WHY, did you fail?... WHY, are you succeeding?

Abe Lincoln once said a great thing, "the only limitations an individual has, are the ones they impose on themselves". These sad sacks you see and hear out here all the time whining and complaining about everything - and what other members are saying - it all comes down to the person in the mirror. Excuses don't matter. When stuff happens, deal with it...

 

I'll be the first one to tell you - want to be miles ahead from the start? Then pay for everything in cash and have funds on the side. I've heard all the excuses before why that is impossible but never used any for a crutch when I started. Trucking ain't going anywhere what's the hurry?

 

I purchased the truck through Werner. I didn't work for them but I just bought the truck from them because they had me pre approved on a loan. I got a ride to a bus station that took me to a bad area of town. I couldn't get a taxi so I walked the rest of the way. (I quit a good job to put myself through this mess by the way)


Fuel was the number one expense. The repairs come at any given moment. I had a leak in my air cooler. I didn't know what an air cooler was so I didn't know what to look for when I bought it. I was staying up day and night running for peanuts. (young and dumb) I was paying someone to dispatch me through a company who paid a broker who took money that took money from the company that took money from the dispatcher. Left me just spinning my wheels. I didn't move the truck unless I was making something because I couldn't. There was no room in the cash flow. When I had things go wrong, I just did what I had to do. I'd stay at a cheap motel while my truck was being fixed. I had the wrong tax people also. I owed nearly 10 grand the first couple years because I didn't do my homework. I didn't give up though. I got smarter and tougher. I've learned to piss on these kind of outfits and go straight for the best. Even working for good pay I would still squeeze every drop out of them. You can't be Mr nice guy in this industry. Be polite but do nothing for free unless there's something in it for you.

 

IMO a lot of brokers are as bad as the bad trucking company dispatchers.

 

I do decent because I am smart. Less miles more money. 4k miles a week better pay some real good money. 1 pick 1 drop will break you. Unless your running short haul. If your serious run LTL. thats the only way to make money and still have something left of your truck in 5 years.

 

my first venture was 2 reasons.

i had a very good paying dedicated route hauling bio fuel down, yellow grease back. could have bought a truck with cash and did my own authority. unfortunately the bio fuel was poor grade and the haul didn't last long. next came the electrical issue that took 2 months and 10g and downtime before the problem got fixed. add in other repairs and downtime costing more then the cheap freight. the truck was spending more then it was making. and that became the end of that story.

will see what happens this second time around. getting the full blown experience this time. with a newer truck and 1/3 the miles.

 

.This was the 1st piece of advice that was given to me years ago..I still run my small trucking business with very LOW LOW expense..This comment is it in a nut shell...

 

10k? I had a good laugh, thnx