New to trucking and I have the bug

Sorry, I should have clarified that better, I was referring to farm pickup. Never heard anyone say they got rich doing bulk transit! As far as all the farms folding up, that’s is regional to a certain extent. PA, WI, OH, IN, MD, and there are several more, still have thousands of small dairy’s. And by small I mean 250 cows or less. Many of those are running on old money. A lot of where the news says so many are “going bankrupt” is where the cash flow was a little tight, and a bigger farm came and just bought it out. Yep, definitely headed the corporate farm way, I don’t like to see it, but I am reasonable enough to see how it’s easier to pick a whole semi load up at 1 place instead of 6-8.[/QUOTE]
In the late 70s, I hung around a small dairy farm in N.Wis. ( Phillips) and he ran a small pickup service with 2 trucks. Single axle IHs, and maybe a 50 mile radius. Then he hit the big time, and bought a tri-axle Mack R model, and called me in. With the bigger truck, the radius increased substantially, including unloading, it was an 16 hour job. For $7.50/hr., I wasn't interested. I basically rode along with a good friend that drove for them, and the farms were great. Many times, the pickup driver was the only outside person they saw , and was tough leaving. They'd feed you, or leave treats in the milkhouse, wonderful folks. This one farm, my friend says, "now, this next place, "Janie", is always waiting for me in the milkhouse, her folks want me to marry her" Sure enough, there was Janie, and surprised to see me, but barely 16, I bet. That happened more than once, he said.
In a shocking twist, I was flabbergasted in hearing Wisconsin is no longer the king of dairy. That honor now goes to California

 

Most of us know exactly what you’re experiencing. Everything’s new and exciting. You’re like a sponge soaking in everything possible. Things can’t happen fast enough. Being a Mechanic is a big advantage. At minimum you will know when you’re being fleeced by a Shop. Can’t be too careful. So much incompetence and plenty of unknowns. Sometimes stuff just breaks for no reason. Often it boils down to bottom line cost with downtime being a big factor. Fix yourself often lessens downtime. Sometimes not. Always a trade off involved. Quick decisions, usually involving a lot of money. Going from being way up to in the hole all within a weeks time is common. It can easily become a full time obsession, like anything else. The biggest problem with your ideas ( like mine) is that plenty of others have the same ambitions. Everyone and their cousins have figured out how to get into Trucking. The modern technology has changed everything. Huge Logistics Companies control the freight. Everyone else competes for it. Finding a good hustle isn’t easy. The advantages you have , Service, Mechanical Knowledge, Pride in work ethic, unfortunately mean almost nothing. Todays Drivers are locked into a template of performance. Everything’s compared by the market through data monitoring. A new Driver looks the same as a seasoned Driver to them. It’s too bad. All my experience means nothing to anyone. The cut throat Carriers that run illegally till they get large enough to have something to risk are everywhere. It’s always been this way. Most of the Megas has sordid beginnings. They pushed Drivers to run illegal, getting ahead off the back of Drivers hard work. I wish you luck. The Competition is fierce right now. The pay is at its lowest point IMO. Insurance costs are at their highest, mainly due to all the newer Carriers and their safety issues. The Industry is a mess. It’s aggravating to be running a safe operation, getting scrutinized by regulations, playing by the rules, while others run illegal, with nothing to lose. The only reason IMO to get into Trucking now is if you decide it’s the only thing you want to do. Then you need to accept that it probably won’t be very lucrative. It will probably support you and your family. The ups are short lived, the downs can be devastating. The cost of your time invested is often the most valuable asset lost. But if you love Trucking, it’s just part of the job. People tend to say it’s impossible to succeed. That’s not true. Plenty have had success. The difference is being able to persevere. Many can’t, most won’t. They give up easily. I always thought they were weak. Now I wonder if they were just smart enough to know when to quit. Like I said earlier, Truckings always a compromise one way or another. The costs vs the benefits. Personal life and family life should be prioritized. It’s the most important. Making it all work together is the real challenge. Right now, you can walk away at any time. Switch jobs, careers, your young. Whatever you do during your best years will affect your later years. Common sense, I know. It’s often overlooked when caught up in the fever of the moment. Good Luck.

 

Idaho Milk Transport
745 Bedke Blvd, Burley, ID 83318

 

Drive With Us - Bison USA

 

Couple or three months experience?

 

So you get married bring a life into the world and then want to leave them behind by themselves while you're out on the road? Really?

And you think now is a great time to start up a business that has one of the highest rates of failure in the country?

Stop watching YouTube and get a local job. You're a father and husband now. If you're not around you're just a name on a piece of paper.

 

Wow, that's a bit harsh, but spot on, pal. We need more advice like this, that has gone the wayside. While this comment ^^^ goes right to the gut, it should be followed. I realize, you are fishing to see what might work, but OTR and O/O are for a certain kind of person, generally, one that has nothing else. Married and family is a big transition, but I tell every new father, it was without question the best thing I ever did with my life. Happy children turn into responsible adults, and a father around is a big part of that. Even after my divorce, that trucking didn't help and you can almost count on,, I stayed local to be with my kids, and I know it made a difference. I've seen kids with no father figure, and they lose out on so much. Save OTR for when the kid(s) is grown and wifey wants nothing to do with you,,.