Help a Combat vet going o\o

Why is your boss getting out of end dumps? I would ask him directly this question. He might just want out of the game and may help you carry on what you were doing. He should respect you even if you won't be his employee anymore, since you want to keep doing what you are doing and he is exiting.

 

I believe you forgot a fee add on costs:
Insurance Costs, depending upon "The Agent" there may be a big swing in rates charged to the Carrier.
The cost of the Trailer...?
Fuel costs will erode your savings, how far can you drive before your tanks are dry.
There maybe a delay in rcvg payment for services...2 weeks, 3 mos...longer.
Your 16K truck will have issues either in the immediate term or near term. (did u factor in the 6K unknown maintenance bill)...im just saying, having an opinion aint easy.

 

Always remember this, your can and will break down. What will you fix it with until you get money coming in?
A 16k truck will come with issues. Unless your a mech and know about trucks, you will put thousands into it until its dependable and will do what your customer needs.
I know nothing about TX or the dump business in TX.
BUT I know trucks. And I will warn you now, they are expensive! Bout a NICE truck back in 2014 jan and after it was inspected and picked apart I lost a head gasket 800 miles later.
Then then when I finally started working consistently with it, more and more stuff broke. Like a never ending nightmare. I have gone thru my truck from front to back and either replaced, rebuilt, cleaned and inspected, serviced, adjusted everything from suspension, brakes, engine, rear ends, cooling system, fifth wheel, heating system, sleeper controls system, drive lines, fans, belts, misc nuts and bolts either missing or broke, apu system and then some.
It never ends. That was all done within 40k miles after I got the truck. It was an 07 with all the service records and looked super clean and ran great.

Keep in mind I do a lot of my own work so if one air bag pops I will replace ALL of them so I don't have a surprise again and same goes with other parts....I absolutely refuse to patch my truck up to go another mile. So My example and story maybe extreme and scary for you. Others I know will run with blown shocks, worn out brakes, cracked drums, leaky turbos, leaky water systems, leaky oil systems etc. All they do is add fluid and turn the key. Its unbelievable what I have seem other oo do to their own trucks and yet they still seem to make money.

My point is, you will run into problems with the truck. BE prepared to spend lots of money, at the drop of a hat, to keep it running.

 

Go for it. You've a combat vet. Don't let anyone scare you from pursuing a business that many immigrants come here with nothing and do well in. I would agree that talking to your current boss about this business would be my first action. People leave very profitable businesses all the time for many reasons not related to money.
The last sentence of your original post says it all.

 

Don't be afraid. Nobody, and I mean nobody, knows when you will have mechanical issues to deal with. If they could they wouldn't be driving a truck. Get as much info on the truck as you can and go from there. Good luck.

 

90% of all small business fail. Owner Operators, i look over owner operator trucks everyday, seeing dual tires that are mismatched with a mix of 3 or 4 tire varieties on their truck. Visible physical damage. Motors that possess a sound that make me cringe. Having a sober dose of fear is a better frame of mind then you may imagine.

 

100% of those who don't try fail. I'd be scared to death of working for someone else the rest of my life.

 

I don't think you need authority as everyone talks about, should be intrastate Texas thru the railroad commission,( I know it's trucking but you in Texas and the rr commission handles those things)