Taking the plunge. My journey as an O/O.

I wouldn't buy a newer modern truck that didn't have a apu or epu . I'm at 600,000 on my cascadia, big fixes are EGR , injectors and Dpf sensors and clutch that had a part fail . Air dryer and kingpins were also replaced. This is over a 3yr period of all repairs . Its definitely tough out there you'll be alright..

 

Trucks are not cheap to operate, especially when you put as many miles on it as you need to just to keep up.

 

Thats the key aint it? Get a decent rate and suddenly it all becomes a whole lot easier.

 

I can see why you would draw that conclusion with the low rate you are getting leased to crete. But if you were at a better carrier getting 40% or 50% more you would find maintenance costs aren't so bad.

 

Well, reality is some of us can't rebuild a motor over the weekend on the truckstop back lot

A win win situation is definitely no truck payment, good rates on lower miles. A good mechanical aptitude (which I don't possess) is a real benefit!

 

I'm not talking about being able to rebuild an engine or swap out an injector. But marker lights and hooking up an inverter?!

 

When I worked at May years ago, they required their shop mechanics to install any inverter that connected directly to the batteries. One of their trucks burned to the ground because a guy (driver) took it upon himself to do it

I can understand the trepidation ole Bob the Farmer might have doing it himself...

I'd still insist on including a breaker between the batteries & inverter.

 

I give him a pass on this one, it'd be different if he was home every week.
Let's say he takes unplanned home time to get home to his tools to put the inverter in, the deadhead miles and missed loads or just paying someone to do it. Plus a few days off in Vegas during the week when the rooms are dirt cheap.

 

You don't need hometime to install an inverter. The only tools involved should already be on the truck.

What's done is done. I'd just like to see him think about these things a bit more in the future. If he isn't confident in his ability to do it right all he haa to do is speak up. Many of us would be willing to walk him through it.