To stay in trucking or not and if so what direction do I go?

I need some advice from experienced owner operators or company drivers that work for good paying companies. I have somewhat of a dilemma here as to which direction to go in this trucking game. It has come to a point where it is a love/hate relationship. I don't really care for it a whole lot but I do make fairly decent money compared to other companies out there.

I have been at Superior Carriers for almost 3 years now pulling tankers. The company is good overall except for a few flaws which are really starting to eat at me to the point of quitting. Main issues are the the trucks and the governed speed. I don't know who made the purchasing decision on these Macks but they ride horrible and it is killing my back and neck to a point where I can't take it anymore. As I said before I am already at a point where I don't care much for trucking and driving this POS is just making me that much more miserable at trying to do my job.

I have looked around for another job without any success because the economy sucks balls and I don't see it getting better any time soon. So...it looks like I may have to stick with the trucking gig for what may be long term. I feel if I could get into a better riding truck, which Superior will not provide, and actually be able to run the speed limit, 70mph in most areas, maybe it would make driving a truck seem better.

If I am stuck doing this for a while, it seems there are only two choices to get me where I want to be. Change companies that have decent rides and pay at least the same or better with benefits or get my own truck which I am not really sure I want the hassle of owning my own truck. I live in the ne Georgia (Gainesville, Athens) area if anyone knows of any decent trucking companies up this way that they could recommend. I would prefer to stay with pulling tankers. Not interested in van or reefer.

I have heard pros and cons of getting a truck and leasing it on with Superior but it seems I have heard more cons than pros so that makes me skittish. Miller Transporters seems like it would be ok but I don't know much about them as far if they can keep you busy and what all area's they run. I don't know. This is all confusing to me. I hear the old timers saying how crappy the trucking industry is now and you can't make any money as an OO anymore. But someone has got to do it, right? If trucking ever stops in this country then we are all screwed.

This thread is for advice so please don't come in here bashing me or telling me I need to get my big boy pants on and suck it up.

 

I think there terminal is way down on the south side of Atlanta which is a long ways from me. Their elite fleet has to stay out at least 14 days I think which I have no interest in staying out that long. I got a good gig where I am at, the trucks just suck which is making me miserable.

If I change companies I would have to be running dedicated out and back like I am doing now.

 

I have considered that but then I think "why should I have to buy it?" Superior should have never bought those pieces of junk to begin with. Then buy just a handful of Pete's??? They want to keep drivers but then they keep buying junk tractors.

 

I will be talking with him Monday. I have mentioned it before and was going to go back into a Pro Star which he thought was back from the shop but when I went down there to get it, the truck was still at International so I could not swap.

I am going to ask him if there is another driver currently in a Pro Star that wants a Mack.