More real life unexpected expenses

[raceman]

Many of you have read my posts trying to show you real life unexpected expenses. Well here is the result of being the owner of two used trucks. Although I know the trucking business and have driven for big companies and smaller one. I have run team in one of my trucks and I have been an owner of straight trucks, I never saw this coming. I planned. I researched. I never saw this coming. Both of my trucks went down at the same time and one driver became a foaming at the mouth @#$%^ when fired. The costs involved in the towing and repair and putting a Driver in a hotel for a week has lead to the parking of one of my trucks. The money needed to do all the repairs on top of all the other other expenses and some canceled loads right out of the shop has simply lead me to drop one of my trucks from OTR status. I hope to get it some decent local work until it is just completely done but that is what has happened. Now here is where people considering a truck or trucks can really think. If I had purchased brand new trucks all of this would most likely be under warrenty. I have no way of knowing that simply because this is not the case but it is likely. If I would have taken out a mortgage on my home and only had a few dollars in my pocket I would be ruined. Now this note is not just for a person looking at being an owner this is for anyone looking at buying a truck. Remember that I have only fixed one truck and the bill is over $7000 all total plus the lost income. Be sure you can afford this. The trucks also broke down out of town on the road. Are you prepaired to pay even a minimal tow bill? I dont care who you run for very few companies will pay your tow. After the tow you have the repair, the lost income, and if you are an O/O you have living expenses while being repaired. Please just realize this happens and it is not worth risking everything. Be sure you are prepaired when you make the jump. If you are then it is a wonderful business. If you are just jumping in because you simply can not wait I will pray for you. I know many folks that have talked to me about buying trucks and I know their situations and if this would have happened to them they would be without everything. Please be careful and get in with funds to keep you above water. If not for a safety net I would be drowning right now. Actually I may be. Time will tell.


Raceman
Owner Two Straight Truck.
Part time driver of one of my trucks and local TT.
15mon.OTR Expediting
1 yr local Expediting
Line Haul TT 2mon.
OTR Straight Truck Plt to Plt off and on 5 years.
Based in Cincy Ohio
Currently run Express-1

 

[hitek]

I feel for ya, I drive for an owner and it seems like a pretty darn good idea to continue to do so for the foreseeable future, after reading your posts.......... Good Luck.

 

[Crazynuff]

When you say buying new trucks would have made these repirs under warranty or probably not occuring under warranty I have to wonder how many o/o's keep their trucks running well after the warranty runs out . True , running new trucks would allow you to build up some operating capital before downtime but if you run hard that warranty runs out all too soon .