WHY, did you fail?... WHY, are you succeeding?

It all sounds good but trucking is not exactly inventing a Facebook, I am in my 5th year,still grinding gears sometimes. Having experience is boring but a Must

 

Well since everyone is sharing their lovely stories I can share mine too.

I got my CDL one day shy of my 20th birthday. I grew up around trucks b/c my father was/is an O/O and he would let me pretend drive it while I was a kid and as I got older I would help him grease the truck/trailer; tighten bolts here and there.
As the years went on I got more and more interested in trucks so I graduated HS and 2 years later got my CDL. me and the old man drive team now on a dedicated run. Home time is limited but the $ is there and ive learned alot. When I have a question I ask; and I read read read and read some more. I was appeoved for a new truck last December with the help of my father and we are in. It now. The work is ood and we are looking to file for our own authority this summer-fall. My father filedd for the numbers some years ago but was diagnosed with cancer so he had to put a halt to it. Literally all in the same week got all the paperwork ready to go just needed insurance and than the awfuul news.
Anywho, we have 2 trailers (own) 1truck(own) and 1 truck with monthl payments. We have one driver who I manage.

Would I say I (we) are successful at this point? No. And yes. My personal goal is to have a small fleet of 5 trucks and make a living that way to support myself my fiance and my family when poppa retires. I love these forums because of the ppl and information. I talk with folks at truck stops and other successful trucking company owners I know. It is a long road to 5 trucks but the way things are going I believe in myself and my father. With his 25 years experience in the industry my awesome computer skills and communication we can make it happen.

By the way I am turning 23 in two months
Doing pretty good for my age brackett. Working hard and working smart.

 

This was a interesting thread would love to hear more stories a few of the posters have not been on in a year updates please

 

Buy new, run 420-430000 miles and sell with warranty left. Have 20K in the bank for the truck JIC. Pay cash for tires on the company discount, Use their fuel card and pay it off before interest is due. Do your own maintenence. Run 3 weeks, take 1 day to rest, 1 to wash wax, clean, inspect, do maintenence. 1 day for Honeydo's, 1 day for on call and sleep rest ready to run til 4 the next morning. Wash, rinse repeat.
Donald Trump has been bankrupt 3 times.

The only difference on here is the change!
Heard McCain is going to run for King again. He said "The only thing that succeeds is success" HUH?

My apathy is at an all time whatever.

 

Well I'm succeeding now, but I did get off to a rocky start.
After a major accident, I was in between things when a friend of mine, whom co-signed a truck loan for a cousin was about to get stuck with the truck. So he offered it to me, "just hop in and drive, If you like it, just take over the payments and its your's."
After talking to different people familiar with the previous owner, and getting the truck checked out, everybody agreed that this truck was trouble. So I signed up for it anyways.
$20,000 in repairs over seven months followed by a blown head gasket leading to a potential in-frame, I cried 'uncle' , traded the heap in on a good truck. And never looked back.
Today I haul super b hopper bottom, have my own truck and trailers. I talked to my accountant recently, looks like I'll have a net taxable income this year just over $100k after ALL expenses.

 

so the advice is a brand new truck lease on with the big company stay out three weeks take four days off well not off if you are performing all your own maintenance so for most of us we need to take a basic pm class before we buy and sell before the extended warranty goes out

 

wow sounds like a great success story glad things have improved and hope they continue to also sounds like it's good to have friends who believe in you