The Good, The Bad, The Honest Truth of a New Roehl Lease Operator

Wow. So what are your options? I'm assuming you can't just bail on that truck and lease a different one right?

 

What in the world happened that cost thousands to diagnose and that you have to have a complete new engine? How many miles on your truck? Diagnosis should only cost at most a couple of hundred to figure out the engine was toast. On the bright side with a brand new engine you should have a truck that will last a million miles and 8-10 years. It may take a year and a half to pay off, but in the end you have a truck that will last a long time. If you have to replace the entire engine I would look at a Detroit, or a Cummins. It wouldn't hurt to ask.

Here is the thing to keep in mind about becoming an owner/operator, this is a long term venture. The reward is delayed. When the truck is paid off then the reward begins. If the engine goes, the reward is delayed, but again it does come. It's frustrating, discouraging, and depressing, but if you push through you have an opportunity to build something that didn't exist. In my case if the truck holds together for two or three more years I am looking at expansion. My long term goal is a small fleet of about 5 trucks. I'm hoping to not have to deal with a rebuild until at least 900,000 miles on the odometer.

 

Please before you sink in 30 K in a new motor see what a rebuilt will cost. You will still end up with a "old" truck with new power. Everything else will still be old. What year is the truck? If it is older than a 2009 I would really look at other options than repower new.

 

So they will let you have pets as an o/o, but still can't take my old man or a buddy along for a week? Strange. Like renting an apartment and having the landlord telling you who you're allowed to have over. I don't get it. We pay the insurance. Also, do you guys know if Roehl passes on 100% of the pump discount they get to the o/o?

 

You can have immediate family with you, similar to company drivers. As an O/O it should be whoever you want imo.

 

Today was the last payment on the lease part. Now we deal with the balloon.

As far as riders, my wife goes with me for a week during the summer and my daughter goes with me for a month. Insurance is a flat $15 a month whether you have a rider for a day, or the whole month. O/O can have pets up to 50#.

 

My understanding is you can use your escrow acct to pay towards balloon if you wish.