Total Time 2,625 2,625 2,625 2,625 2,625 Revenue Basis Working Days per year Daily Number of Trips Revenue per Trip Calculated Annual Times (Hours) Escalation Rates (% / Annum) Revenue 2.0% Operating Cost Indices General (CPI) 2.0% Fuel 3.0% Tires 3.0% 47 48 APPENDIX 4 SAMPLE COST / FINANCIAL MODEL RESULTS Profit and Loss The P&L Statement begins with revenue. Although there is provision for other revenue, only drayage is shown. As with all items, the value for 2013 is not escalated; the first escalated year is 2014. Table 4 presents the P&L statement. The bottom line is profit after tax that flows to the cash flow statement. Table 4: Pro Forma Profit and Loss Statement ITEM 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 $112,500 $114,750 $117,045 $119,386 $121,774 $112,500 $114,750 $117,045 $119,386 $121,774 $32,344 $32,991 $33,650 $34,323 $35,010 Driver Waiting Time 43,125 43,988 44,867 45,765 46,680 Fuel 24,648 25,387 26,149 26,933 27,741 5,466 5,575 5,687 5,800 5,916 670 684 698 712 726 1,251 1,289 1,327 1,367 1,408 $107,504 $109,913 $112,378 $114,900 $117,482 $13,000 $13,000 $13,000 $13,000 $13,000 Interest 2,430 1,890 1,350 810 270 Licenses 2,394 2,442 2,491 2,541 2,592 $17,824 $17,332 $16,841 $16,351 $15,862 Insurance $8,000 $8,160 $8,323 $8,490 $8,659 Administration 10,000 10,200 10,404 10,612 10,824 $18,000 $18,360 $18,727 $19,102 $19,484 TOTAL COSTS $143,328 $145,605 $147,946 $150,353 $152,827 PROFIT BEFORE TAX -$30,828 -$30,855 -$30,901 -$30,967 -$31,053 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 -$30,828 -$30,855 -$30,901 -$30,967 -$31,053 Revenue Drayage Other Total COSTS Variable Costs Driver Operating Time Repairs and maintenance Miscellaneous Tires Total Variable Costs Fixed Tractor Costs Depreciation TOTAL TRACTOR FIXED COSTS Overhead Costs TOTAL OVERHEAD COSTS - TAXES PROFIT AFTER TAX APPENDIX 4 SAMPLE COST / FINANCIAL MODEL RESULTS Working Capital The Working Capital section shows the calculation of accounts receivable and accounts payable to estimate net working capital other than cash. In general, net working capital increases slowly in line with inflation. If the volume of activity (such as working hours per year or trips per day) increases, working capital also rises. Accounts payable are calculated from out-of-pocket costs such as fuel, maintenance and insurance. They exclude depreciation (because these are non-cash items) and interest (because there are scheduled payments). Owner-operator compensation, i.e., driver time pay, is also excluded on the basis that the owner-operator draws the amount within the month in which it is earned. Accounts receivable and accounts payable appear in the balance sheet. Net working capital appears in the cash flow statement. Table 5 summarizes the calculation of non-cash working capital. Table 5: Pro Forma Calculation of Working Capital ITEM 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Accounts Receivable – $13,870 $14,147 $14,430 $14,719 $15,013 Accounts Payable – 4,309 4,417 4,527 4,640 4,756 Net Non-Cash Working Capital – $9,561 $9,731 $9,903 $10,079 $10,257 Changes in Non-Cash Working Capital – $9,561 $170 $173 $175 $178 Non-Cash Working Capital Cash Flow Statement The Cash Flow Statement shows how funds flow through the business. It has three components: » Cash flow from operations. This section of the statement measures the cash flow generated by the business in each year. It begins with income after tax, adds back depreciation because depreciation is a non-cash expense, and deducts non-cash working capital (current assets minus current liabilities). As the name implies, it begins only after operations start. » Investment activity. In this case, investments in 2012 include a used tractor, office equipment and tools. Were the business expanding, there would likely be more asset acquisitions over the evaluation period. » Funding activity. This section lists the sources of funding for the business. These include an equity contribution by the owner-operator and a loan draw. The loan amount was calculated as 70% of tractor capital expenditure. In order to get such a loan, the owner-operator would probably have to pledge assets such as an interest in a house and either demonstrate income from other sources or provide a good business plan. The amount of funding not only has to cover the investment activity in 2012, it also has to provide an opening cash balance that allows projected cash balances to remain positive as non-cash working capital builds up over time. The section also lists loan repayments and dividends (the latter are shown as zero in this case because there is no profit). 49 50 APPENDIX 4 SAMPLE COST / FINANCIAL MODEL RESULTS The net of the three above items is net cash flow. This flows to the Cash and Cash Equivalents account of the balance sheet. Table 6 presents the Cash Flow Statement. Table 6: Pro Forma Cash Flow Statement ITEM 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Income after Tax – -$30,828 -$30,855 -$30,901 -$30,967 -$31,053 Depreciation – 13,000 13,000 13,000 13,000 13,000 Cash Flow from Operations Change in Net Non-Cash Working Capital – 9,561 170 173 175 178 Operations Cash Flow – -$27,389 $18,025 $18,074 $18,143 $18,232 $60,000 – – – – – 5,000 – – – – – $65,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $30,000 – – – – – 45,000 – – – – – – 9,000 9,000 9,000 9,000 9,000 Investment Activity Tractor Office Equipment and Tools Net Investment Activity Funding Activity Equity Contributions Loan Draws Loan Repayments – – – – – – Net Funding Activity Dividends $75,000 -$9,000 -$9,000 -$9,000 -$9,000 -$9,000 NET CASH FLOW $10,000 -$36,389 -$27,025 -$27,074 -$27,143 -$27,232 APPENDIX 4 SAMPLE COST / FINANCIAL MODEL RESULTS Balance Sheet The Balance Sheet provides a snapshot of the business’s financial position at the end of each year (see Table 7). At start-up in 2012, the company has $10,000 in cash and $65,000 in fixed assets. It also has owner-operator equity of $30,000 and a loan of $45,000. The sections of the balance sheet are: » Current assets. These are cash (and cash equivalents) and accounts receivable. » Fixed assets. These begin with fixed assets at cost and subtract accumulated depreciation to arrive at net fixed assets. » Current liabilities. Only accounts payable are shown. » Equity. This is the value of the company to the owner-operator. It consists of initial equity plus retained earnings. The company at the end of five years has equity of -$125,000, down from the initial $30,000. If the owner-operator were to wind up the company at this point, he would lose money. The tractor and other fixed assets are assumed to have essentially no residual value. Table 7: Pro Forma Financial Model Balance Sheet ITEM 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Current Assets Cash and Cash Equivalents $10,000 -$26,389 -$53,414 -$80,488 -$107,631 -$134,862 Accounts Receivable – 13,870 14,147 14,430 14,719 15,013 Total Current Assets $10,000 -$12,519 -$39,267 -$66,058 -$92,912 -$119,849 $60,000 $60,000 $60,000 $60,000 $60,000 $60,000 Fixed Assets at Cost Truck Office Equipment 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 Total Fixed Assets $65,000 $65,000 $65,000 $65,000 $65,000 $65,000 – $13,000 $26,000 $39,000 $52,000 $65,000 Less Accumulated Depreciation Net Fixed Assets $65,000 $52,000 $39,000 $26,000 $13,000 $0 $75,000 $39,481 -$267 -$40,058 -$79,912 -$119,849 Current Liabilities – – – – – – Accounts Payable – $4,309 $4,417 $4,527 $4,640 $4,756 Loans $45,000 $36,000 $27,000 $18,000 $9,000 $0 Equity – – – – – – Contributed Equity $30,000 $30,000 $30,000 $30,000 $30,000 $30,000 Retained Earnings – -30,828 -61,684 -92,585 -123,552 -154,605 $30,000 -$828 -$31,684 -$62,585 -$93,552 -$124,605 $75,000 $39,481 -$267 -$40,058 -$79,912 -$119,849 TOTAL ASSETS Liabilities Total Equity TOTAL LIABILITIES 51 52 APPENDIX 4 SAMPLE COST / FINANCIAL MODEL RESULTS Financial Ratios The simple financial ratios in Table 8 illustrate: 1) the liquidity of the owner-operator business as a measure of its ability to withstand financial shocks; and 2) debt service to illustrate its ability to meet loan obligations. The ratios are: Liquidity » Current Ratio (current assets/current liabilities) » Acid Ratio (cash/current liabilities) Debt service coverage » Times interest covered (income before tax plus interest/interest) » Times loan payments covered (cash flow from operations/loan payments) Table 8: Financial Ratios ITEM 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Current Ratio – -2.91 -8.89 -14.59 -20.02 -25.20 Acid Ratio – -6.12 -12.09 -17.78 -23.20 -28.36 Times Interest Covered (By Income) – -11.69 -15.33 -21.89 -37.23 -114.01 Times Payments Covered (By Cash Flow) – -3.04 -2.00 -2.01 -2.02 -2.03 Liquidity Debt Service Coverage APPENDIX 4 SAMPLE COST / FINANCIAL MODEL RESULTS Owner-Operator Financial Evaluation A major function of a pro forma financial evaluation is to allow an owner-operator to judge the attractiveness of the trucking business. While the inputs to this case are only illustrative, they are consistent with cost modeling in general, the Ready rates, and discussions with a sample of owner-operators for the purposes of this project. This section provides an example of an analysis that an owner-operator could conduct. First, the overall financials of this evaluation do not work at all. The company is illiquid and unprofitable, does not generate positive cash flows or pay off the loans, and provides little income to the owner-operator. Table 9 provides an example of an evaluation that a potential owner-operator could conduct to compare his situation with and without the trucking business. It begins with the cash flows an owner-operator would experience with the trucking business as set out in the pro forma financial evaluations above. In this case, he puts up $30,000 in equity capital, receives about $75,000 a year in before-tax income (in constant 2013 dollars), may receive dividends (but not in this particular case, since the business is not profitable), and at the end, loses about $125,000. Is this an attractive proposition? No. However, a key question is the owner-operator’s opportunity cost in other employment. In this example, a value of $25 per hour is applied to the time spent working in trucking as a measure of opportunity cost. The result is that the trucking business generates a negative before-tax internal rate of return (IRR) on the initial equity investment of $30,000. The results, however, vary with the assumptions; two other scenarios are discussed below. Table 9: Owner-Operator Financial Evaluation ITEM 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Owner-Operator Financial Returns Equity Contribution Salary Equivalent – Operating Time -$30,000 – – – – – – $32,344 $32,991 $33,650 $34,323 $35,010 Salary Equivalent – Waiting Time – 43,125 43,988 44,867 45,765 46,680 Dividends – 0 0 0 0 0 Residual Value (Working Capital) – – – – – -124,605 -$30,000 $75,469 $76,978 $78,518 $80,088 -$42,915 TOTAL Owner-Operator Financial Evaluation Cash Flow From Business Less Opportunity Cost of Wages Valuation Cash Flow Internal Rate of Return (%/annum) -$30,000 $75,469 $76,978 $78,518 $80,088 -$42,915 – -$65,625 -$66,938 -$68,276 -$69,642 -$71,035 -$30,000 $9,844 $10,041 $10,241 $10,446 -$113,950 – – – – – – Calculation of Opportunity Cost of Wages* Hours Worked Income/Hour in Other Employment Opportunity Cost of Wages – 2,625 2,625 2,625 2,625 2,625 $25.00 – – – – – – $65,625 $66,938 $68,276 $69,642 $71,035 *Opportunity cost in other possible employment = $25.00 per hour multiplied by 2,620 hours a year or $65,625 in 2013. 53 54 APPENDIX 4 SAMPLE COST / FINANCIAL MODEL RESULTS Scenario 1: Lower Driver Compensation Factor Scenario 2: Higher Revenue Level Driver compensation was reduced to $15 per hour from $25 per hour (plus burdens in each). There is some evidence to suggest that driver wages can be as low as $15 per hour. When this lower rate is used, the model results indicate (financial statements not shown): Revenue per move was increased until the business became profitable and just met cash flow needs. Table 10 summarizes this case. Its parameters and results are: » The business is marginally profitable from 2015; cash flow is adequate to repay the loan; and the cash item of the balance sheet remains positive. » The $15 per hour is much too low a compensation level for an owner-operator who is following best practices. There may, however, be owner-operators who will accept such low compensation either because they have few other employment options or they do not understand their business. » Required revenue is $190 per move. » The owner-operator business becomes profitable in 2015. » There is sufficient cash flow to meet loan repayments. » There is almost enough initial cash to meet working capital needs (it is slightly negative in 2013). » If the owner-operator terminates the business at the end of five years, he contributes $30,000 to the business at the start, receives compensation of $25 per hour plus payroll burdens over five years, and receives a residual value of about $30,000. » The owner-operator should be able to achieve business continuity. At the end of five years, the residual value of the business could provide a contribution to the acquisition of another tractor to continue the business. This case shows that the revenue per move required for an owner-operator business that has marginally acceptable financials and provides adequate compensation to the owner-operator exceeds the revenues earned based on the Ready rates. Other Possible Scenarios Several other scenarios are possible and realistic for owner-operators who achieve best practices. Although not evaluated in detail as part of this report, they generally involve higher tractor productivity—that is, more time spent on revenue-generating moves and less on unpaid moves and waiting at terminal gates. APPENDIX 4 SAMPLE COST / FINANCIAL MODEL RESULTS Table 10: Owner-Operator Financial Evaluation (Higher Revenue Level) FINANCIAL RESULTS 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 – $142,500 $145,350 $148,257 $151,222 $154,247 – $107,504 $109,913 $112,378 $114,900 $117,482 Profit and Loss Revenue Costs Variable Costs Fixed Costs – 17,824 17,332 16,841 16,351 15,862 Overhead Costs – 18,000 18,360 18,727 19,102 19,484 Total Costs – $143,328 $145,605 $147,946 $150,353 $152,827 Profit before Tax – -$828 -$255 $311 $869 $1,420 - Taxes – 0 0 42 117 192 Profit after Tax – -$828 -$255 $269 $752 $1,228 $10,000 $17,481 $21,333 $25,712 $30,577 $35,921 65,000 52,000 39,000 26,000 13,000 0 $75,000 $69,481 $60,333 $51,712 $43,577 $35,921 Balance Sheet Assets Current Assets Net Fixed Assets Total Assets Liabilities – $4,309 $4,417 $4,527 $4,640 $4,756 Loans Accounts Payable 45,000 36,000 27,000 18,000 9,000 $0 Contributed Equity 30,000 30,000 30,000 30,000 30,000 30,000 Retained Earnings Total Liabilities – -828 -1,084 -815 -63 1,165 $75,000 $69,481 $60,333 $51,712 $43,577 $35,921 -$30,000 – – – – – – $75,469 $76,978 $78,518 $80,088 Owner-Operator Evaluation Owner-Operator Returns Equity Contribution Salary Equivalent Residual Value TOTAL $81,690 31,165 -30,000 $75,469 $76,978 $78,518 $80,088 $112,855 55 #407, 55 Water Street Vancouver, British Columbia V6B 1A1 — O: 604.684.1471 E: [email protected] — www.apgst.ca www.hrwire.ca Understanding Container Drayage Owner-Operators in Metro Vancouver — Summary Report — Prepared by Asia Pacific Gateway Skills Table © July 2013