From Company driver to L/P

I am back in the truck for the month. On our way back to Mi. Hubby is getting new dispatcher as of hey is leaving. Hubby tells me retread tires are the cause of all new vibration. Com now using them. But we can pay for new so we will be checking that out.
I have a rod in my back and this is not very comfortable as it effects my heart. My rod is in my upper back so can have effect that way with vibrations.
Right now I am just happy to be away from house.

 

We are on our way back from Utah. Nice long run. I am going to make some points here for those reading and thinking of doing this.

Point one don't get new truck if doing leashed to own. You most likely won't make it. Reason payments to high based on income of truck, you will be in the hole alot.

We have alot of home bills that run a few thousand a month. This is our base bills too not extras. We also run as small farm that has many types of animals. That is about to change.
Know your costs upfront and honestly look at them. If you don't have a savings now you probably won't latter.
In order to make good money you Must be rolling. You can not stay home or hang out for hours in truck stops. You only get good runs/loads if you don't sit around and you drive and make you drops on Time. This last is very important. Ofcou4se this is not including traffic or weather or break downs.

A main difference between company and leased op is paid vacation time. This has been the tuffest thing for dealing with for us. Hubby with OD could take days off and use a little vacation time to cover. But now four days off puts us in hole for two weeks. We have no reserves do to farm. As I said that is going to change. We are selling off most of our livestock because of upcoming drought and I am going to join hubby on road most of the time now. Our home situation is a bit different than most. In laws live with us brother and mother and I have issues with brother. Enough said on that. But they also are a drain on us money wise. Another reason I am joining hubby on road is to force an issue and make a point.

Anyway, we are a year in now and things are not too bad off. Truck payments are all done each week to the tune off $550.00 that everything. Payment , insurance and IFTA. We have a 15¢ maintenance on top of this. Yes, that has been used a few times but luckily nothing real major. But hubby took a truck with a new reconditioned engine and transmission that had no miles. He broke it in right which means no babying it. No driving it at 55 unless speed limit was that. It was driven wide open for breaking time which took a couple of months.

Another tip looks don't count in a truck your engine does. A pretty truck that breaks down means no money. A not so pretty truck with great engine means your moving and making money. Cosmetics can be changed over time and alot faster than engine work. Engine work can keep you off the road for weeks depending on what needs to be done. You do the math.

 

We are back in Michigan and this time North Michigan. Christmas tree load going to central Florida. It's two stop in same area down there. Hope this goes way better than last year's tree delivery.

 

I believe it. The family we got the trees from own 5000 acres and it's all Xmas trees.

 

We are working. Hubby expartner at OD is not getting alot of loads. OD is hurting because they lost at least one big açcount since hubby left. There health policies are also hurting them.

So far as would he recommended it. Only if you don't have alot of bills and if you have more of a savings. He says if you have the mechanical background you will be OK going with older truck. If not then go to dealership. That way you can pick your company to run with, unlike what we did but we did research.
It's all about research and planning. It can be done many have done it. But this is a business not a vacation. When freight gets low you better have funds to pay bills. Eating in truck stops is very costly and not good for your health. A inverter and frig and grill will save you lots of money in short and long run.
Choose one company gas stop so you can get the points up. Hubby chose Loves and only fuels with them. This means he is Diamond status every month which translates into free showers and most of the time free food. But hubby drives under recapping most of the time too instead of resetting his hours each week. His hours starting rotates but he is getting great miles doing it.

So far new dispatcher is doing good. We have load back from Florida already and have not delivered yet. That we do in the morning.