Nope, still alive here. The truck is up for sale because basically my dream ran out of time and money. Jason and i parted ways and I went out as a solo. It just happened to be on of the slowest times at Panther. Things were tight before, and with half the miles ran, even tighter. However I was running 600 miles a week when I went back out, and I looked at how I was barely scraping by, borrowing from family to stay afloat, and having zero time for the things I loved, and I decided to fold. I don;t regret my time as an owner-operator. I had a ball, and If I hadn't done it I would have always wondered what if?
So, I took a job here in Delphos, Ohio. The first one(wrecker) didn't work out, so I'm driving again. I run a daycab Pete and pull a 36' self-unloading bulk trailer. I supply finish barns with hog feed. 50 mile radius of here, home every night.
It's a good job. But everyday as I travel US30, I watch the trucks pass, and I wonder where they came from, where they're going, how long they've been out, what's on board, and why I stopped. I can't seem to get it out of my blood. I've had this addiction to life on the road ever since I was running a cube van around michigan at 16. Jason is running with Swift now, and we talk every day, mainly because I wish I was there. I'm not sure when, or how, but I'm going back someday. I'm not sure I'll be in expedite, but I'll be on the road. I'm woking on an opening that'll get me home a night a week, and home all weekend. It'll also get me back to my beautiful home state, and with that kind of hometime, buying a house may be again worth it. I'm excited, I shouldnow If i'm in sometime this week. I'll post up pics of the truck and more details If I do.
As for Expedite, I don't regret my time at all. When I started in it, from my research It was the fastest growing segment of frieght, and people were having sucess. With automaker downturns, fuel prices, and an overall flood of new people getting in, it was only natural for some to get squeezed out. I'm not sure If it was my carrier, my own lack of skill with money, the industry at the time, or whatever. I'm not looking to point fingers. As long as my truck sells. If it's still on my property this fall, I might be.
I enjoyed meeting the few of you that I did, and very much appreciated the advice I recieved on this board. I'd have been out months earlier If not.
I hope to run into more of you when I get back on the road again. Living a mile off of US30, I see expediters constantly passing, and always wonder if I knew the driver.
