What are the greatest regrets/decisions you've made as a O/O?

Buying new trucks. Much better to rebuild. What you save in Taxes is not near as much as the notes.

 

Trading in a paid for truck on a new one with payments.
Paying off another truck with money from a house sale.

 

Regrets? None
Decisions? Flipped a Coin in early 1989-was 21 years old,,Mechanic or Trucker? Tails for Trucker
I Loved (Still do) Fixing things- So,Got both Worlds Bought Trucks-Raised my Family-Work on cars and My Truck (Still do)

Young,Wild, inexperienced...But I Listened and learned, Drivers Then didn't put up without Childish,Crybaby Games- "Either Learn the Right way-Or Get OUT"

So No Regrets at all- Made my money- Now,Time to Slow down,Work Close to Home..And Watch you guys kill each other on E-Logs which stands for "Electronic Logging Devicers"

 

This might be an interesting topic

 

Did you have some tax regrets from paying it off with the house proceeds?

 

I regret not being able to put more into being an O/O. I tried to do too much, truck business, family, home owner, ( farmette), hobbies, you know, the American dream thing, and did for many years, but didn't really succeed at any of those things. Also, I was leased to a guy, that paid me % to haul rail cans, and was a fair man, but it was more like a company driver ( without benefits) with our own trucks, and it worked, I did ok, but I couldn't haul anything on my own ( although, some did) and would do it a lot different today. My truck, he get's a charge for the trucking fee. I'm glad I did it in the late 80's, with a cheapie truck, but today, with costs what they are, that truck is going to be your only reason for living, for a while, anyway.

 

Buying a set of recap drive tires,back in the 70's,or 80's,not sure.Local Banrag dealer wooed me,showed me how they x-ray casings,good as a new tire,never a problem anymore,guarenteed,etc.,etc. Put 8 on,didn't make it 200 miles,one came apart.Now I get raped buying a pos overpriced used tire at a truckstop,the money I saved on the caps goes out the window.Worst part is I take the ++++ed up tire back to the Banrag dealer,and he argues with me,no way that could happen,you must have done something,etc,.etc,. Never again.

 

Stupid recaps. I NEVER put caps on the tractor. Always virgins. Hauling rail cans, I threw more "alligators" than most ( except other rail haulers) If someone ran recaps on their drives, it immediately told me what kind of company it was.

 

Getting married,,,,,,,a couple of times!