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

My truck is a Crete standard OTR sleeper truck. No tire storage rack.

If I had my own trailer with a tire rack, I would have kept both tires for use on the trailer.

As it was, both steer casings were reusable, so they gave me a bit of credit for each.

Still cost way too #### much. 1239 for two new Bridgestone steers, balanced, with new stems. I could not use the Crete tire discount without also using the money from the truck payoff account (the company calls it a maintenance account) and that account will not be touched until it can pay off the balance of my truck loan.

The goal is to pay off the loan in 1 year from signing. Don't think I will manage that, but it still might happen.

 

I have an air hose. I definitely need to get a plug kit. Keep forgetting.

 

I thought the same. Loves, however, stated clearly that they absolutely would not repair any steer tire. Period. Even though the tech said that he agreed that it probably could be repaired. Just not by them.

Maybe I should have gone inside and bought a patch kit. Unfortunately, I have discovered that every single tool sold by the big truck stops is garbage made of pot metal. I have broken a bunch of hand tools in the last few years driving, and I really do not make many repairs.

I need to poke around at one of the big chrome shops and see about getting a patch kit that won't fall apart the first time I use it.

 

The customers and people on the office end matter too. Note that I am on a large drop and hook account. I can only run the miles I run because the account has lots of loads, and the office team keeps me moving.

I honestly suggest you stay a company driver for at least a full year. Preferably two. Make your mistakes as an employee so someone else will pay for them. I stayed a company driver for three years before going o/o and I am definitely not done making mistakes yet.