Taking the plunge. My journey as an O/O.

Update.

Verified the cost of the engine rebuild + EGR cooler replacement, after invoicing my part of the work with Crete's Pinnacle account.

TruNorth paid 11,136.
I paid 13,863 instead of the 17k or so that was the cash price.

That's for a full engine rebuild with a Freightliner-backed 12 month unlimited miles warranty, as well as replacement of a bad EGR cooler. I have already redeemed that engine warranty twice for problems created and/or not addressed during the rebuild. First, the hard plastic DEF tank heater coolant lines that snake down from the top of the engine to the DEF tank were replaced, and now the oil pan gasket is being replaced.

 

5750.00 was the invoice price. But the time cost of lost income due to fighting with them raised that by a lot.

 

Aye, I'll be looking at going in the other direction a bit in the near future. 301 full days on the road, 16 partial in 2019.

I'm single, no kids, I like the job, and I have to do a lot of miles at the rates I get as a company 1099 operator. But Crete isn't going to be my permanent home, it's only where I am now.

Once I see what happens with taxes, I will have to consider options. For example, today I am going to my bank to check on what they will require from me, and what rates they will offer for a 30k business loan on the truck, so I can completely get out from under Crete's pet financing company (which hasn't given me any real issues, but they do require the truck to be governed at 67, and I'd prefer governed cruise at 70, petal at 75.)

I have also decided that I'm likely going to investigate Landstar as my first choice for my next company to lease the truck to. That means I need to get hazmat certification, and I might get tanker certification as well, (so I can haul totes) while I'm at it. I won't haul hazmat, but apparently Landstar uses hazmat certification as a tard-barrier to try to get a slightly better quality average driver.

Lots of things to think about.

 

I agree. I should. I likely will do that either for this tax year, or perhaps next, depending on how things shake out.