"Are you sure you wanna do this?", said everyone. 6 month update.

Power only isn’t a bad thing. I have three types of trailers parked that I own and I have power only contracts with direct customers. I do better per odometer mile, by far than I did with my own wagons. Yes there is some great $3.50-$5.00 mile freight out there, but the deadheading, and waiting to load and unload can be a killer. So don’t knock the power only business, very lucrative if you get the right customers. Plus I only run 3-5 days a week and home every weekend. I run less and make more then I did pulling a reefer for direct customers.

You are doing it the hard way for sure. I’m not the cheerleader type, but you got things big enough to haul in a dump truck if you catch my drift. Nobody in Trucking seems to want others to succeed. I however would like to see more independents succeed, and maybe pull together and try to steer this industry back on course. It will never happen, but, I can hope.

Keep us updated and don’t hesitate to ask questions, there are some good people on here, and some not so good. I’m probably some of the not so good, but hey I admit it. Filter through all comments and learn, sometimes even discouraging ones can be of use. Good luck

 

Realistic take on it,

However I get tired of one or another comments about mechanics. I have to pay a lot of them and haven't never felt being screwed over when it comes to getting a broken down truck running. One of them said to me a long time ago when I commented on the $100 an hour rate, he said he gets more done in a hour than most but he also does expect owners to haul freight for 25 cents a mile.

 

I can’t speak for others, but I know I’m one that always says to try to save money by doing it yourself. But I am aware that some people can’t or don’t have to tools or place to do it. I understand. And some just don’t want the hassle. I get that too. I just try to point out that one can save a TON of money fixing things ones self. Plus you really get to know your truck. I never want to make someone feel less of a person for not doing it themselves, I just know the money savings can be huge.

You did make a good point tho in the fact a trained mechanic can get a job done faster in some cases making it smarter to spend the money on them.

 

One thing about saving money by doing it myself I have learned: often it's better to pay someone to get the job done quickly and efficiently so I can get back to making money. Sure I could take a whole day to figure out how to replace a part, maybe run to get a special tool, watch Youtube videos, OR I can hire a mechanic to get it done in a couple hours and be driving that afternoon.

 

One goal that should be among the top 5 or 10 things on the business development list is to find places to reduce cost. This may be doing some routine things yourself.
Washing the truck, changing oil or belts and hoses.
Things that can be planned and parts picked up ahead of time.

Brake adjustment sure, run an overhead, that takes tools and time I don’t have.

 

That's the gold plated gospel right there.

 

I couldn't afford to pay a mechanic at first so learning how to do several jobs became necessity if I wanted to continue. Yeah, sometimes it's nice to pay to have things done BUT nobody will comb over my truck like I do. I've found so many potential issues while doing something else. It has really saved me in the long run from roadside extravaganzas!

 

Sounds like me about 7 yrs ago. Once upon a time, part of the team I managed, and would visit about quarterly, was based in an office building in Mason OH overlooking I-71. Now I see it from the other side of the glass. I never had any contempt for it. It was a different time, with different priorities. It wasn't all bad.

On the other hand, there were a few times I may have passed through and glanced at it out the passenger window, and had momentary regrets.

Two years is the magic number. If you survive claim-free, with your safety score intact, to renew a third time, you're much more interesting to better insurers. As-in your rate will drop in half or better. Your location is among the worst insurance markets, so you'll be paying more than most, regardless.

Someone else already mentioned NASTC. Do it for the fuel card. It's worth the annual $250 dues and the NEST class/spam session. If you're going to MATS in Louisville in a few weeks, the class is offered there and you can kill two birds with one trip, and also write off the expenses. The discounts are ok, but having total control of your own fuel card account is where the value is. No strings attached to another account owner like you'd have with a broker or factoring company provided fuel program.

I can sense the sarcasm, but it bears mention: Your best times will come when you base your rates, and especially spending priorities, on what percentage of profit it represents, not revenue. It tends to support the old saying, "Mind the pennies and the dollars will take care of themselves."

Spoken like a true victim.

Sorry if that sounds harsh, but that's what it is. People who see others with more than they have, that dismiss that success as a stroke of good fortune or found money, are perpetual victims that will never achieve success.

Until you look at those people and try to learn how they got what they have, then do it, you'll continue to live in your mom's basement.