Finally got my own truck

Class?...you want some class....

There ya go!....BYE FELICIA....and...

 

Sad to see this thread stoop to childish school yard antics.

 

@Oscar the KW ...I'm good.

I love the thread...its the haterade that just messes up a good thread.

I see a forum member chronicle his way forward and yes, I will give them plenty love.

I just cant stand negativity, so I call it out.

@BoyWander ...keep on trucking, bruh!

 

@nax , your a very intelligent individual. My hats of to you(respectfully). You have a way to put others in there place, I will give you credit.
I came on the thread to reply on individuals who haul cheap freight and you came to the rescue for the OP. That's fine......I was trying to make a point. From your post, it seems your good with numbers and noticed your an accountant. My hats of to you, so is my son.
When you decide to take the pledge and become an O/O I will be really interested how it works out for you. You supporting the OP seems you have it figured all out. Please keep us inform. I'm real POSITIVE, that it will work out, I mean, your an accountant and good with numbers. Jumping from an accountant to a O/O is quite of a change. So goodluck to you sir, and don't forget the key word "Maintenance".

 

How bout this....instead of fighting, let's try to mentor this young new O/O so that he may be successful and not make some of the mistakes that we made along the way.

For one, yes you can go south if you get enough to come back 600-800 miles empty instead of the .90 freight down there. Then load something better coming the rest of the way up. That is good advice whoever stated it earlier. That's what I've always done with a reefer.

When it comes to brokers, the first to give a rate looses. Make them give you their rate. Sometimes they need something moved bad, and may give a better rate so they don't loose a truck. Stick to your guns and say NO if it doesn't fit your needs. Know when to sit tight and know when to move to a better area. Research. Know your lanes. Know your business. Know your numbers.

And no I don't subscribe to the Kevin Rutherford ways. He does have some good points sometimes. I can't deny that. But his business model is different than mine, yours, and the next guys.

 

@Diesel Dave

As I stand on the sidelines (looking in) I can only imagine how a blood-bath for the ill prepared it is, for those swinging matchetes and ducking arrows. Every now and then, an ill fated arrow heads your way, and you cannot duck in time.

You may have to break the arrow that pins you against the tree, stuck in your shoulder to reposition to a safer spot. You may bleed along the way, but you live to fight another day....

Im watching and learning the moves. When the time is right (with the right truck, maybe a pre-DPF?... if the Detroit 60 gods bless me), I will get in the game.

Heck, I also pray to Volvo gods to bless me with a 780 once I am experienced.

I also have issues with "cheap rates" and I hope @BoyWander will try to steer clear of those if possible. As much as we all hate the cheap rate "potholes", sometimes you just have to hold on and ride them out...to get where you need to be.

 

I know shops have overhead but the cost of oil, filters, and grease is easily under $200. That's the easiest money an owner can save and there's really nothing to it - DIY pm's.

I deadheaded back home to TN from Florida 600-700 miles with my van or reefer a half dozen times or more last year. I didn't do this to be anyone's anti cheap freight hero. As a matter of fact if I could have booked 90 cpm back to my operating area I would have gladly done so. But nothing that would pan out worked and I wasn't going to waste time ending up 300 or more miles from where I needed to be on some cheap heavy time wasting something in order to get another good reload.

He hasn't even figured out exactly when and where he wants to go or anything. He's still learning. I don't see anything wrong with what he did. Guys, cheap freight will always exist at different times and places in different areas. Get your rate going in and it doesn't really matter. Grab a convienient cheap one or deadhead out doesn't matter either or. But you're not going to change the world deadheading out. Not going to happen.

 

May I throw .02 in the hat. Hope so cause here it goes.....

Not just bc of e logs, even tho that is a big part, I prefer older trucks and here is why. Whether you get a cummins N14, cat 3406, Detroit 12.7, they all have good and bad to them, they are more reliable, easily fixed, and just plain simple to work on. My preference is the N14. Cummins still supporting them for one makes parts availability easy. Even tho I have a 379 and love it, I suggest finding an old Freightliner FLD120 for $3000-$5000 and fixing her up. Old Petes are just too high dollar. For under $40000 total investment you could have a very reliable road ready truck with cheap payment. IMO, Volvo, especially new ones, with the high dollar purchase price are so proprietary that you have to go to a shop to work on them. Warranty may cover some cost but not the lost revenue. I would have never made it starting out with $2500 + monthly payments on tractor only. Hell my truck and reefer together were $1100 a month. I'm still running the same Pete, my first truck purchased. It hasn't gotten me thru the hard times, and never let me down.

Just food for thought.

 

This is exactly what a buddy of mine did. He found a clean 98 FLD and got it cheap. The brakes were rebuilt front to back top to bottom. Every air line was replaced. Hoses and clamps. He even bought 10 brand new wheels, 6 aluminium and 4 steel, plus 10 new tires. It has an N14 in it and a 10 speed. It gets 7.5 mpg without hardly trying. The only bad part is it doesn't have a jake. It could also use a paint job on the body but he's already done the frame and it looks good. He's planning on getting a paint job and jakes. He's into this for under $20,000 all cash in. I thought about buying this truck kind of wish I had. It's a money maker. Easy to get parts for. Easy to maintain. Anyone can work on it. Low cost.

 

@rollin coal Very good true post. "Fist bump"

Hell I've deadheaded back to Illinois more than once from Florida, but I figured on it in my outbound load to FL. PLANNING is what it takes today to make it. I'm fortunate enough now that my 2 main customers pay round trip, whether I bring something back or not, doesn't change my pay. I am in a specialized market however. I fingerprint every piece on my waggon. But I'm in excellent physical shape bc of it. Do what you enjoy and enjoy what you do.