I'm in the failed category but not lazy nor a lack of planning. I lost interest a few years ago and was unwilling to try and go any further with it when I had a choice to borrow money doing that or cut losses and run. Learning from other people's #### ups is a thing too.
So it’s better to learn from other peoples mistakes…. That’s brilliant and I take heed! If I fail, I’ll know I gave it my all. I put work over all other pleasures. If it’s not related to the lord or trucking, I could care less. My family is knee deep in it as well. I rarely even wear cloths other than company cloths. It’s an obsession. Did the broncos win? Who cares! We got IFTA, electronic advertising flyers to make for potential customers, and chicken lights to install. It’s a choice. Most professionals don’t dabble, they give it all to win. I am going to give every ability the Lord has given my to haul produce for choosy customers until he says enough is enough. I ran 2 lanes for my customer, each 6 months long. It was a bite for a 3-5 truck fleet. Did it with 1 and it can be done. New equipment did not hurt.
2018 PETERBILT 579 For Sale in Fort Wayne, Indiana My bad, 40K, asking price. Two years old means you'll pay like 250K total at the end. If your life is only trucking, mine isn't. And we are talking single O/O's here, not fleets.
One thing I don't like is this is the only industry where a guy with an old p.o.s. can make the same as someone who went out and spec'd a $250K truck. If you showed up to a job site with an old beat up, SLOW, sloppy excavator, and there was another O/O next you with a newer, clean, no leaks, FAST cycle time machine, the price per hour would reflect the differences.
In the 5 years that truck has ran how much fuel was saved compared to an older and less efficient truck? That needs to also figure into your equation when it comes to telling guys they’re foolish for running new trucks.
Not necessarily true. I was self-employed in high-end property maintenance. I had the nicest of every piece of equipment, color-matched truck and trailer, wore khaki work pants and embroidered polo, all correspondence was on letterhead, all work was to the highest level; everything was done to the highest possible level of professionalism. Customers wanted me, but, still expected to pay hack rates. Even after breaking down my rates for them, them agreeing my rates were fair, they would still go elsewhere. Why? Because my service wasn’t deemed valuable enough, in their eyes. Why? Because of cut-rate operators. This is exactly what has happened in trucking. These fly-by-nighters, who don’t understand the cost of doing business, have driven down the rates customers expect to pay. In turn, this discounts the value of all service providers, in their respective industry, regardless of the equipment used to perform the job.
Only truck in the last few years that I had to wait for a part was a 4 year old spare truck. If the truck isn't in the shop it doesn't need parts. And who says that everyone with new trucks makes payments?
That’s why you build relationships with a dealer. I bet money on anything that is truck is in shop I can get parts. They will pull them off another truck if need be for me. None issue for me.
