Lessons learned, and clearing the air. New&perspective O/O's should read.

I always tell anyone if buying a newer truck find a truck that has an apu and low idle hrs . High idle hrs is considered severe duty and more than likely the maintenance schedule won't be up to the standards of being run like that .

 

Any trivial type of repair takes some manual skills too and they take years to develop, even holding a wrench in a hand could be a challenge to someone, not to mention physical ability to crawl underneath the truck, locate and replace an air hose while lying on the back. Some people will just never be able to do it, just like some other will never play piano.

 

Do not, I will repeat.. DO NOT, buy an emission truck.
Glider kit with factory detroit rebuild, or an older truck you can rebuild yourself.
They all break, they all need parts.
My 12 columbia glider (schneider) is no exception. But I compare notes with a buddie that has a freshly out of warranty volvo and another with a freshly out of warranty crapcadia, and they pay WAY more for stuff like injectors, clutches etc. Columbias are the same for years so junkyards are fill of them, PARTS ARE CHEAP.
Buy good tires. Check your pressures daily.
Oil sample EVERY change.
Drive it like it's a soft delicate flower, dont ride it like you stole it.
There will be good weeks and bad weeks. Good months and bad months. Overall tho, you will stay ahead if you plan ahead.
Good luck.

 

Eat that BETHOVEN,you aint that special after all,the TA mechanic got a special gift too.

 

I spent 20,000 in the first 4 months...wish I had bought a new Truck...

 

Interesting side note. I listened to an interview with a man who was part of a prestigious university in UK for training surgeons. He was commenting on how the current generation lacks some of the fine motor skills of previous generations because we no longer whittle, sew, tie knots, skip rocks, climb trees and lots of other smalls tasks that are not common anymore. These new surgeons literally have to teach their first gets strength and skills that we older people took for granted

 

Their thumb muscles tend to be very well developed though.

 

A couple hundred dollars in sockets and wrenches would get you started.

Another hundred in a big hammer, screwdrivers vise grips , pliers.

300 into a 1 inch 2500 pound impact and 500 for a compressor Another couple hundred for impact sockets and air hose .

A 100 will buy you two 20 ton bottle jacks

The rest buy as you need.
$1200 to get started.

Tires are not an area to scrimp on. Keep them fresh and in top condition.

 

The problem with a new truck is, when you do spend it, its year 3 and 4, you still have a big payment, and your maintenance is .25 cents a mile.
Your better off with an old truck or a glider that you can find the non dealer shops to work on, labor and parts are FAR cheaper.

 

It’s funny you say, can I just go a week without a breakdown. That’s the exact same thing I said about my first truck. I was stupid though! (Was a young know it all) I had no idea about the business! Here’s the kicker though! I was hauling containers for a crook who lied on pay per load, never seen my 1,000 dollar escrow after I quit, etc... So, I was 0/3! A crook, a bad truck, and repairs all the time! I have never had any luck and I have heard a million times you make your own luck. I can’t 100% agree with that. With that being said I was just a O/O I didn’t even have my own authority! If I had my own authority I probably wouldn’t have lasted three days!! These young kids out here nowadays have no clue, atleast most of them. They need some tough love! I sold my #### car for a fifth wheel for my truck! I was out of money!!! First trip out, remember I’m a young know it all. I barely made it back the truck was running so bad. I had no power. Took it to the mechanic. It had clogged fuel filter, then u-bolts, fifth wheel, pm, tires, couldn’t get the truck to start. Pulled the starter it tested out perfect. After about a week with no money coming in I take it back to the mechanic it ended up being a solenoid. Then it needed batteries, alternator, etc... Atleast I can say I learned my lesson at a very young age! I didn’t want to go as a O/O, but no one would give me experience! I applied to a lot of different companies. I was grand fathered in hauling grain. One company said I never backed into a dock, one company said you need 53 footer experience, etc... That’s why I learned the hard way! Bought my own truck and got my own experience! No one really knows what these Truckers go through! Especially the four wheelers! If it wasn’t for truckers America stops! People don’t realize what it’s like though!