[Rawlco]

Right, A W-9 is basically a statement of your business name and taxpayer identification number, (along with a page and a half of instructions :roll: ) Mostly to keep the accounting department happy.

So that if that company gets audited the IRS can follow the paper trail. It makes it harder for companies to simply transfer money to an offshore bank account that they marked as expenses. :lol:

[Longsnowsm]

Steve,

Congrats on that sweet looking truck! I just finished catching up on this thread. Man, you have guts. I am also an IT guy looking for a change and considering my own business down the road. I look forward to your continued tales of the open road and how this progresses for you. This is very exciting, and I hope the best for you and your new venture and adventure.

I am planning on going the traditional route of paying for my training, hire on for a couple of years with a good carrier, save my money, and then buy my truck. I don't have the working capital that you have to make the big purchase up front so I will have to pinch some pennies for a while and see how I like the lifestyle. I look forward to hearing about your experiences and how the business end of things turns out. BOL

Longsnowsm

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[driverboy]

Hey Steve, just another note here to let ya know many are reading with interest how things are going for you. Have read this thread from end to end and most others with your exploits. Should only get better once the loads get hauling, make sure to keep up the great work with the posts!

Sooo many IT techies into trucking, myself included, wonder what is up with that?

When you set up flame throwers off the side steps on proximity sensors to burn off the lot lizards after confirming their identity thru infrared cams you've went a bit far!haha

[Longsnowsm]

Well I was thinking a modified RV sewage system, and then pressurize waste products dispense at lot lizards... Kill two birds with one stone!

Yep, too many years in tech, too many outsourcing of jobs problems, no job stability for most of the industry. If they cannot export the jobs, they import the cheap labor to take the jobs. On call 7/24/365, electronic leashes and no life...

Steve, I think your doing the right thing by taking your time. I fully feel your pain. It is hard to leave the security of a good job and pay. I have a good job that I would like to stay at, but my wife just finished with her PHD and took her first professional job out in CA after 12 years of going to school! So we are moving one way or the other. So I have someone giving me the push to make the move. It is an uneasy feeling however as I still haven't sorted out all the details yet. I am the analyser/worrier/calculator of the family and I am still crunching the numbers to figure out how to make everything fit! Boy howdy, what fun!

So trucking cannot be all that bad. Demand for the work, there appears to be plenty of opportunities. Now the only thing in the back of my mind is the legalization of importing truckers and trucking companies from Mexico. If they allow that to happen then trucking in the US could go into a freefall like tech has done. I guess we will soon find out what happens. It appears that 2007 will be the first trials by these big boys to import labor into the US for trucking.

I think until this unknown with the NAFTA deal is sorted out and the flood of trucks coming from Mexico either happens or doesn't, I will hold off on any major decision/expense to start my business. I figure by 2008 we should be seeing and feeling the affects of something like this if it is going to happen and then I will know if the business is still a go or no go. I should have enough experience under my belt by then to qualify for the insurance and the other things needed to get into an outfit like Landstar or to be able to utilize the load boards with my own authority.

The best part is having access to this forum. It should make it easier to make some calculated decisions and know the risks better just from all of the great info that gets shared here. I am pretty excited to see how this all turns out for all the techies gone truckin! BOL guys!

Longsnowsm

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[driverboy]

Living the dream Stevo-o, living the dream of many once that thing starts putting the miles on, leave the GroundHog Day rat race and trade it in for something different. Hats off..........hope to be there soon.

[Outta here]

Well I must say I really have been enjoying reading all the posts about Steve's new adventure. I wish you the absolute best. I guess like a lot of the other guys I wouldn't choose to get into trucking this way but with all the help you're getting on here will get you through a lot of the problems you might encounter. But nothing will replace good old OJT. My best suggestion is TAKE YOUR TIME. And if you're not sure, get out and look.
Best of luck to you.

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[teamster]

I lived in southeast wyoming for seven years. Beautiful part of the country, but if you want to get lost there just make sure it is in the summer time! Lots of big mountains and lots of snow and wind. Good Luck