120 Mile RT shop

Just curious. What would y’all consider a fair fee for single shop that would be 120 miles round trip, and about an hour to complete the shop? I feel like sometimes I short change myself by not considering the wear and tear and accumulating mileage on my vehicle.

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If if was submitting a PAD request, I would calculate the IRS mileage rate at 120 x $0.70/mile = $84 and then add 2 hours (might be more depending upon where you are located) for driving at a rate that you deem fair. Let's say $20/hour for ease of calculation, so 2 hours x $20/hour = $40. Assuming that the base pay is enough for 1 hour of work onsite plus prep time plus reporting time, that means that I would ask for $124 plus base pay. Don't forget to add any toll toads and/or bridge tolls.

@michwilson123 wrote:

Just curious. What would y’all consider a fair fee for single shop that would be 120 miles round trip, and about an hour to complete the shop? I feel like sometimes I short change myself by not considering the wear and tear and accumulating mileage on my vehicle.

Shopping Southeast Pennsylvania, Delaware above the canal, and South Jersey since 2008

If it's an easy shop I already know how to do, and I have nothing else going on, I might do it for $100. If it is more entailed, or has lots of narratives, or I have to learn new guidelines, or it's a type of shop I dislike, or I'm already pretty busy, it goes up to an amount that makes me feel good about doing it.

Thank you! This helps a lot.

The wear and tear and gas is why you get the IRS tax deduction for mileage.

Apparently many factor that into their fee decisions, but I don't.

I have to drive to make money.

I can either do rideshare and pay for my own fuel, or I can do gas station routes and have the gas companies pay for most (and sometimes all) of my gas.

Obviously I will go with the latter whenever possible. Way more fun roadtripping while cranking up the tunes, and I typically generate a higher return.

As for the question at hand: if it were a one-off with no other bookings on the route I'd probably consider it for $75 if I needed to boost my receivables. That's about $25 per hour of my time, assuming the MSC's time estimate is correct.

Now that we've all had a good laugh, I'm thinking a hundo would be my bottom line.

Have synthesizers, will travel...

$100 if I could grab some other easy bonuses shops or a meal shop on the route.

If it was an apartment shop, no amount of money would be enough to consider it.

Someone on this site, about a year ago, mentioned they had a "dollar a mile" rule. In other words, total fees for that day must add up to at least the amount of miles you drove. I try to stick to the "rule," or close to it (not always able to hit it exactly in my kinda rural area). So if that were your only shop for the day, the "rule" says you need to ask for $120. Of course, with that amount of driving, there would likely be other jobs you can pick up along the way.

Approx 4 hours in the car and an hour for the shop, I'd be at $120-150.

Due to me being retired, I consider miles driven to be more important than the time involved (usually). My car rarely moves unless I'm paid a minimum of $1/mile. I will break the rule for my "favorite 5" companies for which I do the majority of my work and that I have the best relationship with. But even for my favorites there is a limit, and I have turned down jobs from them that pay $0.75/mile.

For this trip, if it isn't for one of my favorites, 120 miles is $120.

And now for the oddball's view: In addition to all of above reasoning (time, mileage, total profit), Other factors I consider are: Is there something else - not work - in that area I need to do so I get that mileage deduction? Is the MSC one that is fair and appreciative, one that might entertain my route/bonus proposals in the future?

I have driven a 180 mile RT for only $50 MSC pay because the grocery store which is not in my area had a weekly ad sale with gotta-have-it prices on things I need. And the gas was already in my stockpile from previous shops.

Yesterday I drove 120 miles RT for only $60 profit. Initially I thought I would add other jobs but none popped up. But the MSC is one that I have had only good experiences with, recently got a contract for a c-store which I had been banned from with the previous MSC and I'm just thrilled to death not to have to deal with the negativity and BS of Ipsos. I was not going to flake for any reason!

This way of thinking might not meet shopperbob's 3- point criteria but, as he says - one (wo)man's meat...

You'd best believe that if the 90- mile grocery store had eggs on sale tomorrow for 99 cents a dozen, I would take that single $18 shop near it!

Yes, for me, there would have to be another purpose to the trip...That's me I guess.

If it was something I didn't mind doing I would shoot for 100.00 and probably settle for 85-90. This would be a job I have done in the past (somewhere) and know the drill! That is based on 3 hours total time.

Well, I didn't pay attention to the mileage.. and we are VERY rural. We left here at about 04:00, got to his first stop at about 06:00. That one took about 10 minutes $75, we went to the next, heading kinda generally back the way we came, to his second stop, a small Shell station for $60, then on to the final stop, another $60 Shell. Then we drove mostly directly back home, got here just before 11:00 and passed out till the sun went down. And we had approximately the same amount of gasoline in the car as we did when we left.

I should also note that I was driving, and I didn't do any work. I'm the chauffeur until his replacement tire come in for his car. He is NOT allowed to drive my new(ish) car.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/28/2025 02:15AM by Morledzep.

@Morledzep wrote:

Well, I didn't pay attention to the mileage.. and we are VERY rural. We left here at about 04:00, got to his first stop at about 06:00. That one took about 10 minutes $75, we went to the next, heading kinda generally back the way we came, to his second stop, a small Shell station for $60, then on to the final stop, another $60 Shell. Then we drove mostly directly back home, got here just before 11:00 and passed out till the sun went down. And we had approximately the same amount of gasoline in the car as we did when we left.

2 hours of work and 5 hours of driving for 195.00. I would have done that! I like to drive!

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