Owner Operators Closing Operations Next Year?

@wore out needs to send me that guys number. We had to quit the last 2 fellas because, well - if you do shady stuff to one bruvva, the other bruvvas don’t call you no more.

 

That’s a cool looking picture. Worthy of framing.

 

Come on now. Nice sunny day. $15 grinder from Harbor Freight, 1 $10 yellow wheel, 2 $8 rouge bars, one $8 green. You’ll really appreciate the shine afterwards.

 

I'm way late seeing this but I thought I'd answer just for perspective. I have no interest in profits. I'm actually serious. I did the company thing for 25 years. My pension/retirement is done. I'm not actively saving a cent for retirement. I'm serious about that too.

This is a lifestyle business for me. I'm a total solo operation except the tax man. I only need to make enough to fund my hobbies and pay my small mortgage on this old house I've lived in for 25 years. I have no assets to run in to the ground. Paid for trailer and just bought my second truck I'll pay off in about 3 years very conservatively.

My point in sharing all this is simply that I have no interest in stacking up money, adding employees/trucks and I certainly don't want to work for a company again.

What I love about trucking is all the different ways you can do it and the different definitions of success. Success to me is waking up and still enjoying it. Not every minute but still most of the time. Ran my arse off this week but made my $5k goal, and I'll enjoy that feeling all weekend.

 

Get me some of those 15.00 grinders

 

Best to buy at least 2.

 

I’ve got 4 now so I don’t have to change buffing wheels … but I would take another 4 at 15.00

 

Whatever works for you. I'm the exact opposite. I want to be properly compensated for every single second of work I do. Looks lik the only thing we have in common here is the asset.

I know you dont see your truck and trailer as an asset but it is and the IRS sees it as one as well.
It has value and that value rises with improvements. You spend 25k on an overhaul and put hundreds of thousands of miles on it for chump change then you've thrown that 25k in the garbage.

I've been driving commercially for over 25 years. I've seen the industry turned into a living nightmare since 1998. Trucking was a lifestyle to me at one point. I couldn't wait to run my own company from top down and have the freedom that came along with it.

However, this industry, the regulations and the drivers have sucked all that "freedom" and joy I worked so hard for away from me and took a piece of my soul along with them.

The only way I can get motivated anymore is by profits that pay significantly more than I could pull in as an employee. Otherwise, I'll leave it to people like you that have no problem keeping everyone else fat and happy and making profits. If you like being the mule that's great but (no offense) I think you're part of the reason the rates drop so low on the downturns.

 

Sweet!!! The only thing I would change about that truck is the hood mirror, but I understand why you have it. As bad as I dislike the pricks in Jacksonville, Landstar does have some good paying freight or did have when I was there especially in specialized freight. But what do I know? I know good lookin trucks when I see one. I know I'm going to get my nose out of your a s s effective immediately.

 

I bought a variable speed polisher apparatus for 150.00. Wheels, rogue, sand paper, electric DA, and other little snake oil money grabs another 300.00. Still ended up going back to the Air DA. And dug my Dads old Air polisher out. Takes a helluva air compressor but does a nice job. However 16-1800 for wheels, tanks, grill surround, fender braces and deck plate is still a bargain trust me. I will say Pops old tire machine turns the rim at the perfect speed if you pull them off. Which is the only way to do it right in my opinion. If truckin keeps goin in the tank I may can be had cheap lmfao