Owner Operators, who’s in and who’s out? (poll)

I was past my prime when I started hauling cars at 45. At 59 now I feel every single year when I get out of bed. A couple hours later after my body warms up when I am loading the youngsters can’t keep up with me. Keep up the good work, you are succeeding in my book from what I have seen you post. You definitely have common sense and that is in short supply.

 

Definitely some truth there! Dad had back trouble nonstop until he quit trucking. Only 1 surgery, but he crippled around for years

 

I've actually come to like PBR. It's my go-to house beer. Cheap in pint cans and no amount of it will give me a hangover. I used to buy and drink a LOT of expensive beer but I like something I can drink a lot of when I'm home and she doesn't ##### about the price.

 

I sure dont mind em either, they are super crushable. The singles arent much of a deal here though, and they call too loud from the fridge when I buy a cheap 15. Ill usually opt for a few local tallies, or Sapporos or peronis etc. Booze is so expensive here its stupid, a "cheap" 15 pack is still almost $30 CAD

The PBR's here used to be 5.9% but I think they're 4.6 or something now. Same in the US?

 

Yeah I think they are 4.6 here. If that. I’m not a fan of PBR. Kinda taste like Hamm’s to me. Kinda thick and yeasty. Miller highlife is my beer of choice. Peroni and Sapporo are good. But I still prefer the champagne of beer

 

I’m sure constantly not learning is an IPA guy

 

Hahahaha!!!! Subtle. You win the internet today!

Ha! As a former company employee and O/O who lasted all but a month leased on to a carrier the one time I tried it I cannot argue with this statement. We like to do things our way. When the safety guy told me I could not use PC for anything in training I knew right then it wasn't going to go well.

 

So back on track since we've had so much learning lately, like an almost constant feed of learning.

I don't have the requested 5 years experience, but I've been runnin on my own authority for 4 years now. I've not been leased on to anybody before or driven as an employee, so I have no idea what that is like.

I think most can see the attitude it takes to be successful, though attitude is not everything. I know there's some sure nough good guys here who haven't made it through the downturn.

I'm not planning on any changes. I like running how I'm doing it. I'm not doing anything specialized, but I try to do what I do better than anybody else.

I rely on the spot market for probably 85% of my loads.

 

I can point to 4 big reasons that I failed - over reliance on spot, leased on, running old equipment and I'm not a sales guy. Spot freight is unreliable, inconsistent and brokers a drain on profit. Leased on drains profit. Old equipment even if you do 100% of the work yourself is a money pit. If you can't/won't generate consistent direct business you won't ever reap full rewards. Trucking/driving is the easiest part and not being a #### up there is great but doesn't make the business happen or translate into an actual successful trucking business. I could also put laziness in there. Refusal to work for substandard rates lead to my truck sitting parked a lot and a good sales person would've used that time better.