Solo o/os. Do the rates suck? What's your contingency plan?

That was always my backstop. I figured if I tried and failed, I could always walk back in to ODFL and be welcomed with open arms and assigned a new number, - no not 56803 - but a newer, more updated number.

As the years progressed, no matter how many different ways I sliced the numbers, could I ever justify the return to a company truck. I will if I have to, but it would be with much aggravation internally.

 

Shut em down!!!

 

The rates are what they should be. When they drop, I’m not going backwards. I’ll cash out first. As far as parts are concerned, I can always find what’s needed for my Truck. Any scenario. There’s Trucks available. There’s parts in the junk yard if needed. Mine has a lot of good parts if wrecked. I can come up with a decent Truck, at a decent cost. Trailer scarcity is my concern. My plan was to buy a new dry van last year. Feb 2020, could have gotten one for $34k. The good rates will go away just as fast as they came. Easy money is about to dry up. Home prices are topping out, interest rates going up. One glitch and things change. I don’t want any equipment debt, that can’t be sold for the balance owed.

 

Not to sound trite, but being a small business owner has always been about risk vs. reward.
For me, it was more about headache vs. reward. Or to put it another way, is the money worth the aggravation?
As it turns out, it wasn't, and I happily landed on the best time in my career to peddle a used (750k) tractor.

 

A determined and disciplined individual will always find a way to recover and revive after a catastrophic loss.

 

There is no crisis unless it's one's health. Equipment can be replaced. Might not be the ideal pieces but tractors and trailers are still everywhere. I never said it would be easy but ultimately where there is a will there is a way.

 

like my father used to say, "They may shoot ya, but they ain't gonna eat ya...."
Good luck @TallJoe

 

I was here in 2007-8 and I’ll be here for the next down turn. It’s coming it’s just a matter of when.