Questions on GVWR and a good truck to get as a first truck

what you gonna do with a 5k truck? park it in the front yard??

 

You don't even know u will love this job or not. And u wanna run out and TRY to buy a truck. 5k is maybe a down payment. Give it two years

 

Go ask Kevin Rutherford the same questions you posted here. He has a radio show on Sirius/XM called Trucking Business and Beyond. You can also find him online at www.mygauges.com and on Facebook under "Let'sTruck." He won't steer you wrong.

 

it depends on where you plan on running the truck. each state is different on gross weight. some states charge by the tonage. a 1978 truck is too old. nobody will lease it. and brokers and shippers won't load it. in this industry condition of the truck and trailer matters. the last year cab overs manufatured in the states is 2000. I think. and now that is getting to be too old.

anyways...... I am with every one else. you don't even know if you are going to like this career field. I imagine it's the ads that are posted by the trucking companies that is roping you in. very few drivers make over $40k a year gross. most owner operators are lucky to make half that. here's the basic facts. in order to make anything. most owner operators make $150k to $200k a year.the truck has got to run nearly non-stop. after everything comes out of that amount. most end-up with about $25k a year. about every truck driver out there. has next to no life out side of the cab. that's how it is. my rule has always been this. it's never about what you want. it's about what give up to get it. that is the rule i raised the kidz on. they didn't believe until they grew-up and got out on there own.

so my advice: before you do anything. you need to sit and whole heartedly think about what it is you want. the school is expnsive. starter wages are low for newbie drivers. if in a few months you decide you don't want to be a trucker. the student loan payments keep coming. if you buy a truck right out of school. a good truck that you can put on lease. is atleast $60g's. most banks want your house for a loan that big. for an item that rapidly looses value in value. so if you decide you owning a truck is not for you. the high payments on the truck or rather your home. don't stop.

so the best thing you should do. is try being a company driver. learn about how freight moves. learn about the expenses related to doing the job as a company driver. and figure out what the real costs are for owning and running one truck on a daily bases. and decide which one is best for you. company driver or owner operator?

 

you will think cabover the first time you are at the doctor for trouble with your tail section. when trucking went with conv. tractors 1/2 the butt doctors in the country were put out of work. try a company truck 1st to see if you really like it, or can do it, its not as easy as it looks. by the time you pay all the taxes, lic.,insurance , and a hundred other hidden cost you will be in default before you even start. my suggestion by a show truck and drive it to the truck shows it will be cheaper in the long run. and there are reasons why nobody wanted to drive those astros when they were new. lots of luck

 

Am I dreaming?

Dude, I will be blunt and to the point - forget the idea, stick to doing what you are doing, take three weeks off and drive across the country with some of your IT buddies because you have no clue what it takes to drive or have a clue how much money it will cost you to just have that truck sit for an occasional load every month.

IF you get your license, and maintain the DOT physical, then you have the problem with plating the truck, not to mention that you will have to make sure that truck passes a DOT inspection because if you fail a road side, you will have to have it towed and that can run you almost half of what the truck costs you. Let's not forget that you can't stick a sticker on the side of it claiming that it isn't for hire - that just doesn't work. SO you will have to have on record of your bud's authority your app, your DOT physical and your DOT drug test not to mention your insurance which may costs as much as the truck and by the way most companies will charge you based on your experience and won't like the idea of dropping the insurance every time you park the truck.

Have you ever ridden in a GMC Astro?

I have and it is a rough ride, one I would not want to do more than 5 hours a week, let alone 11 hours a day.

 

Since you say you already know what your maintenance cost will be, on a 35 year old $5000 Cabover....

What exactly is it??

Also, you intend to only haul once or twice a month??, with a max run of 250 miles (+ 250 deadhead)??

How's that going to pay insurance, maintenance, tags, etc, etc... let alone you??
BTW, insurance for $6k a year on a brand new student O/O?? Are you kidding?!