Can somebody please help me stay motivated?

Car parts are running wide open! Check with CEVA Logistics and/or Penske Logistics. Most all the companies running the stuff win their contracts through these two.

 

One thing I’ve learned in the business is “when it rains, it pours”. That’s certainly been my experience anyway.

Take a good long look at your operation. Can it continue given current conditions? If you sold the trailer and leased to a carrier, would you still be worried about another breakdown? How many months would you need that would have to be trouble free to get caught up (and to get ahead)?

I will never speak badly of someone who knows when to throw the towel in. Only you can make the call on whether to keep going, make changes or quit.

 

Where did all the money you made before the breakdown go?

 

Likely bills, family, etc. Kicking people when they’re down smh

 

Lots of places you can do the same job and make really good money without the stress of owning

 

All you can do is compare the situation against other options. You probably have a lot more options than you think. Maybe get a personal loan from a credit union. Pay off that unreasonable loan. Catch your breath. Even the worst case scenario isn’t the end of the world. Only a setback. Life goes on. No one’s going to send you to jail, take your family away, no lost dignity, unless you give it away. Assets vs. Liabilities. How close are you to breaking even? I’m in a tough spot myself. I have equity in my house, and equipment. Not a lot of cash. Don’t want any more debt. I’m ready to sell out, before going in any deeper. Only because I’m older now. When I was younger, I’d do whatever it took. Somehow things always worked out. Even through Bankruptcy and foreclosure. It’s never the end of the world. Just numbers in the wrong places. Life goes on.

 

I went through something similar to you a few months ago. I know it sucks being sidelined from something that you've put years into. Don't pay much attention to smug people who think it can't or won't happen to them questioning what/how you did it. You know what happened, live and learn so to speak, no need to explain. Contemplating giving up full control of your own work situation is no fun but at the end of the day you'll always have a meal ticket with that CDL. If you have some skillset outside of trucking, even better.

 

These low rates, most likely, will be like this for awhile and if the ship is sinking at this rate, it is time to evacuate instead of wasting all the money.
I'd just park it and regroup. Get a job.
There's going to be another boom but they never last long enough to recuperate fully. By the time, you're done licking wounds, the rates sink again in a blink of an eye.

Therfore, if the equipment is an older wobbly boat, better stay not too far from the shore.
Those shops must be making all the money in the world.

 

Some outside skillset like real estate maybe?

Don't you think the root of his current problems was he didn't have any saved money until the breakdown occurred?

I am not self-satisfied, it's the opposite.