Can an O/O stay local and still make money?

says the guy who hasn't even been a member 2 months lol

 

I really don't care what anybody else is making myself, I never was one to keep up with the Joneses. I just wish I could find me a cool truck with a sleeper at a reasonable price so I can fix it up all nice and shiny and go cruising around Arizona and New Mexico / and Over towards San Luis Obispo , and cambria lol. Its not about what you make anyway, Its what you save, and how much fun you have. Its about how well you sleep, eat, and relax. Most of these people making the Big Bucks are just servicing the NUT anyway! Most of them are so far in debt they cant see out! I would know because my wife is a accountant and its her they call for advise on how to get above water, Who cares what anybody else is doing? Relax folks ! life is so short! Lets have some good old fun! Beats sitting around arguing with a spambot!

 

I stay in Texas most of the time. For me, that is a very good market. The Texas intrastate seems to be better than trying to find a load out of Texas. Still, when I was leased on to ATS, I never had a problem finding good loads out of Texas. It seems like, no sooner than I got home they had a load waiting to go into Canada. They paid me crazy money to go into Canada. Sometimes, it seemed like I spent more time in Canada than I did in Texas.

When I leased with ATS, I got a good truck. It has caused me very little problems. I have some modifications, which gives me decent fuel mileage. I bought that truck and it is still treating me right. I can expect some major repairs in the near future because I am approaching one million miles. I try my best to take care of my truck, but a lot of that was the luck of the draw.

I do as much work on my truck as I am comfortable with. I try to do more and more all the time. To be honest, I was getting screwed by Rush Peterbilt in Buda, TX. They, constantly lied to me and did shoddy work. I have been redoing work they completed and I find half of what they told me wasn't true. When I do it, it seems to stay fixed. I won't go there again. The downside is, that when I work on my truck, I am not making money. But, it is stuff I need to know, so it is worth it to me.

I treat brokers with respect, they treat me with respect. I don't have near the problems that others complain about. They call me with good paying loads on a regular basis. I have my favorites and I get the majority of loads through them before the loads are posted to the load boards.

I live in Austin, TX. Austin, doesn't have a lot of freight, but it has its share. Austin, is centrally located, so I get to go through the house with many loads. If I have to bounce somewhere, it isn't hat far off. I am getting the same freight as when I worked for TMC and ATS. When I see something listed on the load boards, I, usually, recognize what the freight is. I learn more and more every day.

I have a 53' X 102" stepdeck with sliding rear axle trailer. I have ramps/load levelers, tarps and I do OD loads. I'm versatile, in other words. The sliding rear axle isn't as important as it was when I was going into California and Canada all the time. I'm thinking of getting a light weight 48' trailer. I seem to be getting a lot of work of palletized bags of various chemicals going to businesses that service the oilfield industry or shingles. The loads are near my maximum weight with my heavy stepdeck. At the very least, it would give me piece of mind.

I gave an example of loads in this area and back to this area for this past week, loads grossing $8K to $9K that any stepdeck or flatbed could have done. These loads aren't available every week, but you have to know your equipment, your lanes, your brokers, and the loads themselves. I'm sorry, but every place doesn't have the same opportunities as Texas have. I am speaking, only, of Texas, Central Texas at that. I could do better, maybe, in Houston or Dallas.

I think the major cause of disbelief comes from the fact that most places do not have the available freight opportunities that I have.

 

I think you mis-placed the decimal point- shouldn't it be $14.50 if you want to hang withthe big straps?

 

Mistake.....

$145.00 / mile...

 

I understand that I've been right here, in the same sleepy little town, doing this since 1975, with a short break in the late 1990's. I know who every shipper/receiver of any consequence within a 3 county radius. I know what they pay, because at one time or another, I've hauled their freight. I know what the customers of the carrier I'm currently leased to pay. I know what friends of mine, who are based in different parts of the country, and will tell me the honest truth, get paid.

I have a community college level education in business and economics, on top of my lifelong experience in business, so I understand how markets work.

I know what I believe & I believe what I know.

 

coast to coast..............drop & hook

 

Power only man. Only way to go...

 

So you know what you believe n believe what you know eh...do you also believe in 'niche' markets? I hope so, then you would understand what we are talking about. It really is out there if ya wanna go look for it...

 

Sorry.... Didn't know this was a who has the most posts forum........ Another one of my fans !!!