To become independant or not?

Yeah and the second time the Chrysler CEO came in an Aspen hybrid and Chrysler had already announced they were closing the only plant that builds Aspens and Durangos . Real impressive .

 

I put the top managment of the auto companies into the same catagory as the politicians. They have been out of touch with "Main Street USA" for to long and they can't recognize it. Common sense and responsibility have been gone in those two groups of people for way to long.

I know that in a round-about way all the industries are tied together, but the goverment needs to stop bailing these companies out and let natural selection take place. Nobody is bailing us out if we have some bad decisions. All we can do is be proactive instead of reactive and brace for the worst, but hope for the best.

 

Thanks for the confirmation about the pay. As for making a move I am looking a few months down the road, right now I am doing my research and putting my ducks in a row. The problem that has me frustrated is the forced dispatch. The dispatcher has different priorities than I do. It would seem that my best option is my own truck, then I can find my own balance between income and hometime.

I have owned my own business before and know what it is going to take to succeed. I don't need some recruiter giving me "pie in the sky" lies about how they pay an industry leading rate at $.90 a mile plus fuel surcharge and I will make more money than I ever dreamed of.

The time to get my own truck is just as this economy starts to turn around. That lets me get a truck at a bargain before the demand picks up. Also it lets me build a reputation before everybody and their brother decides they can drive their own truck and make money at bargain basement prices.

 

You leasing on with someone or going totally independent with your new truck?

Mike

 

Preacher Man, it sounds like you have a plan. If I could suggest one thing. DO NOT go with a lease purchase program at any carrier. They are after one thing. Making money off that truck...wether you are driving it our they repo it and resell it.

Many guys don't understand the logic in this next statement until it is to late. Don't rely on your carrier for anymore than you absolutly have to. To many guys buy their truck, plates, insurance, and even have the maintence done at the carriers loaction. It may sound like its a good deal to start with, but in the long run it will bite you in the ###. I have seen some lease agreements even state that if you buy the plates off of the carrier you have to run more than 80% of the year. My opinion is that I'm a family man and its my truck. Nobody tells me I have to spend time in the truck just because of the plates. As far as the maintence goes...the mechanics take care of fleet trucks. They are not usually as picky as a o/o would be about how things are done.

 

I would prefer to purchase through traditional finance or third party leasing. I plan on signing on with a carrier to start. Eventually I would like to purchase my own trailer and go completely independent. My experience as a company driver has taught me that the way you know a recruiter or dispatcher is lying is very simple- their mouth is moving.

I know many drivers believe that buying an older less expensive truck is going to eat you up in repair bills but experience has taught me that if you pay $600 a month in payments instead of $600 to $1000 a week you have an extra $1800 or more a month in income. Also if the truck is paid off in a couple of years instead of a four or five year lease you have a lot of money to take care of repairs.

Yes I have done and am doing my homework. I have no intention of jumping out of the fire and into the frying pan. With the way these companies are family held and play everything close to the vest I am not sure I should trust any of them that I will have a job. Just take a look at companies like Jevic that close down with no notice. Then I find out that another company I used to work for just bounced everyone's paycheck. Who should I trust, myself or someone else who can't be trusted to tell me what's going on?

 

you can make it out here for sure as an o/o. Yes, rates are down and yes, you wont make as much as before, but you can still profit despite all the doom and gloom. They loads pay less so now its about volume and running the most load effectively. Sounds like your heading in the right direction, keep it up