Have I lost my mind???

No reason to do company driver. You are old enough to know if you want to get into something or not. Driving is the easiest part of the business, some never get past that statement.

 

I'm with the other hands here, if you already have all that equipment, why NOT put it to good use? You wouldn't have to throw down obscene amounts of cash for new equipment, and there'd certainly be a demand for that kind of work... even here in the boondocks (or outskirts of Alamogordo), there are plenty of folks willing to pay you to grade dirt roads, dig holes for septic tanks or trees or whatever, haul stuff with the dump truck, etc. Many retired folks have the money, but they're not inclined to buy such equipment or do the work themselves. You're already set up to make good money with that equipment you own...

As for being a company driver, it suited me perfectly... others dealt with the headache while I went and had fun, using the company tractor as a 10-ton RV and burning company fuel to pull recons as a paid tourist (or "turista pagado" en espanol, lol). Sure, I made less money than an O/O, but money wasn't the real issue for me, beyond paying the bills and putting a little aside... for me, trucking was all about the lifestyle, and I chose a good time to go trucking in the Roaring '90s, lol. Of course, with all the tracking nowadays, you probably couldn't do what I did as a "commercial sightseer"---unless you paid for it yourself.

I have some really cool memories of trucking & seeing the country before it started to go downhill... and those memories will stay with me until death or Alzheimer's, lol. I can still say to this day that I had a BLAST while trucking, and nobody can take that away from me, same way they can't take away all those primo wilderness adventures I had while using the truck to pull recons and stealth missions, lol. Here's a link to a spam-free website where I posted a few pics from my "trucking daze"---you can also check out the thread I created here at this site, where I posted shots of trucking.

forums.oausa.net/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=3072

P.S. If all the pics don't appear the first time around, just click on the link again until they do... those first two pics were taken during weekend-long adventures in West Texas and Kalifornia, I think I posted links to the stories in my "trucking daze" thread. Cheers!

 

um ...... http://forums.oausa.net/download/file.php?id=4544&sid=2ead317c3f9522f96441ceb8b1c7b7e7

no no no hell no not happening are you INSANE !?!? lol

 

If you don't have your own customers, it's BAD. This is not a stress free work.
Good luck!

 

Certifiable, lol... and that's what my friends & I did for FUN back in the day. Gotta admit, those wilderness venues are nice, and there aren't many badges to be found there either, lol. Not that we were breaking any laws, except partying AFTER the climbing was done. Some crazy fools I used to know (and really good climbers too) would get high BEFORE attempting a route, but I liked having my wits about me on a technical rock climb... beer & weed came AFTERWARD, lol. BTW, I went through a phase and climbed that particular route 4 times, just because it was hardcore... we were a bunch of old school vertical skateboarders too, so the overhang was a big draw, lol. It's a cool feeling, swinging in the breeze as you hang in slings & harness, like a spider dangling from a thread... but for me, it was always about the wilderness venues, and the freedom from modern society and all of its rules & regulations.

Didja catch that panoramic view from the summit spire in the Mohawk Mountains of SW Arizona? A classic example of blending wilderness adventure with truck driving, and not far off I-8 either, lol. In fact, I-8 actually bisects the range, I never did get to explore the southern half of the range, but my memory of that summit view is priceless, and I probably NEVER would've attempted that spire had I not been shut down for the night in that nearby pickle park. Sometimes it was like that in trucking, you had to wait until an opportunity presented itself, then jump on it, aye? I used to keep all kinds of field gear aboard my truck, even a 4-man inflatable raft for float trips on time off away from home, lol. Trucking was exactly what I made of it, DESPITE all the BS thrown out there by various companies. I served in the USA INF too, so "camping out" in unusual areas was no great imposition: wilderness areas, industrial ghettos, the whole nine yards, lol.

Before I forget, here's that link to the story of my adventure in the Mohawk Mountains... a good time, even though I got stung half a dozen times for my trouble, lol. Friggin' killer bees too, they followed me for some distance, those pesky winged varmints!

sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/tales-adventure/2011/feb/27/mohawk-mountain-madness/

 

@Ihavetobenuts --

Earlier....you mentioned Texas.

Are you still living in Texas? What city is closest to you?

-- Lual

 

With that kind of equipment you have already, I’d look into doing something like Residential/dirt work/rock hauling, something you’ve already got the equipment and know how to fix.
Maybe talk to someone on the concrete business and bring in full for sideways/driveways or something.
Might as well make use of equ you’ve already got, not have to reorganize.
How to Start a Skid Steer Business in 10 Steps



These newer DEF trucks can be a pain, I’ve got one in shop almost 3 months now, and they don’t know what is wrong with it.
Paccar even, Kenworths been back and forth with them for 2 months or more.

 

Sounds like you’re ready for an adventure. Hang on, it will be quite an experience. Hopefully your wife will stay on with you. If not, it could go sour. As long as you’re willing to lose $60k in repairs and equipment value and walk away, if needed. Not that it’s inevitable, but a serious risk. Family first always. Money comes and goes. My wife’s been riding along for about 8 yrs now. All in all it’s been a very good experience for both of us. We’ve grown closer than ever, and amazingly still enjoy each others company more than ever. It was somewhat of an experiment at first. Wasn’t sure she’d enjoy it. But she really does. She’s at home now, recuperating from a recent hospitalization. I might have to quit OTR sooner than later. Time will tell. Either way, it’s been a lot of fun. Glad we did it.

 

That's what I like about ya, Rideandrepair, your positive attitude... makes a BIG difference out there! Doesn't mean I was always happy and grinning like a fool, but I tried to focus upon the positive aspects, and get the negative crap done pronto so I could move on, lol.

 

I'd go with the construction equipment. There are a couple of guys in our area that make an excellent living with a small 10 wheel dump and a backhoe. By excellent living I mean their homes and land are paid for, the kids have been through college, and they take vacations someplace warm every winter.
One of them does a lot of work for me and I see what he drives, where he lives, and how often he replaces his equipment. He keeps the business small and tight and he knows where every penny goes. Plus, and this is the most important thing...he's honest, does good work and he keeps his word.
If you want to play truck driver, hook on with an OTR outfit for awhile. You'll find out real fast if it's really the life you want.
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