What made you finally get your own truck?

Forced dispatch!

 

I don't work well with others. That and I ran hard starting out and figured I should get my own out of the gate. I come from a driving family so I knew that having my own truck would be best. That's why I never drove as a company guy.

 

You see these company drivers running down the road...60-62 mph, POS truck with a 9 speed, detuned, helpless, can't do anything, struggle when pulling hills or behind a hay wagon on a two lane. I don't think it's safe. It's a bottom end fleet truck, spec'd out by a Beancounter, someone who knows less about trucks than your four year old daughter. It's extremely frustrating for everyone. You see Schneider jumping out to pass England, he's not purposely blocking the road. In fact, if he could, he would have been over and back in nothing flat.

If you could imagine a Beancounter trying to get into NASCAR. Everyone else would be running an 800 hp engine, Beancounter would opt for a 160 hp motor. He would cut the pitcrew down to 3 people. They would run all season tires because the tires would have to last an entire season. And he would hire a guy with no experience because they wouldn't have to pay the driver what the top guys make. Then Beancounter would brag about how much money he saves. Are you really saving money? You're supposed to be racing. You're never going to win. You're not going to get sponsors or sell any merchandise.

Well, a lot of the rookies that have driven only for the bottom feeders only, that's how they think trucks are. They look to buy a truck, and they buy an old fleet truck that has been put out to pasture. That's like marrying a lot lizard after she's been working the parking lot for 30 years. You're getting a worn out left over that's been ridden hard by a bunch of drivers.

Theres such a huge difference between an owner OP spec'd truck and a fleet truck. Real gauges instead of idiot lights. No beancounting. Performs to the drivers specs. Easier to drive. Yours. No bus ride for you. Makes for a much happier driver and a much more pleasant experience as a trucker.

 

To me it is the headache of what do I do when between companies. During the time that we drive for another, we are at the mercy of the company. If the company folds or decides for what ever reason that the truck should not be on the road (heck if I know why) that I am not stuck in a hotel with all my stuff. Also there is a comfort to me knowing that this truck is mine and I really could care less if a DM says "get your tail down the road" during sever weather. Just because other drivers have not responded about the inclement weather.

 

Well, I'm about to here soon. Up till now I've been SKERRD . Scared of failure, health insurance, lack of income, loan default.

But after 10 years of company driving, even for a good one, I fear the beancounters are taking hold, I've never been good at being told what to do, I hate being speed governed, and I'm simply ready for a change. And I'm not going to drag the wife through 70hour weeks till it kills her.

So, we paid eeverything off, will save for a used (old lot lizard) truck and give it a shot. My best shot. If I fall flat I can still go and flip burgers for food.

Wish me luck and suffer my endless questions here while I prepare. And have me publicly rogered in the square should I mention leasing a truck from CRE.

 

Are you planning to go full blown operating authority? What type of commodity you want to haul with your own truck? Looking to lease it onto wherever you currently work or a different sector of the industry?

 

I did that whole lease thing with CRE and now I am with Landstar and couldn't be happier. Self dispatched and don't have anyone on the Qualcomm sending me numerous messages about why I have stopped for the day with a hour left on my clock.

Owning your own truck is worth all the headaches since its your business and failure/success is up to the person staring back at you in the mirror.

 

I choose to buy my own truck because its what my family has been doing since I was a kid and I like trucks. Worked for a company, dirty trucks never did any maintenance on the trucks. If the truck needed a fuel filter you had to wait for a mechanic its a joke.

 

Because I didnt want to go to jail for stabbing someone in the eye with an ice pick