Big dreams with little knowledge.

Ha! It's my idea too so I guess I'm a thief as well. Everything I buy to keep my equipment on the road will generate revenue when I'm done driving.

 

Good mechanics are harder to find than good drivers. Once you get a couple of years of experience you can write your own ticket...work however you want to and work in any part of the country that appeals to you.
Most trucking companies are very aware that getting and keeping a good mechanic is key to their success. You can make that work for you.

 

I’ve seen it done a couple times. My Mechanic used to Drive. Now his son Drives for him. Another had a Shop, his Authority and 3-4 Trucks. Now he maintains a Fleet, and takes in outside work, making a percentage on the work. Extra money on top of his steady paycheck. Maybe a Mobile Repair Truck without renting a Shop, or a Mobile wash crew, or one rented bay in a shop. Lot of opportunities out there. Checking Trucks and Trailers on a weekly basis for Local small private company Fleets. It takes more work than than anything. A Business plan and borrowing money, is something to consider, once you have the opportunity to expand. Start small, be honest. Charge enough, but be fair. Word will get around fast. Talk to others doing what your planning. A Business plan is highly overrated. Being flexible and naturally going in the direction of a needed service, and being is better. A plan is almost guaranteed to not go as planned. Why put yourself in a box? Once you have success, and see clearly what direction to go, then a formal Business plan can be written. Buying a big leather desk, doesn’t make you an instant Businessman. Start small, soon you’ll be overwhelmed with work, lots of mistakes to be made as you learn more.

 

Briefly, let me say this. This is a very common idea, got it good, clearly something else must be better. Seeing these big, shiny rigs in the shop, thinking, "boy, these drivers MUST have it made, they just sit there",, it's always the same old thing, one always sees the plus side, but overlooks the down side, an American trait, btw. Right now, a mechanic is probably the MOST sought after job, it's highly specialized, unlike from my time, when Cletus Speckler could fix a truck, not so today. Trucking is an incentive deal, the more you run, theoretically, the more you make. Well, the Feds have their hands in that deal, and you CAN'T run hard to make good money, like when I was young. You come to work, punch in, getting paid from that very moment, unlike trucking, where you may "babysit" a load over the weekend, in Bum Frick, Neb. because of a weather event, and your friends are home watching football. Just stay being a wrench, and enjoy life outside of work. In a truck, you never get away from it, trust me.

 

I agree. Learn to be a great technician, not a parts replacer. Learn how things actually work instead of what the laptop tells you to replace. How an alternator, regulator rectifier actually works for instance.
Had a full fledged journey man at dodge diagnose my 300 a few years ago. It died on the hwy, full electrical loss at 65mph. Coasted to a stop, battery almost smoking.
Towed it to the dealer. He said battery died, replace battery. I told them it wasnt just the battery. Picked up, didnt get to the end of the street and the dash lit up. Went back. Made him come out with a meter and tools. He didnt know how to measure for ripple ac from the alternator/rectifier, or how it can show dc voltage because 1 or 2 phases are working but the diodes on others have died and its passing AC back to the battery. Had no idea how to test for it.
I showed him and asked what they teach them now, and he said they never showed them that stuff. Just plug it in and it if says its making dc and charging, its ok.
Turned out there was a recall next month on the alternators, diod failure, actually caused a few accidents, at highway speeds it will cook the battery FAST, and then full electrical failure right away and car dies.
If you are a good tech, and really learn the electrical/ electronics side of these trucks, you will make WAAY MORE MONEY

 

Indeed. Just throwing parts at an issue can get very expensive in a hurry.