Owner Operator Problems

He did 70 to 75 mph and blew out a retread and it was 100 degrees out. No kidding.

 

I saw the video last night, but didnt want to be the first to comment and start what I had a feeling this thread would turn into.

O/O's are a funny bunch. Some will go out of the way to help someone for what I feel are idiotic reasons, and at times they will gang up and knock a guy so far down I think if his mother were close he would go running.

In all honesty, I cant really feel bad. Hopefully he pulls through and gets far enough to keep his head above water. Trial and error,.. the best learning experience. Cant blame a guy for trying.

From time to time I have conversations with guys who want to become O/O's and look at me strange when I tell them $10k is not even close to what you need.

I had $30k cash. Took me 3 yrs to save it. Paid $20k for my truck and used my carriers fuel card. People look at me funny when I say $10k wasnt enough,.. I borrowed another $20k from my mother inlaw so I could have another $30k cushion. Thats $50k,.. cash,.. and thats no joke.

There is nothing cheap about getting into trucking. Nothing can kill your dreams like watching $30k go poof and vanish in less then 60 days. Fortunately I had a well laid out plan. Not the best plan,.. but cash is king,.. mother inlaw paid off within 6 months, truck still running strong, 2014 I spent another $30k in maintenance and repairs alone. You need to be prepared and have a realistic plan of attack for all of the Oh No moments that can and will eventually happen.

I am finally in a position now that if my truck blows up tomorrow, I can have another immediately on the road. No truck,.. no income.

$30k cushion seems like a lot,.. well it is a lot,.. but in the grand scheme of things,.. my truck has been very good to me. I have been very lucky to be smart enough to surround and associate myself with people that have a vested interest in my success.

For anyone listening,..

Slow down,.. your equipment is your livelihood. Unless you have the money to replace everything,.. expect that everything may break at any moment. Drive with that mentality. Fuel is the same as cash. You can piss it away under your right foot or be smart and frugal with it. The difference at the end of the year may suprise you. Unless of course you have plenty of money,.. well,.. then by all means,.. burn it up.

Hurst

 

It may have looked good on the outside,
But he never checked the inside of the hood.

The air filter is the most important filter in the whole truck.

Can not even under stand why he never check the air filter before he even took the truck, sounds like it has never been replaced in a very long time.
Makes me wonder what other stuff he missed be sides the tires and the air filter.
Any fluid in the rears I wonder?
And what other filters have never replaced in a while.

 

WOW... what bad luck he got.

 

As long as he can do it safely, more power to him. I know what if feels like to going down the road praying that nothing breaks, I'm sure we all have.

 

yeah I have this feeling that even if he does make it it will just be by the skin of his teeth. with no reserve he will stay in debited to the company. I wish him lots of luck though. when I started I bought truck for $22,500 2006 T2000 KW
I had mechanic check it out before I bought it was in good condition and I still had to spend 3,000 on minor stuff most people don't realize that's normal and that is not all that bad either. then before I could get it on the road starter went out and had to replace all 4 batteries. I got my own authority I had enough money in my personal account to pay all my bills and living expenses for a year and a half plus after I bought truck, trailer authority, and everything that goes with it I put $30,000 in business account later added another 10k to it. I always brought truck to my mechanic every time i came home only had 1 major breakdown in 3 years radiator blew in denver on 70
I made a ton of money with 1 truck. after 2 and a half years I expanded came off the road. now I still just have that company truck but also bought some trailers and have 4 owner operators driving for me as well. when i blew radiator it happened at a bad time right when insurance and all my annual fees were do i used up all my cushion radiator was 6k and was down about a week. 1 major breakdown can eat you up. but went back out there and got my cushion back.
the key is to stick without it and don't let anything hold you back. anything worth getting in life takes alot of hard work

 

Every day if one is a realist and knows that anything can go wrong at any time.

 

That was a awsome word, and you sooooo! Right.

 

this owner operator called me up this weekend and told me he blew out a driver tire which cost him $1400 I don't see how it cost that much but whatever he said it was the heavy weight that did it 41,000 but was also a recap I have hauled mostly heavy loads in three years with my truck and have never blown out a drive. I would believe it was more due to improper tire pressure and the fact it was a recap before believing it was the weight

 

I've ran retreads on my drives before, just pulled a set off on Saturday, and have had zero problems with them. But....they were my own casings and I would check tire pressure at least once during the week and every weekend for sure. Guys get into trouble buying a retread from a shop on the road and just driving. I would never think of putting one on that wasn't my casing or not keeping an eye on the pressure.