Double Yellow's Company Driver to Independent Thread

Try caps on the trailer. Terry's Tire Town in Girard, OH. $160 each

 

Thanks for sharing.

This thread will definitely cut down the number of p.m.s you were going to see from me.

 

cool thread. unreal how people are willing to spend time helping others. some thoughts.

1. Get out of CA. At least get your business out.
2. In the original post, you mention $300 for DOT #. Actually it's $300 for DOT # and MC#. Unless I missed it, I didn't read anywhere that you actually got an MC. That might confuse some readers, and since this likely will be archived, may as well be clear.
3. I like your decision to pass on Landstar. I've never been with them but I think they cost more than they are worth.
3. Former professional gambler? I think being a successful gambler is actually about not gambling.....that's alot like trucking. You're in the right business.

 

Wow, I really appreciate your posts DY. Thank you for all the good info.
Good luck with your business plan even harder in California state!

 

Landstars cut covers a tremendous amount of backroom paperwork that would devolve on the o/o. This is stuff that has to be done by a motor carrier... the question is how much do you like doing that work, and what is worth to you to have someone else do it freeing you up to do more productive work?

There are other advantages to consider as well. Leasing on to a carrier means you can delay trailer acquisition until you're financially ready for it. Leasing onto a carrier gets you into fuel as well as other discounts. Landstar gets you into Michelins Advantage Program. Someone mentioned cheaping-out on recap trailer tires. Bad idea. Something for you wannabe truck owners to think about.

Agreed... get out of California. Rent a car to visit.

 

Yes this is the question. I don't really have a problem with LS taking its' 25% or whatever it is. My problem is that you are not free to find your own freight (at least without giving LS their cut....and I bet once you run it through LS, it won't be your freight for long). There is a whole big wide world out there and why should I be limited to the freight that LS has?

The other problem I have is, you are not ever building a business when you are leased. You are building someone else's business.

 

We've been running Bandag re-caps on the drives for a couple of years now. Curious why you say it's a bad idea for trailers?

 

Higher rolling resistance, and increased likelihood of failure. I run virgin Michelin's, and have only had one blowout in five years. Michelin paid for the tire and road service call. OTOH, my carrier puts recaps on the trailer, and I've had a number of them fail over the years.

It turns out the trailer tires contribute more to the rolling resistance of the entire unit than the rest of the tires. You can cheap-out on tires, but you'll pay for it at the fuel island over and over and over...

 

You NAILED it!

 

To be honest, I think blowouts are 99.9% caused by low air pressure. Funny how our drivers blew 2-3 a year until I gave them bonuses for not blowing them. I've never blown one and I've always run cheap chinese on the drives of my truck (other drivers got the recapped Michelin/Bandag).

Can you order a low rolling resistance cap?