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Point taken. Perhaps we have sort of a psychological advantage entering the industry now. With no fond memories of the good old days, things won't seem so bad. For us today, the industry is what the industry is. Perhaps one of the reasons we'll enjoy ourselves in the work is because we won't...

Perhaps I misunderstood. I saw Gambler as supportive of Larry's comments but questioning our entering the trade. My response may have been colored by the far-too-many other messages from other people in other forums that wrongfully conclude that just because we are happy and successful in other...

Replies like Gambler's always puzzle me. Does your job suck so much that you'd advise other people not to do it? Are you so unhappy in your work that you can't see how anyone else could possibly enjoy doing the same thing? Is success in this industry so difficult that only a handful of...

Weave, I didn't see Kenworth or Peterbilt in your used class 7 value list. Where would they fit in?

Thank you, Larry. Here's how the newbie ATeam stacks up as we prepare to enter the business this summer: >What are the tough questions? > >Well, to start with, a person needs to ask themselves if >they are financially able to ride out tough times. How long >can you survive on $100 or $200...

The fact that steering remains hard even with no weight on the front suspension and steering linkage (if I take your "jacked up" meaning correctly) leads my thoughts toward the steering gear. It's been many years since I worked as an auto mechanic, but I remember being trained how to adjust...

Larry, Good post. What are the tough questions people should ask before entering the business?

Excerpt from the FAQ page on the Dept. of Transportation Site When will carriers be allowed to comply with the new hours-of-service rules? Carriers are required to operate under the current rules through January 3, 2004. This will allow adequate time for the agency, regulated industry, and the...

Sorry I misunderstood your question. As I've said before, reading the FMCSR leaves me with more questions than answers. While I'm happy to share info from other sources as a way of enhancing the discussion, I'm any interpretation I offered would be no better and no more qualified than the next...

Dice, Yes! It does help. Thank you. We've been looking over the various plans in detail as we get ready to choose. It's nice to get info from a source other than a brochure or salesperson. Ya gotta love the EO Forums.

The OOIDA web site has an informative Q&A page about the new rules. The link is: http://www.landlinemag.com/Special_Reports/May03/SPECIAL%20REPORT%20ON%20HOS%20Q-A.htm Excerpt: Will drivers still be able to split the sleeper berth time? Yes. Drivers may split on-duty time by using sleeper...

Dice, What kind of coverage do you get with your Sierra Wireless card? Are there any dead spots? How does it work in remote areas?

RichM, As I said in my earlier post, reading the FMCSR leaves one with more questions than answers. For any of these rules, and the specific circumstance in which the rule has come into question, you could find a competent, trucking-knowledgeable attorney to interpret it one way, and an equally...

RichM, Question 20 of the FMCSA web site Interpretations section addresses the question you raise in your post. The text is below. The link to the full Interpretations page is: http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rulesregs/fmcsr/regs/interp395.2.htm Question 20: How must a driver record time spent...

I agree with RichM that there is nothing wrong with OOIDA's June Run Compliant initiatiave. I'll go a step further and say there is a lot right about it. If nothing else, this initiatiave is reminding drivers about the Hours of Service rules. The reminder is a good thing. The confusion caused by...

Weave, Do you actually believe that the thought has not occured to us that if we go into expediting we might have a bad day once in a while? Give us some credit. We're not stupid and we're not wimps. Don't hold the fact that we're thoughtful people against us. Our start date is firm and our...

Hunter, Like you, we are preparing to enter the expediting industry. Here are some resources we've found helpful in preparing our business plan. A lot of it is geared toward 18-wheelers but it can be adapted to other vehicles as well. American Truck Business Services Brochure says “We’ll...

Larry said, "If only there was a way to somehow let people know how difficult the expediting business can be for the unprepared." There is a way. It's right here in the EO Forums. One way to start is for the experienced expediters (highly successful, somewhat successful, and unsuccessful) to...

As we (husband/wife team) prepare to begin as D-unit drivers for a fleet owner, we need to create our business entity for this endeavor. We've read extensively about the various business forms (sole proprietorship, partnership, C corporation, S corporation, limited liability company, limited...

Weave, Thanks for the tip. We've talked to a number of fleet owners and hope to talk with more. In the interests of professionalism and confidentiality, we believe it best to keep such contacts and conversations private. The fleet owners are more generous with their time than we'd ever expect...