Southern CA construction is stone dead right now,check the truck trader its full of dumps. It will pick up but I think it will be well into 09 maybe even 2010 before we are working steady again. One good thing is San Diego hourly rates have always been higher than every where else in CA so you are in the right area. My advice,being in construction trucking for 15 years now is to look for your own setup be it and end dump, truck & pup, transfer what ever, pulling someones trailer (end dump) blows they usually want 20% plus 5-7% brokerage and your not going to be able to hold on to much profit that way. Having said that when it's busy and if you get out every day you can gross $100-150k with a 5 axle @ $95 hr. The last and most important point I will make about owning your own truck in CA
http://www.cdtoa.org/pdf_gov/CTN_09TruckSurvey.pdf
We are facing some tough smog regulation in the near future so take that into consideration before you buy a 1998 or older truck.