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

I understand revenue per mile. I know I am not getting good rates, but I am learning, and Crete is handling a lot of the back office crap.

My recent complaining has been about repairs, not revenue.

I have lost very little revenue due to repairs because I try to time minor repairs with 34 hour breaks.

However, the last 2 of my 34 hour breaks have been annoying. Two breaks ago, I lost the AC compressor halfway through my 34. I slept in a hot sleeper, and the next morning, when I should have been rolling, I was waiting for repairs to get done.

This 34, I ended up having to spend a large chunk of my first night to locate and buy an inverter, then waited an extra 12 hours for the shop to be able to invoice me.

I have not had a relaxing 34 in several weeks.

When I go on my next home time, I am going to have to rent an apartment, establish utilities, register my vehicle in a new state, and travel to visit family. It's going to be a while before I can relax again.

Unless I decide to just take a phuckett week in addition to hometime. I can afford to, but I would feel like a slacker taking so much time off when the truck loan isn't paid off.

 

I have started gathering information about Schneider's o/o program.

I have also been told that Landstar requires hazmat cert, which means they are a no-go. I will not get a hazmat endorsement, so I will never have to deal with hazmat crap.

I already have a passport, and will work towards a TWIC card after I get my apartment in TN.

 

I think 80k lbs at 65+ miles per hour is dangerous enough. I have no interest in either intentionally or accidentally booking a hazmat load, and if some shipper says 'Oops, but that's okay, you have hazmat endorsement, right?' I can smile and say 'No. Take the hazmat off because it's not in the load sheet, and I can't legally haul it.'