might be really close to joining the owner operator world again
- Thread starter Mike
- Start date
Cargo Commando
Well-Known Member
Mike, ya outta give Panther a try - we can slide ya right into a truck!!! (Psstt, where do I post the disclaimer?)
Good luck!!!!! Do you have a make model and year in mind? If I was on a limited budget I would get an older Freightliner. People might rag on you but they've been around for a while and definitely a proven truck with parts readily available.
So, are you a www.truckpaper.com wiz now?
So, are you a www.truckpaper.com wiz now?
Duck
Sarcastic remark goes here
A pre-emissions Freightliner Classic XL wouldn't be that bad of a truck. But the reason parts for them are cheap & readily available at every TA is because they're made by 10 year old slaves in Ching-Chong-land.
Tim
U.S.Constitution
One door closes, another opens.
Not rushing anything at this point.
Anniversary was this week, one kids birthday this week, another kids first cheer camp this week (get to see the cheer exhibition Thursday), then my wife's birthday next week.
It would be nice to hang around the house for all of that.
Also have a sportsbook and nfl/college football pickems that I have to finish setting up on my sports forum. Not to mention getting a test forum set up so @Duck can get creative with some new styles and graphics, and all sorts of other things I need to get done.
I would advise against buying a truck. I just don't see companies that pay what they should. Its really more profitable to be a company driver. (unless you can find a company willing to pay at least $1.75 +FSC.) The whole industry is going down hill and I don't see it getting any better. I was talking to recruiters at the truckers jamboree and one outfit was offering 67%, but only guaranteed $.80 p/m. I did better than that 20 years ago, and the cost to operate the truck has doubled since then. Go get a job at Cosco for $20 p/h and enjoy.
what brand of engine if it has the benz run like hell from it
thats good as the benz was a POS engine. the detroits seem to be alot better
Tim
U.S.Constitution
95% of the time the ones recruiting heavily aren't worth working for in the first place. There are hundreds of carriers that never buy ads in magazines. Most of the time word of mouth from other drivers will keep a carriers trucks full or enough O/O's in there operations that your never know there even around.
Beings @Mike doesn't own a trailer he will have a be a bit more picky as to the age of the truck he buys because a lot of the better paying carriers want newer trucks.
If I were him I would look north at a major pneumatic tank and end dump carrier to lease on a truck.
Duck
Sarcastic remark goes here
That truck's a prime candidate for being sold into Mexico. I wouldn't sell it to anyone who speaks fluent English unless they're planning on doing an inframe.
If I was an O/O I would look at a carrier that requires newer model year trucks as a "run away fast" type of company. They gotta understand that it's just not profitable to own an unreliable truck that's in the shop all the time.
My company requires their O/O to have a model year less than 5 years old at the time you sign on, but when it ages out, you don't have to replace it as long as it continues to be reliable. When they started putting all that tree-hugging garbage on them in 2007 and even more of that crap in 2010, I asked them if they were going to change that policy & they said no. That's when I decided I'd never work for them as an O/O. You couldn't get me to own a truck newer than 2007 if you gave it to me for free.
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Tim
U.S.Constitution
The carrier that I skated around without naming in my other post states they want trucks no older then 5 years old, what they dont say is they will take a 10 year old truck but it has to past there inspection first.
When I inquired to them about leasing on I told them my truck is 7 years old, they wanted to take a look at it. When I got there they did a walk around and then crawled under the back and came out the front, when the mechanic was finished he said it was one of the cleanest well maintained truck he had seen in a while.
I asked the recruiter why the 5 year old age limit yet they take older trucks he said it basically weeded out the junk trucks from trying to lease on and wasting there time just to tell them no we cant lease you on with that truck.
Duck
Sarcastic remark goes here
My company won't allow trucks older than 5 years to sign on, period. Even if the damn thing wins trophies at truck shows. They're stupid like that.
But they have this one driver with an old dilapidated piece of shit 15 yr old Volvo with the stupidest looking monstrosity of a homemade dromedary box on the back of the cab that I've ever seen, ... simply because he signed on when the truck was younger than 5 years old. The boss tried telling me once that he's an independent contractor with his own operating authority who pulls our trailers. I says "is that why he's got "leased to" and our DOT number on the side, as well as a Qualcomm & a 2 digit truck number on the hood?"
That was when I was wanting to buy a 7 yr old pre-emissions Kenworth with a 13 speed. The only reason I didn't buy the damn thing was because the carrier I knew well enough to sign onto wouldn't have let me because of the model year & getting my own operating authority wasn't something I wanted to jump into.
Rigjockey
In Gord we trust!
Happy Anniversary and birthday wishes for one of your kids and all that.Good luck! Starting out with your own truck again.
I know you have had a truck before and have been around the block, Plus all the info you must have taken in here. Good luck to ya'. It would be a great thread too. St
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