Apply Now!

New and obviously STUPID

P

paintchips

New Recruit
Owner/Operator
Hey guys have worked construction for the past 15 years and subcontracted for the last 6(air conditioning to be specific). I got tired of the up and downs of this trade, I guess you could say burnt out, and decided to do something new and when I say new I mean “stupid”. I purchased a 26’ box truck with lift & a cargo van without know enough to do it. Now I know it’s really not smart what I did. But what makes things worse is that I’m now struggling to pay all of my bills and I’m using credit cards to pay right now. I have 4 kids and a wife and somehow I talked her into going along with it. Needless to say I am....excuse me WE are in a huge bind right now. I am begging for some advise from any and all. I fully realize how ignorant of a choice I made so please do t be too harsh. But my question is, what is the best way to utilize these vehicles for the most money. I’m very very desperate right now, so please HELP.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Tobster317

Tobster317

Expert Expediter
Owner/Operator
If you can’t sell them now. I’m guesssing your box is 26K. You can look for locale work delivery. Or see if you can get a driver for one of them and you go back to what you know.
 
LDB

LDB

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
You are the poster child for what I say all the time. My response may seem a bit harsh but it's meant to stop others from falling down the same hole. Good luck getting out of this.

How long did it take you to become an A/C guy? How much training and studying? Compared to that how much time did you spend researching trucking and expediting?

What company do you have your truck and van signed with? That can make a huge difference in how successful you are.

Who is driving these vehicles?

What are the exact specs of the vehicles? Year/make/model/engine/trans/fuel? Does the truck have a sleeper?

Plus one more for get out as soon as you can and go back to what you know that probably pays better and definitely puts you home in your own bed every night.

For anyone else reading this thread, if you don't do HUGE amounts of research and studying BEFORE getting into expediting/trucking you are making a HUGE mistake. Expediting is a career. There is no career that doesn't need hundreds of hours of education and training to be qualified, competent and successful. For expediting that is reading back a minimum of 3 years in the General, Newbies, Recruiter, Carrier and Truck forums. Every single thread title for a minimum of 3 years. For every thread that sounds remotely applicable to you then you read every word of every post. There'll be a lot of fluff but you'll pick up a lot. Once you've done that you'll know enough to ask good questions specific to you and your exact needs and goals. Once you get all those answered then you'll know enough to be qualified at the apprentice level and make a good and valid decision of whether this is a good career for you to pursue. Anything less is pissing in the wind and wondering why the rain hitting you smells bad.
 
  • Like
Reactions: SWTexas1
Solar

Solar

Expert Expediter
Owner/Operator
I agree, go back to AC, use the truck you purchased for your business.

But, for hypothetical, let’s say you can’t, that’s a burned bridge.

You can find local delivery that you will be Monday to Friday, rain sleet snow or shine, that are highly labor intensive, that you can get on to that will pay reasonably well, since you already own the box truck. Call Furniture movers, they may be interested as well.

Hypothetical #2, the labor is the reason your AC business bridge is burned. You just want to drive. In this case, you sell the box truck, call up whatever driving business you feel comfortable. You could sign on with Uber and drive your own car around. You could call a cab company, see if they need any drivers. Those are the easiest, where you could be working and getting paid something within 2 weeks. Long term, call up a company like Prime, get your A class, drive for a year, by then you’ll have this business down. Could be a who before getting paid.

Hope something in this helps.
 
J

Joerocket82

New Recruit
Researching
Wow. Not a lot of positive vibes. Good luck to you. I’m new here also and I’m currently in the planning phase. The opportunities vary by region. What state are you in?
 
P

paintchips

New Recruit
Owner/Operator
Not at all! Be careful asking for advice you might get blasted! LOL I’m in Texas.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Solar

Solar

Expert Expediter
Owner/Operator
Also, this forum is very old, and some questions asked are the same questions asked many years ago,

I haven’t been on this forum that long, and I can attest to how many times it’s said, drive for someone else, learn the business, then buy your own.

So, when people say, I’ve already invested in a vehicle, I know nothing about the business, help. It’s not that you don’t want to help, but how do you?

It’s like someone saying, I bought a 35’ bucket truck, a airless, and a water blaster. I know nothing about painting interiors, help.

You literally need a friend in the business to guide you.
 
  • Like
Reactions: FlyingVan and Ragman
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top