In need of advise
- Thread starter davepal
- Start date
Before buying a truck, what do you know about the business? What is your background?
Hi Ragman and thanks for responding,I appreciate it.I've been driving commercially since 2008,first as a tractor trailer operator and then in 2014 I got involved in straight trucks.In 2018 I obtained interstate authority,ins policy,and a 2004 clunker truck.After a year I had twenty thou in cash,my truck had a blown head gasket so I attempted to replace the truck.Despite the cash-no one would give me a truck loan.My credit score was too low.I wound up buying a 33,000lb gvw box truck from Penske.They never did the major maintenance on it and in the first year I sunk 25 thou into that truck,15 alone into the dpr system.Its a good truck now but there's no sleeper so I stay in motels.
I'm 63 now and want to get one last truck and hit the road.I was thinking of giving up the authority and joining Landstar or something.I don't know anything about these expiditer dealers,or the freight m.I'm even considering buying ana tractor instead.Thus far,I get all my freight from one company.
I'd appreciate any advice you could give to someone like myself.
Thanks Ragman
I'm 63 now and want to get one last truck and hit the road.I was thinking of giving up the authority and joining Landstar or something.I don't know anything about these expiditer dealers,or the freight m.I'm even considering buying ana tractor instead.Thus far,I get all my freight from one company.
I'd appreciate any advice you could give to someone like myself.
Thanks Ragman
I don't have, and never had a straight truck - but I've been expediting awhile and have some free advice...
Don't buy a truck.
I agree with you about dealers, and the emissions system on the newer trucks. The only way I could see it working (and how I do it) I have a pre-emissions truck and fix it myself.
Now you're 63, if you haven't been fixing them yourself all along, you don't want to start now.
Problem is mostly the next guy outbidding you, and leaving less for himself than he needs to keep running (just to pay the bills due now)
All the big guys do expedite too. Sure doesn't pay like it used to for an independent, unless you have a company you've got directly, not load board freight
So be a driver! Their truck, their problem.
Where I live in Canada, my "expedite" deliveries now come maybe twice a month. Had I any payments I'd be bankrupt even on some of the good years lately
You don't want to be a statistic. Nobody knows what's going to happen but with all the businesses closing, there's a chance we are heading to a worse recession than 2008...
See the country on someone else's dime, and you only have to keep a plane ticket's worth of savings to get you home - if the company you work for suddenly goes bankrupt and strands you with the truck.
Sent from my SM-A705W using Tapatalk
Don't buy a truck.
I agree with you about dealers, and the emissions system on the newer trucks. The only way I could see it working (and how I do it) I have a pre-emissions truck and fix it myself.
Now you're 63, if you haven't been fixing them yourself all along, you don't want to start now.
Problem is mostly the next guy outbidding you, and leaving less for himself than he needs to keep running (just to pay the bills due now)
All the big guys do expedite too. Sure doesn't pay like it used to for an independent, unless you have a company you've got directly, not load board freight
So be a driver! Their truck, their problem.
Where I live in Canada, my "expedite" deliveries now come maybe twice a month. Had I any payments I'd be bankrupt even on some of the good years lately
You don't want to be a statistic. Nobody knows what's going to happen but with all the businesses closing, there's a chance we are heading to a worse recession than 2008...
See the country on someone else's dime, and you only have to keep a plane ticket's worth of savings to get you home - if the company you work for suddenly goes bankrupt and strands you with the truck.
Sent from my SM-A705W using Tapatalk