>I think we get a little closer to the truth when the whole
>story is told, rather than a small part.
>That is why part of the post was edited.
>Davekc
>owner
>20 years
Short story:
Entered expediting 18 months ago. Made money from first day. Never had a money-losing month. Most expensive mistake was leaving my shower bag behind in a truck stop. Have endured suffering (long days, break sweat loading freight, zero-income weeks, lost money to truck breakdowns, etc.) but it does not get us down. Doing well financially. Work hard. In-service, on-time delivery, and freight damage claims (zero) are above fleet averages. Loving life on the road, especially tourist opportunities. Won't publish my tax returns, just as you won't publish yours; nor should you. Are prepared for slow times because we built reserves in good times. Running business according to plan. Meeting and exceeding our personal and financial goals.
Based on or track record to date, expect our circumstances to improve when we become owner/operators instead of fleet drivers. Will have more money (fleet owner's profits) to work with and increased decision-making independence. Reserves (saved from expediting earnings in last 18 months) sufficient to meet all but the most catastrophic expediting challenges, and have insurance to cover those. Have sufficient business skills and common sense to run a one-truck business in an industry where we've already proven ourselves. Cash flow is excellent because we have divested ourselves of our house, cars, and household goods...thus only minimal household expenses beyond the truck itself.
Of that, what do you wish to edit out? What is not true? What example is set that others should avoid?
Hint: Most people are smart enough to figure out on their own if they want to own a home or not.
Hint Two: Some people will over-commit to too much debt (truck payments) no matter what you say or do. Note the lottery winners that are broke in a year. For some, money is to them as oil is to water. Nothing you say or do to help will keep the two together. Yet those that go broke by their own hand often blame others for their circumstances. It's a lie and deep down they know it. The success and joy we find in expediting does not cause others to fail any more than winning a lottery causes some people to go broke in a year.
Enough of this. 30 days off from the EO Open Forum starting now, if you leave my posts in this thread unedited and stop deleting the perfectly letitimate posts I've put up before. Maybe off forever. Maybe it's time to go back to reading the classics instead of putting time in here.
Have fun telling others how much expediting sucks and why they will fail if they try to do what you have done. I won't interrupt you with my inconvenient love for the life, belief in others, and optimistic views.
----------------------------
No experience to speak of, but will happily do an apples-to-apples comparisson of our (husband/wife team) first 18 months to the first 18 months today's seasoned veterans had when they were new.
