Years in the Trucking Business

[Bruno]

After Reading the post about making a million in a truck in 20 years and the post about Rose Colored Glasses. I feel that some people and Owners don't like the fact that some newbie's post on here like they know everything about this Business. Now I have been in trucking all my life. My father and his brothers all drove truck and have over 200 years together in trucking, but I Don't act like I know everything about this business because I still learn something new everyday.

The people I know on here that has a great deal of knowledge in this business is:

Lawarence McCord over 20 years in this business.

Rich Moore over 20 years as an O/O with Robert's Express/FedEx Custom Critical.

Dave Corfman over 22 year in trucking with Roberts Express/FedEx Custom Critical and Panther.

Terry and Rene Oconell over 18 years each with Roberts Express/FedEX Custom Critcal.

And the list goes on.

But then there are folks that have been in this business 3 years and a O/O less than 6 months telling Folks how to run their business when they haven't been owners a year yet. That's what I see on here.

 

[Broompilot]

and Previous Business Expierence counts for ???

 

[kg]

Bruno, I think you might be on to something here!

Maybe only people with 18 years or more experience should be allowed to post on EO. All others can browse and wait until they are seasoned enough!
Yep, this is going to eliminate a lot of problems!!!

 

[Bruno]

All I was saying that some people come on here and try to post things and make it out to be more than it is. I just get upset when someone tells Drivers that you can make $1000 to $1500 every week when I know that is not the case. I call it sugar coating it. Can you make money in this business? Yes, but $1000 to $1500 every week. No you can't if your a driver for an owner.

When it comes to this business I try to help out with what I know. I'm not perfect and never will claim to be. I have worked hard and so have a lot of other folks on this site and for someone to post on here like we are all dumb a$$ owner's and that their word is gold just upsets me. I think it is very disrespectful to the Veterans of the Expediters Online.

 

[RobA]

People must remember that while it is called "expediting" it is still trucking. Expediting is only a small "niche" of trucking.
There was never a "golden age" for owner operators. Even during the regulated years; the carriers made money and very little filtered down to the owner-ops.
Mike Parkhurst, the original publisher of Overdrive Magazine, supported deregulation as he thought it would be a way for more of the freight dollar to get into the hands of the truckers who actually earned it.
A trucking company owner I knew in the 1980's had two signs over his desk.
"CRIME DON'T PAY....NEITHER DOES TRUCKING"
"HOW TO MAKE A SMALL FORTUNE IN THE TRUCKING BUSINESS.....START WITH A LARGE FORTUNE"

Those adages are just as true today; there is a lot more money being churned...maybe a million gross might be possible in 5 years. The trouble is that most don't realize how little of that gross will end up on the bottom line.
$250,000.00 trucks are cool; as long as the freight keeps moving....but when the next recession hits...that's a lot to support.


(freight-forwarder, broker since 1974)

 

[cheri1122]

We are all free to post whatever opinions or comments we like here, assuming we can do so within the rules, and we are all free to take whatever advice we choose from here. For myself, I'll take the advice of the old pros, who have been quietly, and generously, donating their time to helping people, for more years than most of us have been in this field. They don't publish their work, or hand it out to people at truckstops, just show up here every day, doing their best for all of us - and I am glad they do. Thanks, guys.

 

[greg334]

We are all free to post whatever opinions or comments we like here.

Huh?

What?

 

[cheri1122]

Sorry Greg, which part of that wasn't clear?

 

[letzrockexpress]

While I can understand how someone with many years experience could possibly be insulted by the audacity of someone with less than a year's experience, I feel the need to say that just because a person is new to something doesn't mean they can't have good point. I myself have only been in expediting a little over 2 years but I have been a businessman for nearly 25 years.To a point business is business. Yes of course there is a learning curve to everything and this racket can just about drive you crazy sometimes, but at the same time it ain't brain surgery. I have utmost respect for anyone who has committed themselves to anything for 30 or 40 or 50 years or whatever, but just beacuse someone is new doesn't mean they don't know what they are talking about.( ok, they usually don't but not always)

 

[davekc]

I totally agree. Some of the best ideas come from the new folks. No one has a lock on a great idea.

I think most get annoyed from the new individual that may portray themselves as experts in this industry, when they really aren't.
I believe that is what most take an issue with.
Especially when they give ill or misleading information.
The experienced people quickly identify them, but a new person may not immediately.

We were all new at some point.










Davekc
owner
22 years
PantherII
EO moderator

 

[tallcal101]

I tell my drivers they can earn between $800.00 and $2000.00 per week driving a Tval W/G truck for me.I don't remember when a driver made less then $800.00 per week.I have been in the business 7 years.
So,does that make me:

A A rookie

B. A lier

C.A rookie and a lier

DAn honest business person

E.None of the above

F.All of the above.

I think you are a little mixed up in your hypothosis.

 

[Bruno]

Yes we are Dave, but we don't come out with both guns blazing either right off the bat.

 

[davekc]

Very true.
Half the value of a good idea is often how it is delivered.





Davekc
owner
22 years
PantherII
EO moderator

 

[arkjarhead]

my grandpaw had 51 years experience in the truckin business with about 40 of those years as an independent owner operater with his own truck,trailer, and authority. he had close to 5 million miles behind the wheel. point is he never called himself an expert. he always said the day you wake up and realize you know everything about truckin you need to quit before you kill someone. i keep those words in my mind everytime i release a set of air brakes.

 

[babs3361]

Arkjarhead

Could not be said any better. I also live and run by those same Ideals!!!

 

[Bruno]

No, I'm not. The key word is "can" not will.

You tell your drivers that they CAN make 800.00 to 2000.00 not that they will. Which I agree they can if they work the truck and don't turn down alot of loads. And I'm sure your not telling them that they can make $2000.00 each after fuel and tolls and so on each week.

That's what I'm talking about. That's like people telling a single driver in a D-unit non White Glove truck he can make $12000.00 a month. That would be sugar coating it.

 

[slfisher45]

"My father and his brothers all drove truck and have over 200 years together in trucking, "

Wow Bruno, if they have over 200 years together in trucking, how old are they now?

You see, everything posted here is scrutinized and a perception is developed by each individual. Not everyone perceives things posted with the same idea the author may have intended.
What was it......... Take everything with a grain of salt.

Don't believe all you read and don't limit yourself to only reading what you believe.....

 

[Bruno]

Well, my fahter had over 40 yrs in trucking before he passed away when he was 63 and was still driving when he died. He had 5 other brother's that Drive and drove. Out of the 5 left my Dad's older brother Blair has over 45 years. My uncle Jim has 43 years in the business and the 3 others have over 25 years each or more in the trucking business. Now 2 of my aunts drove School bus if you want to count that and they both have over 30 years in that.

My Grandfather had 9 kids 8 of them have CDL's
My Grandfathers brother had 5 kids 4 of them have CDL's
My Great Grandfather had 4 kids 3 of them had their CDL's
Out of my grand father's grand children 6 of the have their CDL with over 20 years in trucking.

That's 21 Cdl holders in my Family one time or another.

 

[Broompilot]

Since I grew up behind a Trucking Terminal and loved the trucks as a kid and still do I guess this makes me an expert to huh? So lets see 40+ years of loving trucks yep that should make one to. (Expert)

Lesson learned at an early age, dont get near those 5th wheels, Mom was not just PO but really PO'd I still remember the red but I got in return. Ouch grease, it was everywhere.

She would be proud no 5th wheel on my truck (yet).

 

[Bruno]

Naw Broompilot. But It sounds good. LOL If that was the case I would have 37 years in the business. LOL I remember playing with my dad's big Radio when i was a kid he had in his CB room down in the basement. Back then they had call letters, Remember that?