Call me crazy!!!! From 1 to 3

Well I just want to put some info out here about myself and what I am doing to better myself. I started off with my first truck purchase as I bought a 1994 fld flattop with a 3106 350 Cat with a 9sp. I bought this truck from southern Indiana for $6,300 and started driving it. Within the first 6 months I had it overhauled for a sum of $15,000. Wow that was salty at the time. I had to put the overhaul on a credit card and work my butt off to pay it off. My 2nd truck was a 2001 Volvo with an n14 cummins with an auto 10spd and 641,000 original miles. I bought this truck for $8,500. I put a driver in it and had it leased on pulling railcans up to Elwood, IL. This truck had so many electrical problems I spent $5700 on wiring here and there and finally the shop told me the truck needed rewired and it would cost $5200 to have it done. $10,900 on wiring repairs no thank you so I sold the truck on craigslist last year for a profit of $4,000 on the initial purchase and cut my losses. My 3rd truck I bought last year at a truck auction in Northern Indiana. 1999 Peterbilt 377 with a 3406 cat and super 10spd with 160,000 on the complete overhaul. I paid $9,500 for the truck and a couple months ago put a new transmission in it for $3400. I am currently driving this truck and leased to a flatbed carrier making darn good money. Well for my 4th truck a buddy of mines wife passed away and so he is selling his 2004 freightliner fld120 with a cummins and straight 10 speed with 427,000 on the overhaul. Nothing wrong with the truck whats so ever for $10,000. Well I bought it.. I have my old 94 freightliner pulling railcans to and from Elwood, IL. I pull flatbed with my 99 pete. And I want to put this 04 freightliner on where I am but the driver I am putting into the truck can't get leased till he has 6 months of flatbed. So I am putting my 04 and driver on with CRST Malone for 6 months(love the fact I dispatch off the board) and that will put me moving it over to my carrier at the hype of steel haulin next year. Now I am working with my carrier trying to sweet talk em into letting my driver come over and follow me around and I would take pictures of his securement and send into safety. They have done this before so I am hoping they allow me to do it. When I started I was thinking about getting my own authority but so far I make decent money being leased to carriers. Never know though. We will see what lies ahead. Anywho just wanted to put out a little info on myself. Have a great day.

 

I have a friend of mine that lives 20 miles from me and he has 3 girls so he wants to be home daily. I have him pulling cans from central Indiana up to Elwood, IL. The truck he drives paid itself off years ago. After fuel the truck brings in $1500 give or take. After I pay my driver $500/week that leaves my truck making $1,000/week pulling cheap railcans. This works for my driver freind and also works for me. This truck and driver have been running cans for 2 years now. For a cheap freight and being home daily can hauling is a doing great for me. Now where my money comes from is pulling flatbed as to why I am wanting to put my new truck on elsewhere.

 

I got my DOT number back around the first of the year as I was thinking about getting my own authority but I have put the thought on the back burner for a little longer. Maybe one day.

 

Don't get me wrong what I do is NOT for everyone. When I look at trucks I look for the best bang for my buck. Trucks nobody else probably want. I want papers on the overhaul. No papers then I don't look any further at the truck. Two of them have came from freinds so I know what they have replaced and how they drove and maintained the truck. I run regional for the most part so my trucks run 60,000 miles a year. Big difference in long haul and regional miles. What I have done works for me though.

 

I might get my trucks at good prices but I have ran into costly problems also. The volvo I had needed another $5000 for wiring after I already spent $5700 on wiring. That would put me having $19,000 into an $8500 truck. Just could not justify the cost so sold truck. My pete I have had to put a $3400 transmission into it along with a new clutch. You have to think if the truck is worth the money. My trucks are paid off so I must say its worth it to me.

 

Until one goes down needing $15,000 dumped into her.