Time to stop cutting bait and go fishing

Alright I have made up my mind after doing the research and talking it over with the wife. I am going OTR. I have come to the point that dump trucking in CA is on the ropes and if and when the work ever picks up, I won't be able to make up for the lost time. The guys I know in this business as O/O's are in the same boat too. Some will stick it out and take a chance of getting the scraps at $50 an hour for tens and supers and $60 an hour for semi dumps (which is equivalent to running loads under a buck a mile OTR wise). Can't make it on that, between fuel, insurance, permits, storage, and taxes, I'll bleed to death.

So it's OTR and becoming "Charlie Hustle". I own my equipment outright and now I am putting them up for sale. Has anyone here who bought a new rig ever traded in equipment? I know that trading in 4 wheelers you can get screwed but heh, I got 3k for a '91 civic with 150k from a Ford dealer when I bought a brand new '97 F-150, and that was sight unseen too. Anyways I am putting them in the Truck paper but I'd like to get this going before the end of March. So I'm curious if anyone has traded in equipment and at least got a decent offer.

I've been looking at rigs for 3 weeks now and after a lot of info I decide to get a 387 with a 475 ISX or 475 C15. Both great engines IMHO. I'll be pulling a Flat and when I went on Cummins' website they suggest a flattop sleeper versus the high top sleeper. How much of a difference would that make MPG wise?

I see that some dealers are very eager to sell. One Pete dealer has a loaded 387 for $110K in Baton Rouge and another dealer has one in Hattiesburg Miss for $119k fully loaded. They're almost identical power wise, Ratio (3.55 rears), wheel base wise. The difference is the first has an 18 speed with a ISX and the second has a 13 (the 18913A-the real 13 not the 9 that was converted to a 13 with 1850 fpt) with the C15.
The Pete dealer in Hattiesburg faxed me back more info already this morning..I emailed them late last night.

 

trucks are byers market right now but you are a buyer and seller at the same time.
they can't sell those new trucks because nobody wants the new motors. you really would be better off with a couple year old truck with like 300k on it and the older motor

 

Yeah, I've seen a lot good rigs that have 300k but at the same time, I don't want to take a chance. Oil samples and mait records are good indicators of the overall condition of a rig. My KW had oil samples on it but I still had to do an in-frame at 640k and I was down for 2 weeks and out of $15k. Luckily that year was good year and I grossed decently despite that downtime.

As far as the new engines, you guys who aren't CA apportioned might not have to worry about CARB Regs for a while. But until I can figure out how legally get the new truck registered in MO (I have a rental property there) I'm stuck registering it in CA.


Nothing wrong with buying an older rig but as I found out on both rigs, wrenching is a constant unpaid job as an O/O. I don't mind working on the rigs, I find it relaxing sometimes, but I'd rather be wrenching on them in my yard or in my driveway. Not in the middle of the desert with 115 degrees or worse in the High desert on the 58 with the winds blowing sand at you. Or in the mountains at below zero temps.

I know I'm a wuss but I gotta keep the wheels turning and the smoke burning.

If I saw a rig that has very low mileage and was owned by an O/O not driven by rookies (no offense but the experienced driver knows that you treat your rig as good as or better than your wife and mother), I might reconsider.

There's a lot stuff people can hide and even if one brings their best mech along, stuff still can slide by. My Pete overall is a great tractor for pulling my low-side. Before I bought it, I brought my mech along to inspect it and there were a few things that were do-able. I replaced hood pivots, air cleaner parts, engine mounts and had spot painting done. It was a diamond in the rough. But it has never left CA and I haven't pulled any nasty grades loaded with yet. It's been babied. I pull up to a job site and usually stay on the street to get the trailer loaded.

I want to make everything as trouble free as possible and looking down the road, based on what I've read, been told, The CARB EPA regs will move inland from the Left Coast. I would rather have a new or newer rig and have to hustle my loads and run longer than to stay where I am at with my Pete and take chance with it and sit and not make money.



I saw a 387 in the Sacramento area, a '06 with around 200k and the guy just wanted for someone to take over the payments. The only downside for me was that it was an auto...no thanks, I want to tell the rig what to do sometimes and not just be an attachment to the steering wheel

 

Well, I put up the Pete, the KW, and the Ranco on the Truckpaper.

 

Well, I put up the Pete, the KW, and the Ranco on the Truckpaper....that's the first cast into the water. I hope the bass will be biting soon.



Hmmm, repeat posts. Can someone delete the excess please?

 

I put the Pete, the KW, and the Ranco up for sale on the net.

 

Driver, If I were you, I would hold onto my money right now and drive as a company driver. I am currently hauling a reefer under my own authority, and Freight is either non existant or so cheap "less than $1/mile" I decided to park my truck until the end of February. If you buy a truck, trailer, insurance, hvut,ifta,tags, authority you will need to make money immediately. Even if you get good freight immediately it will take up to 45 days to get paid so you will be paying for fuel up front. Right now is not a good time to start your own trucking business. Sorry for the bad news but if it keeps you from making a very expensive mistake it was worth the effort.

 

If freight is that slow, then would that not have the same effect on company drivers as well?

As far as the 45 day settlement, you haven't run dumps have you? 45 days is average. There are brokers and contractors who settle around 90 days. My nephew's father-in-law has it setup that once he drops a load, he fed-exes the BoL and his settlement is automatically deposited in his account within the week or less. He's running flats to Texas and Nev and back. He's a heck of a lot happier now than when he ran his mixer.
Maybe his broker is the exception? I don't know. I do know that I had to make a change so yeah, I'm gonna do it and ######, I'll make it happen.

 

One thing I know about being an O/O, I'll never get rich driving. I never intended to get rich driving. I drive because it beats being down in the ditch up to your A%#%ole in mud or a sharp stick to the eye, I don't know which one is worse

 

I too am wanting to buy a truck. Drove for 18 yrs, went to work at Chrysler for 8 yrs. now they are gonna give me a buyout to quit! So white line fever here we come! I found a 2000 379exthd 3406 e cat 18 speed with 384000 miles!!!! I can buy this truck for around 43500. Put about 20,000 dwn Put about 10,000 in a business account for repairs. and go to work next week hauling freight avg. 1.47 a mile.
But guess what? I'm waiting it out and see if things pick up