[no_worries]

He's home "rasslin'" with his taxes.

[merrick4]

Actually home I think with the flu. Bunch of stuff going on but I'll update later.

No_worries, I was going to send you a message. I called some accounting place the other day and the next thing I know I had this guy on the phone:

Bruce W. Jones, CPA - Managing Director Mr. Jones served as Chief Financial Officer for two publicly traded trucking companies, including six years as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of J.B. Hunt Transport, Inc., the nation's largest publicly traded truckload motor carrier. There he was responsible for finance and accounting, investor relations, and information technology. For nine years he was Corporate Controller and Treasurer of Schneider National, Inc., the nations largest privately owned trucking motor carrier.


I couldn't believe it. I wish I was better prepared all I asked him was his outlook for the industry (he said you're always going to need trucking) but I was thinking if I had to ask him one question it would be what the big companies really think of the smaller carriers in this industry. That is what do they see their place as.

That's not clear I what I'm trying to say I think. I don't know I'm going to take Nyquil and then off to La La Land. Nice guy though, I could contact him again.

[no_worries]

Sorry to hear you're under the weather. Guess it's alright we didn't make it to your side of the peninsula after all. We're headed back to Cali, I'll buzz you this weekend.

[merrick4]

Originally Posted by Red Clay Rambler

Yes, Merrick, you can drive in slippery conditions with your inter-axle locked in, that's one of it's purposes.

Thanks Red Clay I still was wondering about that. No_worries I'll be around all weekend so call anytime. Glad you made it out of here ok; the weather has been beautiful so at least you got that. It was nice to have to put the A/C on again instead of the heat

As for any update, well I was just doing what everyone else is doing; driving. I found a nice little route. The revenue wasn't what I was looking for ($4500 per week) but it was about $3500 or so. It fluctuated cause I was getting detention time on two of the runs.

What a nice run though. From South Carolina to Tenn for $725 on about 370 miles. (not including about 50 of dh) then dh over to KY and pick up a load to Illinois. That had 2 drops but only was 400 miles total. that was $1,000 even, but I had either 150 or 200 dh too depending where I finaled in Tenn. But very relaxing that one. Had plenty of time to read and sit on the computer and research stuff. Basically sat all weekend.

Then I would dh to Chicago and get a load back to Charlotte, NC which paid about $1700 to $1800 depending on pickups. I forget the miles on that but for the week it was about 2100 miles.

Fuel was about $3.50 per gallon in the areas I was running. I would have stayed doing that for a bit but the one to Tenn from South Carolina had a different time and I wouldn't be able to get the KY run for the weekend.

The good part was I ended up in charlotte like 8 miles from my brothers so I would just go there and relax, do laundry etc.

I ended up coming home. I was hesitatant to take this load cause the broker had a N/A for a credit rating. It was a dry load and it paid $1.85. They promised they would send out the check the day I finaled and true to their word I had the check in 3 days. They said they normally won't do that.

By the way their name is Kingston Transportation LLC and they are out of Charlotte. MC583238 They have paper loads to Mass, Florida and other stuff. I see they have a load posted right now to Illinois. Have to say they were good to me and paid immediately.

I did have one broker start to play with me with my money. I called the bond thing and have to say that was pretty easy. The agent basically told me that she would be shut down quick if she doesn't pay me. I guess that bond thing is pretty serious. He said he didn't think she realized what would happen if she didn't pay. I never even had to actually file on the bond; got the check in a couple of days.

So I'm home now and it's killing me to be honest. Lot of work out of here and in a perverse way I am dying to post my truck and start quoting to the brokers.

So as to my plans, I am thinking of putting a driver in the truck. I am thinking of brokering and I am even, call my crazy, thinking of getting another truck.

The exhaust smoke was choking the reefer and they couldn't turn it as it was basically melted together so I had to pay like $300 yesterday to put a new exhaust pipe and turn it completely to the side. Hope that works. Then I had to have a shock replaced; they are doing that today. I am going to have them set the speed at 68 and then something called progressive shifting which I guess limits the RPM's. I'm nervous to put a driver in the the truck.

My friend is buying or leasing new KW for $102,000 (plus FET) plus they are offering the rebates on KW right now and Peterbilt for about $1500. This leasing doesn't look like a bad deal. No money down.

Well that's all for now.

[merrick4]

I forgot to add something; I'm still kind of out of it as I'm sick.

I have to say I like this industry. One thing I have never done is stick with something. I get bored real easy. On top of that I always make sure my bills are paid so for as long as that's done you really don't "have" to do anything. I don't "have" to get up and go to work. I'm not wealthy by any means at all, but my wants are very limited.

But I'm now 36 and now I am feeling the "have" to get things done. I'm young and healthy and can work, I don't want to be older and have to worry about money.

So I am going to stick with this industry cause as I said I like it. My trailer is paid off and the truck payment is low and I keep costs to a bare minimum so I could stay out there and do ok. Not great, cause anyone reading this that is still planning on getting into trucking, it is true what they say. You won't get rich driving a truck. But the freedom is priceless and is worth quite a bit.

But how my mind works, I need to understand how all this operates. I want to understand this industry from a better point of view of behind the wheel.

So as it is there is a guy who had a big brokerage that was sold to a much bigger company. He apparently signed a 3 year non-compete agreement which is now over. I don't know him but I know someone who does.

They have a trucking side as well with I think warehouses. In two weeks I am going up to one of those warehouses. I will stay there for a few days, then on the way back I will be stopping off at the Headquarters to see the brokerage side. Apparently they will teach me the brokerage side and I can ask as many questions as I want. In practice this is how it's supposed to go anyway.

I actually called Landstar but they never got back to me; I never followed up either. I was looking to get into one of these big brokerages but I think this smaller one will do.

I'm not sure of the splits as of yet either.

[rank]

If you think your truck needs fixing now, wait until you put a driver in it.

[merrick4]

I'm prepared Rank; but I have no choice. Btw Rank, how do your drivers fuel? I'm looking into fuel cards. I'm leaning towards T-Checks.

I know Big D lets his driver use a credit card but I'm not doing that. I'll miss the 5% cash back that's for sure.

I looked into that Truckers Advantage but they don't accept them at the Flying J. Flying J is by far the cheapest stop.

[DD60]

I looked into that Truckers Advantage but they don't accept them at the Flying J. Flying J is by far the cheapest stop.




Get a CSI global fleet card thru comdata. Flying J takes those.

[merrick4]

Hey thanks DD60! I will call them Monday. Doesn't say too much about their costs on the website but I will find out and post it here.

Thanks again.

[rank]

Originally Posted by merrick4

I'm prepared Rank; but I have no choice. Btw Rank, how do your drivers fuel? I'm looking into fuel cards. I'm leaning towards T-Checks.

Air mile Mastercards. Almost always at Flying J's in PA or ON.