2024

I've never had one of those on any truck I owned. If i need to see behind me i just lightly pull the johnny bar to illuminate the brake lights. I also don't think DOT requires it as I've gone through at least 10 level 1's all over the country and never had them check that.

EDIT: looks like it is required, but the work lights on my headache rack would meet the legal requirement so i guess i've been in compliance.

 

Despite my rambling post, I think you get the gist.

Insurance is my main peeve. I’m sick of 20% increases every year, on everything - and being told that it’s being ‘part of the pool’ .

No claims ever, yet my premiums increase. I flipped the bird to the last fender bender I saw , “Thanks for being part of the pool”, and spending a half hour in traffic.

 

Honestly, i think 24 into 25 is going to go a bit like this. Anyone foolish enough to buy one of these moronicly overpriced trucks for 5k a month because covid highs and demand is going belly up unless they had a #### good route or were well established. O/Os like me who have older but well maintained equipment and low debt are going to be mostly fine unless we do a true stupid or bad luck hits, maybe with the need to tighten our belts but fine.

Most of these over lended over extended over debted megas are going to struggle, downsize or fold. The ones with unions forceing untentable agreements with idiotic amounts of debt like yellow are likely going to fold or struggle. Most O/Os getting in now are going to fail or succeed big time depending on how the cards fall and in general it will be business as usual.

Yes things are bad, the economy dispite what many try to say is #### atm and a lot of companys bills and reckless super expansion is going to either come back to bite them in the ### or put them in a position for another mega to gobble them up. But we as an industry have indeed seen worse and anyone with even a modicim of business sense or in a good position will survive then likely thrive as and if things recover.

Only real question is how bad will things get overall and how long it will last. While i think any idiot not prepareing for the worst is going to fold anyome established and using common sense will be alright. Honestly all this doom and gloom is mostly from folks who dont look at long term trends. And barring something like the government passing untenable laws or a full on 2nd great depression, a civil war, WW3 or something else along those lines its business as usual.

Course i could be wrong but history says i am not.

 

5k for a truck payment is crazy that's more than a morgtage. makes ya wonder why alot will fold people can't keep up with the payments taxes and so on

 

there already screaming driver shortage. i am willing to bet it's so that the mega's can get those govt subsidies!!!

 

$5g might be higher then a mortgage but you're only talking 4 or 5 years.

Definitely not favorable odds though.

There's always been a driver shortage. I can't figure that one out when you've got trucks sitting around waiting for a load.

I could see if truckstops were empty.
But they're full. No matter what time of day.

 

I

Insurance is the biggest scam. Homeowners has gotten way out of control. The suggested replacement costs on my policy are outrageous. Includes rebuilding, furnishings, alternate living costs. I think I could cover everything for about half the amount. Someone I know has been living in a motel for over a year. Kitchen fire, smoke damage to the whole house. Constantly fighting with either the Insurance or the Contractors. My Insurance cost has quadrupled, vs. house values only doubling. Basically Insurance has doubled comparatively. My auto ins was $1200 for 6 months for full coverage on 2 older vehicles. $200 per mo. I dropped everything except minimal liability on 1. New cost is $480 for 6 months or $84 per mo. making pymts. That’s too high IMO.