Buying 87 Freightliner

yes most wont. But I also know he wants to run locally for a small co not OTR for a big co, which is where the problem usually is

 

Nice truck Congrats

 

You wrong ...dead wrong!

 

Here's what I recommend put some logs on her I run older trucks because I can get away with it we only go 50 to 60 miles one way a day (on avg 450 miles a day) ...now over the road I would listen to the nut breakers because they are telling you right if you got something local go ahead if not I would reconsider, but then again it's your first truck..........

 

Oh no, not larry....

 

well, did you buy it?

 

I run a '96. By all accounts, most say I'm running an older truck. I, like you, got into this way early. I ran in-state from the time I was 17 to 21. It was legal here, if it was strictly farm use. Mostly it was.

Take all of this with a grain of salt. I'm not trying to bust your balls here, just trying to share from a guy who bought an older truck before I was 30. I'm also not trying to tell you not to do it, just giving you a couple of things to think about.

You have said that you can already drive a truck. I thought the same thing. I started on a farm. In short....I started following combines and driving from field to field at 16. At 17, I was allowed to go on back roads to elevators and barge terminals, with my grandpa riding shotgun. At 18, got my in-state CDL and drove pretty much local. At 21, started OTR.

Now, at 34, and 6 years into owning my own truck, I realize that I didn't know enough to know what all I didn't know. Looking back, I made huge mistakes and little mistakes, yet I was convinced "I KNEW how to drive a truck." I tore some stuff up, granted not much, and certainly not as much as most of the big company grads do, but I did make mistakes. I'm #### glad I didn't start out driving my own truck, even though I had more seat time at 18 than most do after they complete training. Think about it. You'll be AMAZED at what you learn that you thought you already knew! I think every driver out here learns new stuff all the time.

Another thing to think about with an old truck is the new CSA2010. Equipment violations could possibly seriously mess up how employable you are in the future. It could also even potentially mess you up if your running your own authority. So, make absolutely sure that if you buy that truck, or ANY truck, that you'd have NO PROBLEM pulling it across a scale. I can tell you that I cross 3 scales a night in my '96 and they REALLY looked at me hard until they got to know me, and I dern sure don't get a free pass now, they just know me. Take care of your CSA2010 score, because the day could come when you are hired, insured, leased on, or ,maybe even used by brokers in accordance with your CSA 2010 score. I've heard a few guys say that some brokers and shippers already look at SafeStat scores before hiring a truck. You want a good record for insurance, employment, CSA2010...it's more important now than ever, in my opinion.

If you buy this truck and put it on with this carrier, what if you decide later you want to buy a new truck and put it on somewhere else? You don't want to have a record of out of service and other equipment violations on your record. Just make sure every thing's right, because those creeper cops #### sure will. Things aren't the way they used to be even when I started, which wasn't that long ago, really...mid 90's. We got away with stuff we shouldn't have and WOULDN'T now days.

Things WILL break and wear out. More so on that old truck. Be ready for it. My Dad just had an '07 blow up on him. $h*t happens and you need money now because you don't know if it will be next week or three years from now. Fuel mileage is important, too. I quit all that "billy big rigger" crap my first week of owning a truck when I was buying the fuel. I thought I was prepared for the costs, as do you. A few times I have been surprised. Luckily, I had the money banked to cover it. Now, I keep about .25 cents a mile for emergencies and in the worst case, a new truck down payment fund.

I'll give you props for wanting to try, and while I wouldn't do it, I don't know you. Hell, we just had a 19 year old elected mayor to a pretty good sized town here, so maybe you've got what it takes to do it.

I wish you luck in whatever you decide, just make sure you think it through and don't do anything out of "truck fever" or get in a hurry. Trucks and freight aren't going anywhere. You can ease into it or jump in head first. Many before you have done it both ways and many have made it and many have not. Just know what you're getting into and be realistic about it.

Oh, one more thing. About the small sleeper. I was the same way. "I don't need that much room" and "I don't ever hardly spend the night in it" Well, I wish I had a ton more room. Being an older truck, I try to carry lots of tools and spare parts, which have saved me TONS of money and kept my reputation good with the company I'm leased to. I've repaired many things on the side of the road myself in pretty good time and still pulled through the gate without the company ever knowing I was down. I'd love to have more room and mine is a 42 inch flat top that's not a crawl through, but an FLD. You'll need to spend money on tools and spare stuff to carry with you. It's saved my butt many times driving an older truck.

I think it IS a cool looking old truck, though. Clean too. When I first looked at the interior pictures, I couldn't help but notice that it's in better shape on the inside than my '96 Freightshaker!!

Holy CRAP!!! Sorry for the long post. Good luck again.

 

well said,

i also thought i knew what i was doing when i started, and now i realise how stupid i was....


be real with yourself, if you have not done the job yourself you dont know how to do it.....(none of this "i stayed in a holiday inn express last night" stuff)



im not trying to be rude just trying to give you a reality check....