What is the most reliable truck

Your drivers are going to decide if the truck breaks or not. It does not matter which ones you purchase really. If you got crappy drivers they will break it. Sometimes the technology such as automatic transmissions will fail requiring a heavy wrecker at god knows how many dollars an hour to get it to the shop.

Your fuel is the biggest budget item. Followed by the two tires outside on the right hand side of trailer as your crappy drivers cut them up on the curb in the city. Accidents will cost money all around.

Hiring drivers will cost you a good sum of money. Each winter plan on spending 3000 plus for a good set of new tires for each of your tractors. More for chains.

Fuel accounts. Shop accounts. Staff Office payroll. Office computers, building lease if any etc. money money money and more money.

Good drivers is a salvation and balm to your restless soul. Bad drivers or bad people are something that will rot your bones really bad.

Permits for each truck. Papers for them insurance, prepass etc etc etc. Tolls. Everything to the penny you spend in your company must be kept recorded against taxes. Your taxes will be massive and horrendous in detail but it can and must be done.

Be prepared to spend a little bit on busted pallets, Freight damage. Have a few reefer engine accounts ready to fix your failing reefers at a moment's notice 24/7 buy a few extra trailers and one or two extra tractors plus more drivers for them, I recall these were a classfied as a adhoc employee for DOT purposes ready to go at a moment's notice to cover your problems but not regularly running on your dispatch. I don't know if DOT still allows this type of fill in driver.

Have a bounty hunter ready to go to recover your load when a bad driver quit. If you fire someone, escort that person to the gate of your property to prevent that angry firee from doing more damage to you on the way out.

Qualcomm costs money, but are very good to have. Computers, software to run them and telephones too. Fuel pump, tank, shops, permits for them.

It never stops. There is always something.

Above all else treat your people good. Stick to the laws and encourage a culture where everyone is not stressed any more than they are already. If you are feeling mean and nasty one day, delegate someone else and take off awhile. bad words can never be taken back if you roar at someone.

It is good to build a business. It's always good. But day to day, hour by hour you are going to feel it.

 

Such a beautiful answers. I know quite a few folks in this business who started as a newbie, and had no clue about this business and are making just fine. You do not have to be a genius or say a real trucker to cut it in this business. If you can find a reliable truck and reliable driver, everything will workout as it should. Jus say NO TO CHEAP FREIGHT, if you are going to work with brokers. GOD bless you, and wishing you all the success in this world.

 

Dumbest thing someone could say.

 

You should stick with the Freightliner... I personally would rather drive a top of the line Volvo.. but from a business stand point the freightliner is the best option... loud, rattles, makes weird noises... but dependable and cheap to maintain... just make sure to install custom leather air chairs... you are going to be basically living in that rig!