Kevin Rutherford..

Kevin wanted to interview me on radio in 2006 but I declined. I went from a desk job on Friday with zero experience to my own authority and pulling a flatbed on Monday. I thought it would be easier. I was wrong.

 

Are you saying the business side is harder? The bs part of the job? Or are you saying the actual job, driving and backing up is harder?

 

The business side is pretty easy. It's just so much maintenance, waiting, loads not what they were suppose to be and so on. Lots of stress sometimes. Then again there are the loads that go from Ohio to Washington State cruising 600 miles a day and nothing but nice scenery. Coming back home to NH through NJ, NY, CT sucks big time. I'm fit to be tied when I get home.

 

Seems people want to debate the training model of Megas without having a clue to the business model as an example of what he said won't work.

Two different discussions.

No Super Trucker will ever admit that success in running a trucking business isn't tied to driving skill but business skills.

No one ever said or implied that someone doesn't need to know how to drive. Actually I think the opposite. A good business owner will understand that driving is just a task. And like any other task in business, the more effective and efficient you are at it, the more profitable you can be.

 

^^^ I'd say a great example of the business sense or lack thereof is the super trucker driving the classic body truck that gets 5 or maybe 6 mpg.
The fortune in fuel wasted every year to "look cool" is a shockingly horrible business decision. I mean the classics look freaking awesome all fixed up with the chrome, bumpers, stacks, etc,etc. but business wise they are horrible horrible choices.

 

I love getting great mpg, but I sure wouldn't want to take an aero truck on some of the roads in the oil patch. And there is something to be said for being able to replace a coolant hose 200 miles from civilization without tearing apart your dashboard.

Trucks are tools -- buy the one suited for your intended use...

 

No wannabe Supertrucker wants to hear that he can't drive, especially when thats what he does to make money. Since you can't drive, you'd better follow Rutherford to the letter as he is the master at teaching non drivers how to survive on $.90/mile plus FSC. You debate like a little girl, having a Caitlyn moment?

Years ago, during Michael Schumacker's prime at Ferrari, he was by far the highest paid athlete in the world. A driver. Yes, there was a lot of tech in that car, but there was also the highest skilled driver behind the wheel. It goes hand in hand. I watched F1 and noticed that the leaders of countries would be there to present trophies to the victors. I wondered why F1 wasn't more popular in the States, until I realized that there wasn't one American that qualified. Why is that? Because in this country, they use tech to dumb things down. A step forward in tech equals a step backwards in skill. So are we advancing? No. Of course, we are being left behind.

The Dumb and Dumber program has been going on for 15 years or so now. If these companies and the goobermint really was concerned about safety, what would be the reasoning behind allowing rookies with 6 months experience to be trainers? Safety? So you put radar and sonar on a truck, anti rollover devices, traction control, and limit the speed. Why? For safety? No, if safety was your primary reason, you would pay for better talent behind the wheel. Why?

Because truth be told, talent is just as important as having business savvy. Especially for an owner OP.

 

Are you seriously trying to compare the driving skills in professional racing to driving a truck?

And what the hell is this about 90 cpm? The rate a guy gets has nothing to do with his driving skills, nor if he has a cheap freighter or a stretched out pete.
The driving part. And the business part are two entirely different things.

 

Agreed. That would involve specing a truck with business sense.
Sounds like your operation needs a vocational use type spec. They do make semi aero options for that too btw...

As far as the coolant hoses, I don't have any under my Volvo dash, both heater core feeds are accessible easily under the hood....and have changed hoses on the roadside far away from a service center. Just sayin'