Think you had a bad month??

[HighRoller]

Well,let me tell ya!The engine in my big truck dropped a valve in Florida.Two weeks later I finally get it back from the lying SOB who I was stuck with for repairs and it's running crappy.I pay 6K just to get it away from him and take it to another shop down the road.They correct his damage for 3K and I'm off again.300 miles later 4th gear in my tranny lets go.5 days and 5100 dollars later I'm running again.Until 4th gear goes out again!!!The mechanic left a washer loose in the gearbox and it went through the gear,breaking off two teeth!The repair is free but I'm out 1500 the load would have paid.The total damage comes to $14,000 plus $2,000 for hotels and towing and about $10,000 in lost revenue.I'm not whining,just wanted you to know that if you thought you had a bad month maybe this will cheer you up.The good news is that I disputed the cost of the first repair to the credit card company and they reversed the charge.I can't wait til the mutherf&*er calls me......Anyways,I'm back in action but maybe it's time to take up a collection before I have to collect welfare!!!

[Havasu Hangin']

My advise to you is to start drinking heavily (http://161.58.5.90/animal/germans.wav).

[HighRoller]

Already there.....primed up with some Mike's Cranberry and now into the Jack and diet.

[DansBlown73Nordic]

That is exactly why when someone says (Why Don't you Buy Your Own Truck):idea:
I say No God Dam Way!!!!! Company driver forever. If that shit happened to me Id be this guy.
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/500/6721054705267_PA230819.jpg

[AzDon]

About ten years ago I tried the Owner/Operator thing. I also had a couple of "bad repair" stories. Overall, I lost 50k in three years- exactly the amount I'd paid myself in wages! I'm gonna hafta save up for a long time to be able to do that again!
To this day, the leases offered generally promise only 80 cents to a dollar a mile. With your own authority, you get to compete in the dollar-fifty range. I don't know how anybody is able to do this with dollar-forty fuel costs.
I think there's better money to be made operating a booth at the swap meet!

[AZKC]

Well that makes my decision of going OTR a little more complicated, sounds like its better to drive somebody elses stuff. But then you gota deal with that BS.
KC

[HighRoller]

I would never touch freight for 80 cents.Those companies that lease you on to pull dry freight for 82 cents a mile figure your mileage via computer so when you figure your hub miles you're making 75 cents a mile.I try to stay between a dollar and 1.20 a mile plus fuel surcharge but even that is hardly enough anymore.Fuel prices have gone up and up,freight rates are the same or lower and there are more people with their hands in your pocket everyday.Truck stops have decided they can make more money by ripping you off in their restaurant and store than selling you fuel.Brokers will try to get you to pull a load for a buck and whine about it,then magically when they get desperate they call you back offering a buck thirty plus surcharge.Shippers want you to pay to unload their freight,etc etc.Yup,I'm about tired of spending 4-5K a month in fuel and keeping hardly more than that for myself.I've thought about getting my authority but with all the requirements from state and federal agencies it's almost mandatory to have a full-time employee to run your office.I don't regret being an O/O though,it has been very valuable as far as an education.I don't know whether I could go back to being a company driver or not now that I've done this.After all,how is some snot-nosed dispatcher gonna deal with me when I could tell him things about the business he doesn't even know!