So long, drivers

X1, New Mexico is OK, like all the states. A couple of things make it harder to run a truck company here. There are only a few shippers, cargo originators here, so not a lot of loads available. That means not a lot of trucking companies to lease to, pull for, or get freight from. It also means that whatever freight is available has competition bidding for it - low ball rates, usually. One of the reasons I never got my own authority was because I'd have had to move to somewhere closer to freight lanes. El Paso offers some cargo. I talked to a Mexican driver in El Paso who told me he was paid $75 for a 350 mile trip to Dallas....no thanks.
Thanks, X1.

 

Good one, Shock Therapy. It does get in your blood, and it did get in my blood. I might have to get a travel trailer just so I can drag something around.

 

Thanks, Dave. I never thought my income as "big," just the agreed dollars for pulling CFI cargo. I think $150-$200K gross annual is kind of mid-stream, or average for a truck that runs more than it sits. It was big enough for me, for sure. No new payments, no new truck. I do have that driving jones going on in a big way, so after I'm done with real estate aligning, I see more driving in my future. Not commercial, fun driving.

My secret? I didn't spend all the money I made. I kept quite a bit of it by not buying toys or unnecessary stuff. Also, I spent quite a bit on my truck maintenance, so I only had one breakdown in 4 years, and that was covered by Detroit's excellent warranty program.

"Work hard, save your money." Easy, right?

 

I know quite a bit about California. Lived in Ashland, OR for 8 years, most of it in a cabin in the Cascades. Remote? At night there was not one single light visible anywhere, for miles. Sheriff? If we wanted one, we had to call in and ask for an appointment. Everybody supported themselves on homegrown and craft beer, and that was in the '70's. My family moved to San Diego, and that was good living until it got so crowded and expensive in the early '90's. I left for New Mexico.

Prices are high in CA, but Weed sits on the west shoulder of Mt. Shasta, a truly awesome mountain. 5 glaciers! Population is all of 3,000, and will soon leap up to 3,001. There's a Walmart 28 miles up the I-5 in Yreka, and the closest THD or Lowe's are over an hour drive either way. I like that. I like the mountains, I love the sweet water off Shasta, and I truly, deeply love the low population. For some reason I don't like being around people very much.

If I am not happy with Weed after I get my cabin upgraded, I'll sell off and leave for parts yet unknown. No problem, I just need to leave NM and this cabin is a good value at $48K cash. No payments should help with expenses. All of NoCal is booming with weed growers since they legalized growing, so my money is safe.