Some help for the new guy...please!

I’ve lurking around the site for a couple weeks or so trying to take in the lingo and so on. I have a few questions which I’m hoping to get some answers. I realize that I will get different answers and varying opinions on just about all subjects, but I’m hoping that some with enough answers I will get my questions answered or at least be headed in the right direction. Either way I know I will learn something and have more knowledge than I have right now…which is pretty much nothing.

I have been presented an opportunity to be a partner in a trucking business. A long time friend has been offered an opportunity to run a truck with pretty much guaranteed routes under the roof of the trucking company he works for. We would be able to keep the profits of this truck and build from there. My partner needs money (me) and I’m looking for an opportunity (trucking) to make money and build it into a business. I may be getting ahead of myself…

We have no truck at this point, only ideas of the kind of truck we should be looking at for our purposes.

We would be running produce loads out of San Jose, Ca over the grapevine down to LA and back. My partner has suggested that we look for a Peterbilt 387 or 386, 10, 13, or 18 speed with a Cummins or Cat motor. Kind of vague to say the least.

Now I don’t know the reasons behind this truck selection. He’s not a truck driver and neither am I. I assume it is what has been suggested to him, but that takes just few local drivers. I can ask a question on this forum and hear from guys all over the U.S.

So I’m looking for advice from experienced drivers, owners, trucking company operators/ managers, and anyone who could point me in the right direction.

What would you be looking for in terms of equipment and why?

That is if you were in our position, a start up with some money, but not a lot and I don’t want to spend it foolishly. I’m trying to avoid making big mistakes. Equipment is by far the largest expense so I figured I’d jump on this forum and try to learn something.

Please keep in mind that I know virtually nothing about big trucks. I am mechanically inclined, but know nothing about big trucks.

I appreciate any and all helpful advice, suggestions, or comments.

 

Thanks for the input. I can see how it would appear to be a disaster for anyone reading my post, but although neither of know nothing about trucks specifically my partner has worked for a trucking company for the past 6 years setting up loads for his company and brokering loads for sub-haulers. So he has the day to day operational experience of what it takes to keep a truck busy and the expenses related to trucking.

We just don't have 1st hand knowledge of the reasons to buy one truck over another in terms of cost, reliability, performance, fuel efficiency. This is the reason why I posted here in this particluar forum and not in the normal drivers forum.

I wanted to hear from the folks who either have been in my situation or can relate to the concerns we have.

I see what you're saying about drivers beating on trucks. That makes sense.

We are ironing out the details of our relationship to the parent trucking company. We would not be kicing things off until March of next year.

Your reccomendation if I understand it is: A used truck, 450 + hp, 10-13 speed, aerodynamics do not matter.

How old of a truck with how many miles would you consider for approximately how much money (5 year old truck, less than 750k miles, spend no more than $25k), and what can I expect in terms of service from this truck?

 

I don't know anything about the approval process but I do appreciate your input.

From what I've seen of the trucks my partner is interested in they are definitely in a sleeper configuration. As I understand the nature of our runs, they require the driver to make the their pick ups and then drive the 350 or so miles down to Southern Cal to make their drops. The drivers would sleep there and then drive back hopefully hauling something home.

So what you're saying is that a truck of this kind, full sleeper and so on should have plenty of life left on it even after 500k.

The price range we have been looking at has been in the 60k range for the truck. This was for a Pete 387 I believe, but we were not set on this particular truck. If I could save some dough, get good equipment but not necessarily the top names (Pete or KW), and make some money, we would be happy.

It's all about getting our feet wet. We're are trying to make a sound decision about the choice of truck for our needs.

If we bought a truck with 500k miles, how many miles could we expect to get out of it. This is to assume regular maintenance has been done of course.

Would you trust one brand over another with that many miles? Would you trust one motor or tranny over another with 500k on it?