The journey begins - purchased a truck.

MartinFromBC · Oct 25, 2018

blairandgretchen said: ↑

1. - No, not yet. I've budgeted about $6,000 for headache rack, chains, binders, straps and tarps. Know of any second hand ones?

2. - We paid cash for the truck - so it's not costing anything to sit in the yard right now. I pulled $4k out of a rainy day fund, $2k out of a general bill fund that ws overstocked, $1k out of a 'truck savings fund', and put $5,500 on an equity line attached to one of the 4 rentals. The trailer purchase I'm still considering - the bank will do me 3.6% interest on a business loan, but can't as I don't have 2 years of business tax returns - or 8.5% as a personal unsecured loan. This will be my only 'note' so to speak - the HELOC on the rental is interest only at 4.99%

We have no mortgages or car notes, and the rental income, so $40k annual income for the household is more than enough. Reason I'm laying all thiis out is to explain that we're going in as low risk as possible, into what my bank manager called a "high risk industry". We're staying with our current employer through the holidays, probably through till March/April - I don't think rookie flatbed woud be a smart decision in January! Until then, we'll be buyinng equipment and saving some cash for startup. Leasing on with LS, so settlements will be short term rather than waiting 30 or 60 days, but there'll be a period of a few weeks where a catastrophic equipment failure will have to go on a credit card until sufficient maintenance reserves are built up.

3. - Other startup costs - Not much, apart from truck shopping. Dyno tests, ECM reports, Rig Dig reports, gas and travel adds up after a while (just look at Double Yellow's thread and his initial shopping experience!) - $50 to file the LLC with the state, $40 for the attorney to research and advise, 2 hours free with the tax man discussing the plan . . . I don't want to pull the trigger oon the trailer until I'm within 3 weeks of starting, but I'm sure it'll happen earlier than planned.
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That is how to start off for sure.
I own every piece of iron in the yard, the shop and house are loan free to. If the money isn't right it can sit as I have no bills. Not much is new and flashy, 70% is old iron, but its paid for.
Congratulations on the new ride.

RStewart · Oct 26, 2018

blairandgretchen said: ↑

Been away for a little while . . .

This is a typical New Zealand 'State highway'

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This is a 1956 Ford Mk1 Zephyr I drove around in for an afternoon, apart from having no power steering, it's quite the little driver for a 2.4L, 3 on the tree classic that gets a lot of attention from folks that either 'used to have one', or 'Dad had one', or 'my children were conceived on the back seat of one of these'

View attachment 250949

Random scenery . . .

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More random scenery - NZ does boast an impressive range of flora and fauna unique to the little island group that it is.

View attachment 250951

And below, is the unfortunate reason why I returned for two and a half weeks. It's Dad's Mitsubishi Galant after being T-boned by another vehicle at highway speeds.

View attachment 250952

August 23rd Dad had an accident - he had pulled to the shoulder on a 2 - lane road to allow traffic to pass before making his turn. Unfortunately, he missed the vehicle travelling over the blind hill behind him and got hit - hard.

Though the roads are opposite, steering wheel on the other side, it still bears out the same. The other driver walked away and didn't press charges (I wonder if he was maybe distracted or travelling a little fast to warrant that election, though it matters not - just glad Dad's fault didn't cause another injury/fatality).

Dad is 73. They cut him from the wreck, he walked to the helicopter, but collapsed thereafter. Eleven broken ribs, collar bone, and a punctured lung. A week in an induced coma. By all rights - I should have been attending a funeral. He's real lucky.

I timed the visit to see him out of the rehabilitation center following a couple of weeks in general ward, and 2 weeks in ICU. He's up and about now - and serendipity, if you can call it that, found lung cancer following a scan that otherwise would not have been detected. Surgery in a couple of days to hopefully remove it.

I spent the time visiting at rehabilitation, ferrying him to doctors visits, cleaning up around the house, cooking, cleaning and liasing with other family members going forward.

Nice thing about O/O - I've been off work for a month, paid for flights and a rental car outright, and nobody to answer to if you have to take care of emergencies.

Back to work tonight - hope you are all doing well. Blair.
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First let me say your dad was lucky to walk away from that wreck. I'll say a prayer or two for him.

Other than that, beautiful pics. Thanks for sharing these with us. That's a country I would like to visit some day. I met a 14 year old kid from there last December on a flight to LA. I was flying back out to go to the Rose Bowl and he and his family were leaving OKC to go to Disney. They flew from NZ to OKC just to go see the thunder play basketball because of Steven Adams who is from NZ. I couldn't believe they would take a vacation for that. They did do some other stuff while they were in America but basketball was the main reason for the trip. You New Zealanders are strange. Lol.

Geronimo17 · Oct 28, 2018

Great thread. Truly a model to learn from. Hope your Dad pulls through and back to 100%.

blairandgretchen · Oct 30, 2018

Put on a pair of big boy pants and went to work again.

Now, I left September 23rd, and returned about October 21st - and granted, 3 legal loads, but got the impression things had cooled off some. Mainly to stave off the Landstar charges that had accumulated, and just get back into the game. All said and done it created a paycheck last week.

Relaxing on a sunny Sunday afternoon, I made the mistake/decision of answering the phone and helping out on an SOS/rescue load. The agent was known, had provided good revenue in the past - not many choices left for them, so off I went.

Got some sleep, up at 11pm Sunday - 410 miles to York,NE to grab the BCO's step deck, and off to UT - 910 miles.

I priced it at $2.40/mile on the LS board all miles - deadhead to get it, deliver, return his trailer, and bobtail home. Didn't want to take my trailer and risk having him mess something up - or disappear with it, didn't want to gouge the guy either - just what I thought was fair. But - $1.80 TTT/all miles puts a hurting on my figures so far this year. Never mind, it'll come out in the wash.

Turns out he's still left with $1500 on the board to drag it 750 miles, but the (government) shipper doesn't pay crud for FSC, nor accept breakout charges to make it better for me.

Some guys have been known to take the whole lot - which is a bit harsh - but, unless the agent or LS is willing to cough up some extra dough, then business is business especially if the driver has to drop everything and go, possibly hundreds of miles. I left him with some for his troubles, and pulled a step deck with ramps for the first time.

Problem was - had to get it there ASAP. Tried sleeping between 1pm and 11pm last night - not much luck there. Pulled it the final 620 miles today with a 2 hour nap. PC 2 hours and a remaining 30 minutes got me to Evanston, WY, and boy am I whooped. That whole driving 'like the devil is after you' stuff is for the birds.

Think I'll go chase some OS/OD loads next week, and deal with the shorter days instead !

1nicevette · Oct 30, 2018

Blair sounds like you beat your self up. Never have been a fan of driving at night

Lepton1 · Oct 31, 2018

1nicevette said: ↑

Blair sounds like you beat your self up. Never have been a fan of driving at night
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If you never drive at night you miss all the spectacular meteors.

RedForeman · Oct 31, 2018

When you're driving at night, all the slow poke oversize loads are parked an not in the way.

Old Man · Oct 31, 2018

RedForeman said: ↑

When you're driving at night, all the slow poke oversize loads are parked an not in the way.

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Not all oversized loads are slow, at least not the crowd I run with.

1nicevette · Oct 31, 2018

Old mans right if there’s not a speed restrictions on my permits I’m the speed limit all the way till I have to stop

blairandgretchen · Oct 31, 2018

10.5 hours of daylight right now demands throttle.

1nicevette said: ↑

Old mans right if there’s not a speed restrictions on my permits I’m the speed limit all the way till I have to stop
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