We should park our units

Discussion in 'Ask An Owner Operator' started by freight-time, Jan 11, 2018.

  1. TripleSix

    TripleSix God of Roads

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    This post was done in pure ambulance chaser style. The bus driver could have been up for 3 days straight. He may have been texting. He may have been drunk or high. He may have even contemplated suicide. But because he hit a truck, his driving fitness is now off the table. Its not even relevant to the story.

    "Hey!!!! There's a truck!!! Blame it on the driver and we can close this case!"

    Regardless of elogs, that driver was going to hang.
     
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  3. Jagsfan

    Jagsfan Bobtail Member

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    I run paper logs and guess what? Drive while alert and park when tired.
     
    Tug Toy, wore out, jamespmack and 2 others Thank this.
  4. Jagsfan

    Jagsfan Bobtail Member

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    Anyone else see that wreck at mm 71 sb i65 in Indiana? All lanes blocked. Greyhound and at least one truck. Happened earlier today.
     
  5. chimbotano

    chimbotano Heavy Load Member

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    Well said!!
    100% O/O . Wake up guys. Be independent. Big companies are raping you . You can make more money and make your own decisions where to go or what to haul at the rate you decide.
    Wake up guys. All it takes is DISCIPLINE!!!!
     
  6. nightgunner

    nightgunner Road Train Member

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    Oh you said the D word! Next you will be telling people to be responsible for their own actions (not allowed in super trucker world).
    It's so much easier to blame others for stupid decisions and then change jobs every 3 months.
     
  7. Scooter Jones

    Scooter Jones Road Train Member

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    I know a LOT of guys who are leased on to other companies authority. There are certain characteristics or circumstances that preclude many (not all) of them from going out on their own.

    There are some guys on this forum who are doing well leased on in good niches which is admirable. But the reality is they are a minority.

    What I've observed from many of the guys who stay leased on are:

    1. Horrible money managers
    2. Sloppy in procedural matters, including organizational skills
    3. Don't do well with communicating
    4. Lack confidence in negotiations
    5. Would rather follow than lead
    6. Bad credit
    7. Recent accident(s) or driving records that preclude them from obtaining their own insurance

    Those are just a few observations I've made.

    I've tried to help several guys I know with spreadsheets and other tools to help them really see the big picture. Some have told me they'd rather not know. You know, the old, "ignorance is bliss" mindset.

    I've proven to some guys that they are actually making LESS than a company guy with benefits. To no avail. They'd rather stay in that $2,800 a month lease option truck and continue to believe they're "independent."
     
  8. aussiejosh

    aussiejosh Road Train Member

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    This is the one reason why us truck drivers shoulda done better at school and all became lawyers cause there the only ones that'll be making any money outta this muck up.
     
  9. jamespmack

    jamespmack Road Train Member

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    I agree, but there are times leased works. I did it 4 years. My truck, plates, bobtail, fuel, and 2290. It was a dedicated deal 5 days a week year round. Home all but 4 days in 4 years. Everyday I dropped paperwork on desk, and Thursday picked up check. Best year 144k. It was a customer I had no idea about and couldnt get. Now when it started going bad, I left. I wasn't hanging out waiting for it get worse. I went and got my authority. But yes it can work. The right situation, I would do it again.
     
  10. Gumper

    Gumper Road Train Member

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    I feel it’s a great time to get in the O/O business. Tax cuts, economy growing (supposedly), elogs driving people out of the business, garbage drivers hauling for the big companies.. Great time for a young guy with an old truck to start hauling loads for desperate customers.

    Parking the trucks won’t ever work unless you get a huge amount of guys to commit to it. And it’d have to be for more than a few days. Those who haul for $1.50/mile will always be the enemy since they’ll happily scrape by while everyone else struggles.
     
  11. jamespmack

    jamespmack Road Train Member

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    First off by you diving in, it makes the situation worse, second son I promise this is not a good time to make that investment. It is never good to invest because the market is hot. The prices will go down, or cost will go up. When all the guys dumped general freight for the oil fields the market was hot. They bought more and more Trucks and the natural gas dropped them, coming back to general freight or loseing their shirt. Dont put yourself in a place to end up a bottom feeder, because it can happen when market is hot.
     
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