I have decided to take the leap. Hold nose. Here goes.

Been approved. Gonna call tomorrow and set up Orientation date. WHEW. BIGleap of faith here for me. Maybe not so much so for others but I been a company driver and wanting my own truck for SO long. Haven't been able to scrape up much cash at all being a company driver. Slowly sinking and working my ARSE off to just keep from sinking any faster than I am. I've crunched every number seven ways to Sunday and I'm coming up with me having just a little more spendable income (meaning after I pay all expenses, deductions other than expense ((like maintenance escrow and performance bond; deductions but still assets on the general ledger)) bank 25% in business savings account for paying quarterly estimated taxes, and cut out for a health care plan so the Health Care Reform Act Police don't bust me with a bunch of penalties, and my child support):

I should be able to earn enough spendable money to pay my wife a flat "salary" that will make the bills and home expenses and leave some left in the business checking account to grow week to week. Cutting 25% off the top of the weekly check and keeping DETAILED records and taking advantage of tax positions should net me a tax refund from pre-paying quarterly taxes. That will go back into the business savings account to draw interest (along with my deposits; I don't plan on paying the quarterly tax until after the savings interest has been paid; THEN pay the tax from the account).

Overall I think I have a very sound business plan and the discipline to execute it, and a wealth of knowledge from management in trucking to make this a profitable venture. I'm confident I'll be in a better cash position than I am as a company driver. Not a get rich one, but a little better than I'm doing now and solvent and profitable personally and paying on an asset I'll own. Then the net will really start on the upswing and timing being what I think it will be we can add an exponent to the up factor. Hoping anyway.

Sounds great. Due diligence has come back solid on JCT. So; Why am I so nervous about this? Maybe nervous isn't the right word. Apprehensive or uneasy might be more accurate. It's like leaving out from hometime and checking to make sure you got your wallet, keys, phone, and everything you took outta the truck back in it; you do, but somehow you can't seem to shake that nagging feeling you've forgotten something. You're leaving something behind that you need. Sunglasses? Nope. Got 'em Water. Did I refill my water jugs? Yup. BLUETOOTH. I left it on the mantle. Nope. Got it. What's missing?

Know what I mean? Is this normal for a long time "totally company man" to feel jumping into a L/P deal? Common sense dictates the move is right, due diligence strongly suggests a smart match with myself and JCT and everything I have learned in my career will be just what the Dr. Ordered for this gig. I'm gonna leave my company position with two weeks notice and in great standing to return if I don't succeed.

Why are my wife and I so apprehensive? You'd think we'd be more excited about realizing the opportunity to live our dream. I don't know. I'm gonna put it off to leaving one's long time comfort zone. Doesn't matter anyway. I've made the decision and I'm gonna do it. When I make a decision like this I act upon it then throw myself into it so I suppose the prenup jitters don't really matter. It's just history that hasn't been quite actually written down yet.

So, hope to see y'all out in Sapulpa or points between come Monday after next and then beyond. Until then be safe and prosper.

 

Thanks guys. Semi, I think part of it was the fact I do routes. I got to know my customers in a way you don't OTR. I didn't like leaving them. It's like leaving friends. Also I really do like the folks I work for. SS may be a large company, but this is a very small dedicated fleet (25 trucks) and it really is like working for a Mom and Pop but with all the perks of a mega. Our "Dad" (our knick name for our TM/DM) takes care of us and the rest of the company leaves us alone. Logs wants a say with one of us about a violation (as a percentage we do get more E-Log violations than the OTR fleet): "I'LL speak to him. He works for me. I'LL take care of it." OPS cut the fleet back to 63/65; "NOPE. Not my guys. They need it (ours run 66/70). I'll keep idle time down to offset the fuel. We do too. No APU and I'm sitting in Miami with the engine off and windows open and everyone else does the same. We do have bunk heaters for winter, though. Not that I need THAT in FL, LOL. Hell, most of them don't even know we exist other than: "I heard of them. Don't know anything about them other than they have different equipment and are out of the SC Terminal." We bust our butts (not to mention backs, knees, shoulders; lol) and "Dad" knows it and has taken real good care of us and we go the extra mile to follow his way. Like not idling. Kinda like your favorite Coach inspiring you to always give your best so you do and if someone wants to mess with you they have to go through him first and good luck with that.

It was really tough when I gave him my two week notice today. You know what he said. "[Name], I appreciate the personal call. I have someone on the line but I'll get back with you in a few minutes." I thought; OK. Hmmm. Well he DOES get a ton of calls.

About 15 minutes later I got an Emergency Message on the QC. "(I'm reading it straight off the QC) [Name], Call me when you get a chance and come see me when you can. I want to say bye in person. In the event we can't; this is copied to everyone at corporate:

Thank you for the notice. I wish you the utmost success in your new venture. You have a rock solid work ethic and a really good head on your shoulders. I believe you can make this work for you. Only about half do but I think you will be in the top half that does. I can't tell you how much I appreciate all your hard work and the great job you have done. I'm excited for you and I sincerely wish you much success. However, if it doesn't work out for you then know you can always come back home and we'll be right here with the light on for ya. Am I right ladies and gentlemen?

Best of luck [His Name]

Wow. It meant a lot to me to hear that. All I could do was just reply; "Thanks "Dad". That means a lot and is a big load off my mind. I'll definitely find you before I go. Gonna miss you guys but I just gotta know if I can do it. I'll stay in touch." [Him] "You can do it and please do stay in touch."

About ten minutes went by and I started getting replies to his original message:

[Corporate Ops Boss]: "Absolutely. Best of luck and be safe."
[Safety]: "You bet'cha. Be safe out there."
[CSR Boss]: "I'll always have runs for you. Be careful and good luck."
[Load Planning Boss]: "Best of luck, be safe and the door's always open."
[Our DM at the DC]: "Hate to lose you and you're welcome back any time. I'd tell ya best of luck and be safe but you already heard it a hundred times. Still, one more can't hurt. Best of luck and be safe. Put what you did for us into your own thing and I think you'll do great. If you don't then c'mon back."

Replied to all: "That is so nice of y'all. I struggled with this decision for exactly this reason. Thanks guys. I'll be seeing you on the cover of Forbes or in the funny papers hat in hand. Best of luck and be safe back at y'all."

I was really moved. called JCT and set up Orientation, then I paused after a stop and called my wife to tell her. It was really a weird feeling. Had trouble with my backing ALL DARNED DAY, every stop had to either fall and be re-stacked because the loaders were on crack or something when they loaded it, or the piece count was way off and we had to search for the missing items in the front of the load THEN DIG THEM OUT, worst palate jack in the fleet, nets hung ten times worse than ever, EVERYBODY decided to turn in all their totes, bungee holding glass packs against the wall came loose and busted me in the nose and I bled nicely all over my new Nike Dry Fit Golf Shirt (which are GREAT for unloading in hot trailers) every stop had cars illegally parked and I played hell getting to my stores doors, the Budweiser guy was blocking my one customer for 30 minutes and the fringes of the Tropical Storm moving toward south FL was arriving and it was the route from hell day and I was running way behind, had to cut two stops and do them tomorrow and whose at the last stop I CAN get to? The regional Manager for the DC (a young kid looking like ; never mind what he looked like, I'm gonna be nice) mentioning that I'm three hours late from what this route normally runs.

I'm not Hispanic but I was born and raised in Miami and I was fluent in Spanish by 10 and spoke the Cuban Dialect. Duh. Miami. I didn't practice it for so long (I left Miami at 17) that I got REAL rusty. Almost 40 years away tends to do that. It has come back quickly running this Miami route and it ALL (well the bad words anyway) came back when Junior testily mentioned I was several hours late (because HIS people can't load for crap).

Armando (no English) on the forklift laughing and telling me the company geek no speak, (in Cuban Spanish). I asked. [Total fellow geek I just went off on] "No Sir, but I got the tone." [Me, in VERY proper English] "My good friend Armando and I were discussing the condition of the trailer and how it was loaded at the DC. I have spent the last eight stops restacking their mess so I could get the next stop off. Would you like to see?" " Yes. If I may." "Gladly."

"Oh my. That is a mess." "Yes Sir it IS, and THAT"S why we run late. A good stack we can hump off in a Jiffy. A bad one tumbles and a 15 minute stop becomes an hour. Ten stops and three of them are like that and you're three hours late."

"Really?"

"Really, Really. Wanna help restack?" "I got to take this call . . ."

Really?

Really, really.

So: How do I value not having to do THAT on my General Ledger?

I'd value it as Priceless. But "Priceless" has "Pricey" tax implications; LOL.

Whew. What a day!