Leasing at Prime

I'd be concerned about how your friend is going to deal with this concerning the IRS. I don't think he'll be changing the lease with Success Leasing Inc. or Prime, so the money will go to his settlement and be reported to the IRS that way. Then, how are you going to be paid? As an employee with a W2, an independent contractor via a 1099, or will you form a partnership via a LLC?

 

Yeah, they'll do that. So you're going to be 50% responsible for the lease, AND the legal consequences that comes with that.

The cab of an OTR truck is a very small universe, and you two are friends... soon to be business partners. You will need to coexist in this world for the length of the lease...

 

OK... winter is here. You're going to need stuff like anti-gel and washer fluid. Don't be going to the truckstop. Walmart has the same washer fluids at quite a discount. I went over to Blain's Farm and Fleet in Ottawa IL (just a block north of IBPOTT) and bought a dozen 64-oz bottles of Howes for $9.99 each. So, what would YOU do with the $90 I saved over the truckstop price? Any farm product supply store will do, but that one is handy!

 

The DD15 engine can be derated in the ECM... the specs say its a 500/475 hp engine. My guess is its turned down to 475 hp... the boost pressure is mostly limited at 20 psi, but there are times you can get it up to the 35-40 psi range depending on how much demand there is on the engine and the gear that you're in.

http://www.demanddetroit.com/pdf/Engines/1.13-DD15-Spec-Sheet-FNL2-DDC-6215.pdf

That would be the spec sheet for the 2010 emissions engine I believe... mine is a 2007.

So... that being said we're mostly heavy, and the DD15 is a beast compared to the DD60, IMO. Plenty of pulling power, and you get it much faster than the DD60 could build it up. The reason they turn down the hp and limit the turbo boost is the same reason that most companies turn down the max speed. $4-per-gallon fuel. It's really easy to put your foot into it on a hard pull, and chew up a lot of fuel. When I'm heavy, demanding the max power I can get out of the engine at higher speeds, my fuel economy goes into the toilet in a hurry. Conversely, when I take those same hills with less power, I put a lot more money into my pocket. Really it depends on what kind of ridiculous delivery appointment I draw... I get some of that every couple of weeks.

If I had my way, I'd be able to cruise mid to low 50's all the way, take the time to downshift to a gear I can pull the hills at 10 to 15 psi, 11-1200 rpm, AND make those appointments an hour early on every load - instead of max power all the way. More dead presidents to me!