Well I made it out
#891
what about a new 2011 with a 3406 E.
2011 PETERBILT 389 Heavy Duty Trucks - Glider Kit For Sale At TruckPaper.com&
#892
Senior Board Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 2,303
what about a new 2011 with a 3406 E.
2011 PETERBILT 389 Heavy Duty Trucks - Glider Kit For Sale At TruckPaper.com&
#893
Senior Board Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 2,079
BTW, you must be from the south. I don't see too many '84 anythings in the northeast.
#894
Senior Board Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 2,303
Thank God my life doesn't consist of checking peoples exhaust all day, same reason I wouldn't be a proctologist. :lol:
#895
Senior Board Member
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 975
thats whats stopping me from getting a glider.. looks like my next truck i'll have to pay for exhaust fluid..
#896
Senior Board Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,095
Well for the first time in over 3 years I guess it's been I took a road trip. I went to Sterling, IL. Miserable the whole time. I mean I remember loving it, but I had 17 other trucks on the road at the same time. I had two people in the office but there's things that I can only do. When I was just driving, I just cruised and listened to the radio. No phone signal? Who cared. Now I was trying to get load info on an Ipad and couldn't get a signal. I was on that 74 in Illinois for what seemed like days and saw nothing but trees and grass. I need skyscrapers and palm trees not to mention high speed internet. I use to like that highway too.
Also I wasn't prepared for food and I can't eat junk food so I basically didn't eat on the way back. I left Miami Sunday and just came back empty. (was paid well enough to do that.) I needed to be back here. Seems like a lot less O/O out there; basically big companies. Also the technology has changed so much. I was driving a 2012 Volvo. USB port right on the dashboard. Also it was dark and I couldn't figure out the DEF thing. I didn't see the other pump. I guess I wouldn't mind it if I didn't have the other responsibilities, but as someone told me recently, "you can't dance at two different weddings at the same time". Also to be honest, I love South Florida. I Just don't want to leave here. Except for the last 10 years here, I spent my whole life in the North East and never felt at home like I do here. If they would just put a D'Angelos sub shop (A Mass thing) here that's all I'd need. Well I think another change also is I have a little girl now. I take here to daycare every morning and pick her up at noon. I never would have understood it before but I realize now how hard it is to be an OTR driver with a little one at home. But on the other hand on the way back I called home from Daytona Beach or so to see if they had a plate for me and she was crying and got on the phone and just kept calling out for me and honestly I felt like turning around and working five times harder so she has everything in life. So I don't think I'll be doing that again for a while, but I got a lot out of it. I think it was good for the other drivers to see me out there working as hard as they were. They all seemed to have a lot of respect for that. They know I work hard in the office; answer the phone 24/7 and make sure they make a decent living but to be out there hustling is another thing. Last edited by merrick4; 05-14-2012 at 03:28 AM.
#897
Good post, Merrick. You seem to be doing good. Happy for ya. I know how nice southern FL can be. It's a whole nuther world. You did GOOD to show the other drivers that you can still do it. But, I can relate (sort of) to that kid's voice on the phone.
Sounds like you haven't forgotten where you CAME from. That's important in any business. Total kudos to ya!
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Remember... friends are few and far between. TRUCKIN' AIN'T FOR WUSSES!!! "I am willing to admit that I was wrong." The Rev.
#899
Rookie
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 1
Well, I'm right behind you. I was in the trucking business in the early 80s for about 7 yrs. I never grandfathered my license due to I never thought I would EVER need it. That being said I needed to back to driving and yes it was a shock with all these new regulations. I ended up going to school, going to work ovr for 1 year. worked local for 4 mths now I just bought a truck. I checked on geting my own authority I the cheapest insurance I was quoted was $18000 per yr. Now I'm going thru the process of leasing on with a carrier. I'm probably 1 to 2 weeks out from going to work. I'm full of anxiety. I'll keep you posted on my progress. BTW i'm a flatbed driver. Worked with oversized,etc.
#900
Rookie
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 4
Merrick, and Gman, and a couple of others that have remained on this thread from the beginning, and anyone willing to share their real experiences on this particular thread. I want to say "Hats off to you", for sharing this extremely valuable info. I think the more that Owner Operators learn what the true costs to operate are, will help everyone in the industry. I saw a thread where Gman posted numbers of about $1.75 cost per mile as a good standard to consider. I agree that if a guy was to shoot for this number plus about a reasonable rate per mile to cover deadhead miles, say .65 CPM based on the current cost of fuel. I think a guy could do pretty well. maintain his equipment and earn a good living. But getting the freight that will pay is the the challenge.
After about 14 years of driving trucks, the last 10 being car hauling I got very sick of the business. 13 years ago I chose another career path, as I had prior commercial fishing experience. I make very good money as a Tugboat Captain. But I still miss the freedom of being out on the road. I was talking to some of my contacts in the business recently and they said I needed to get my head examined for even considering coming back. Merrick, I have read your thread from start to finish and just want to say that you are going to be successful in this business as long as you can collect payment for the loads you haul. Just be careful with how much money you let sit out there for 30-60-90 days. Many a trucking company has gone down because of this simple little detail. I have truly enjoyed just about every post on this thread and hope that the thread will continue into the near future. Thanks again to all who have contributed.. |
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