Hauling for “friends“

When I was 17 to 20 years old I ran my own business doing truck bedliners, and spraying that coating in various other industrial applications. When I was doing that I learned that doing work for friends, or relatives was a risky thing to do. Often they expected a bargain, and not always paid up. Now doing the trucking business I am finding the same applies.

A guy I have always been friendly with owns a car detailing business, and recently bought a bottled water company. Once every other week he has a dry van run to exchange his empty bottles for filled ones. When he bought the business he decided not to do the heavy trucking himself, and farm that out to someone else local. Another guy I know has been doing his hauling for him since last winter, but that O/O is too busy hauling other commodities during the summer to do the bottled water. They asked me to cover some loads for them during their busy months since I’m mostly a free agent with no set contracts. At first it seemed like easy money. Not so much.

The first time I did the load the water guy was in a real bind because the normal trucker was too busy hauling cement to do the run, and my truck was in the shop for deer related temporary repairs. Lucky for him he still had the old water business tractor in his possession (he sold it, but the buyer hadn’t come to get it yet). He paid me cash to do the run for him in his rig which worked out alright since it was mostly a favor, so he didn’t go out of business. The next one rolled around a few weeks later, and he asked me a price to do it since my truck was running again. I told him $950 (500 miles, his dry van, I was giving him a discount because we are ‘friends, right?). I thought he was going to pass out. He couldn’t believe it was so expensive, and the other guy only charged $850. Once again he was almost out of water though, so he asked if I would please do it for what he normally pays. I told him OK just because he was desperate, and he didn’t make a whole lot of money selling water.

During the haul one air bag on his trailer sprung a leak causing the whole suspension to just sit on the tires. I spent two hours screwing around trying to fix it, so I could get on the road home with his #### water. I bypassed the airbag with a fitting from the auto parts store, laying on the ground in the mud fixing it with my time and tools. I was able to get the trailer home way overloaded (no scale, but my suspension gauge read 75# on the drives, and 100# on the trailer) which was about 5000# over legal. I had conversations with both guys afterwards, and let them know I wasn’t pleased with what they set me up with. They other trucker argued that it wasn’t overweight, and that it just “feels heavy.” Now this Monday I get a voice message from the water guy saying he has me set up to haul it again Thursday (tomorrow). I’m busy as hell doing my flatbed stuff, and was supposed to be out of the state all week. I talked to him later in the day telling him I cannot do it because I was so busy, and he gets mad at me for not telling him this earlier. What the F? I am not contracted to this guy for anything. So we talk about it some more, and I said if I get in town I will do it for him since once again he’s in a bind. Now today I get a call from him letting me know he got a bill from replacing that one air bag for $500, and he’d help me pay it “this time”. That’s it, I blew up on him saying some stuff to this effect: It’s his #### trailer that’s near two decades old, and I’m not paying for ####. I have my own crap to pay for. His water run is too cheap for me to be wasting my time on, and only because he has no one else will it haul one more time. After this time though he can shove it up his ##*. He was pretty much speechless when I was done chewing his ###. He asked nicely if I would still be there tomorrow afternoon to get his trailer which I said I would reiterating it was the last time, and he better find someone else.

I still might not even show up tomorrow. I should have told him to stick it before I ever hauled anything. I have a sickness of not being able to say no when people ask for help.

Don’t do business for “friends.”

 

I’ve known him for years, and this will probably cause issues with that. Not that I really care honestly.

Another thing is both him and the other O/O were just utilizing me until later in the year when the other guy would continue hauling it again. It’s not like they are helping me in any way.

I don’t often chew on other people because I like to avoid conflict, but I was steaming after his comment about me paying his repair bill.

 

I thought about loaning him $100, so then I’d never hear from him again.

 

I feel that way as well. Help each other into prosperity, not poverty. I started this business to have the freedom to haul whatever, wherever. Not be tied down to some chicken #### low pay situation I have to schedule my life around.