Glutton for punishment

Ive been moving my own equipment from springfield mass to middle tennessee for 3 years. I know 40 to 81 to scranton and either thru danbury or albany like the back of my hand but no other routes. will soon be getting my own authority to help finance this ridiculous journey so im not doing thousand mile deadheads or getting shafted by DOT anymore.

Im very close to buying a good old air ride cabover tandem tractor and a 48' air ride steel stepdeck (which is what i really need for my own loads, will have heavy ramps) and have been calling brokers from truckloads app for months. I do not need to be on the road very often.. About 3 trips per month. I find a lot of what i consider good loads in the lexington and louisville area which is convenient for me. I must go to springfield mass so its not dollars per mile, its dollars per run. Id much rather not do the whole trip loaded. Pickup in kentucky and drop in upstate NY is ideal. Rural pick and drop of Plastic pipe, copper pipe, drainage tile, palletized siding, AC units, septic tanks, conveyor rolls and multi pick small equipment moves are the ones where i can approach $3k per run.. Easily $2k every trip. I wont leave for less. Crane matts sometimes but theyre heavy, i wont be hauling lumber for less than $3k, i dont have tarps yet. I own enough securement to get started and will replace with shiny new stuff as i go.. Plenty of straps and binders and dunnage. Its a low power flat top truck so light low loads and staying out of tolls and big climbs is my strategy. The trailer has an 11ft top deck and 37 bottom. I have long heavy ramps for dozer to get up on it.

I have accumulated a list of brokers that dont mind a new MC number for loads theyre struggling to move, many are recurrent loads, and im certain it wont take me long to get direct shipper work. I never have to look for backhauls because im loading up my own and other than fuel and maintenance my only real bill is liability insurance. Progressive will write me a policy for $8600/yr on payments (1mil truck/100k cargo interstate plus canada but i will only run southeast to northeast.)

I have been into trucks and equipment for many years, ive done headgaskets on the road, been broke for days, i lived in a no heat truck last winter, been through the worst with DOT, we live in a camper now. I did 5 years in the marines, wife was in the army.. We're a tough couple. i been logging timber alone for the past year rain or shine. Sawlogs are all sold, now its firewood delivery. My point is theres nothing out on that road i cant handle.. Fill me in on the parts im missing please.

Whats the flattest, least toll riddled way to get from lexington area to scranton?

 

Thanks man. Is any of it worse than the climbs in hazelton pa, blacksburg va or port jervis area ny?

Are there any routes that i should avoid for either tolls or climbs? Or maybe horrendously bad roads.. Not sure anyone can compete with NY on that.

 

Thanks a bunch for your help, really appreciate it.

Can anyone comment on that trailer.. Will those deck splits hurt me particularly bad with any certain loads? 11ft top 37 bottom. I havent bought it yet.

 

Well if 11/37 is standard i wont worry about it any further. The only load ive gotten any deck stipulation on was for a pair of F350s.. Going from TN to NY for... A whopping $1100. Yeah ill drop what im doing and head right over. Theyre probably still sitting there.

Little disappointment tonight. Drove to kentucky to look at a cheap cabover. 600k on a BC3 and 9speed with 3.68 gears. 200" wb and air ride. Not been on the road in years. Fired instantly and had great interior, new brake pads all over.. Was cheap enough to justify new rubber, bags and cans. But no jake, cab jack is dead, and it had a hard lope like one dead hole. And it was a buttspliced welded frame stretch.. Single frame with super obvious weld that i cant imagine would fly with DOT. If it had a jake or an oem frame or was a classic rig thatd hold its value id be more inclined to take a chance.. But i dont want to have to name another truck "fools errand" again. Thinkin id be money ahead to pass.