Hey Colin!

I'm heading up I-84. They had me routed over I-82, but I'm gonna run the Gorge to I-5 instead. I've got 47,500 on board and the hill-climbing doesn't seem like the way to go on this run. We'll see what I get coming out of Seattle on Tuesday.

I got my unload/load done real early this morning. I'm taking my re-start before hitting it for WA. This has been a great 3600 mile first week as an O/O. But I am fragged.....

Tomorrow's chill-time with BB will see the installation of the top splitter. Perfect timing, because there will be a bunch of hill-work to do and I am so freakin' heavy. Fully fueled, I figure that I am right at 79,000. We'll know when I hit the scale tomorrow afternoon. BB weighs in at 20,200 with full tanks.

Meanwhile, it's out to dinner.....

Be back soon with more boring and irrelevant newbie-with-laptop adventures.... :twisted: :twisted: just to piss you off even more.... :twisted: :twisted:


8) :lol: 8) :lol: 8) :lol: 8) :lol: 8) :lol: 8) :lol: 8) :lol:

Read all 11-pages...yawn...over the past few...yawn...(excuse me!) days. (he-he -- just kidding) :P

Good stuff. Let the adventure continue! 8)

Written while snoring..... Yeah, it's the valium and the thorazine that really put me down, so while I am near comatose, I use what remaining cognizance I have to write this BS. I don't really drive a truck, either. I just make it up between doses. :shock:

I don't believe that you are kidding. I'm really offended by your remark. After I hunt you down and bludgeon you with my Mac, I'm gonna OD on my meds so I don't upset anyone else with my incessant drivel. :oops:

Never been blungeoned by a Mac before. A PC--yes--actually more than one PC. Each time I fought back and the PC won. Darn #*&~! blue screen of death! I'm learnin' though...now I just throw the durn thing out the window at 65mph. Feel much better until the realization hits me that I need another one. Sigh. PC won again.

BTW...have you seen the PC vs MAC TV commercials? Love 'em. May get a MAC again some day. :)

BTW#2, when you're all hopped up on meds, I'd advise NOT tinkering with the dosage. Otherwise you might wake up and start making sense! :P :lol:

Safe travels to ya!

I picked up a load.
I dropped it somewhere.
I called my mom.
--------------------------

Oh, yeah. We do it all the time…

OK. And now for something completely different.

While sitting through my 34 hour restart in Texas, I got my splitter kit installed. Kenworth wanted $350.00 to do the job which I got handled with the simplest of tools in 1.5 hours. Easy. I also got my clutch linkage adjusted properly. Also easy.

I am dead tired this evening from running the tail of I-84 and then north up to Seattle. BUT, I wanted to make sure that my thread stayed way the f^ck up there on the list.
-----------------------------------

But all I got was the voicemail.

Well, as you might have guessed, the trip up from Fort Worth was quite a serious haul. Time constraints made it what it was, but we forge forward… I got my drop done bright and early, as I awoke at the gate to the drop site. Good planning and a wise suggestion, if you can pull it off.

This was a fun trip, despite the squeeze. I hooked up with a friend of mine, who pulls flat for Watkins Shepard. We crossed paths in Wichita, KS. He was there after just having bought a used all-aluminum 48’ x 102” spread. Prior to that, he bought a ’95 KW T-600 for really cheap. Sure, he threw some money at the tractor and the trailer, but now he owns his rig for less than what most would pay for a tractor alone. It was good to see him after almost one year since the last face-to-face, but we yak on the phone all the time. Like me, he feels that he has become successful in trucking. My situation will not yield quite the level of income as his, but who cares. I am off to a very solid start, and as time will show, Swift’s lease situation is very good as long as you are really willing to work smart and hard. I qualify on both counts.

My next stop was an overnight in Glenwood Springs, CO. Running the passes up out of Denver was a blast. I hit I-70 west after fuel and a shower at the Denver terminal. I was one of the very few trucks out that night, so I had plenty of time to get the hang of splitting the top four. What a difference! As there is a 200 rpm spread between high and low in each gear, keeping every last bit of road speed becomes much easier. Just a flick of the red button, feather the fuel, and clunk, off we go again. Even with 47,600 on the deck, my mileage from Denver to SLC was 5.9 mpg. I would imagine that I would have gotten less mpg were I to only have four top cogs to work with instead of eight.

I rang two dear friends of mine, who live up near Aspen. Both of them came down to Glenwood to join me for breakfast. It was great too see them again and share stories of “days gone by”. I now think that I may make some time next winter, and go boarding with some of my old buds. And why not… It wouldn’t hurt my feelings to go ripping through the trees again up at the ‘Burn on Snowmass.

I got people: I had my empty call in during the wee hours today. Having gotten unloaded, I found a quiet place to park, while awaiting another load assignment. Great opportunity to catch a nap. After waking a few hours later, I saw nothing on the QualCom. Hmm. Must be one of those very few times in where I may have a little waiting before getting moving again. No matter. I boogied back to the Sumner yard and promptly fell back asleep again.

At 17:15, the QualCom starts beeping again. It was my Mid-West DM, Barb. She is such a doll. I called her to find out what she had. We shared some good chatter, and then she said that she was sorry that I had to wait all day to get a load assignment. She didn’t have anything until the last minute today, and then a bunch of work came in. She went on further to tell me that my DM and fleet manager all wanted to be notified when she got me pre-planned. None of them wanted me sitting for too long and all of them wanted me loaded first. Barb, who, like all the other flatbed planners and DM’s in Gary, usually knock off at 16:30 during the week. But not today. She said she wasn’t going to split until she had me and a few others booked.

I made it very clear to her that this was just one example of why I chose to contract myself to Swift. As corny as it may sound, it’s the people behind me who make me feel so confident in my decision to take Swift so seriously. They know I am paying $100.00 a day for the privilege of sitting in this thing, and Barb wasn’t going to leave me hanging for one moment longer than absolutely necessary. Made even more warm and fuzzy was the fact of concern from Joel and Adam, my DM and Fleet managers. These people are every bit as committed to my success as I am. And that feels really good. And… this kind of extra attention is very consistent with Mr. Moyes’ recent letter of intent presented to the driver pool. This company will return to caring for it’s drivers. And even though that is all I have personally ever experienced, it would seem that there is room for improvement elsewhere in the organization. So be it. If Swift goes out of its way to retain good drivers, the practice will certainly contribute heartily to the overall health and well being of the entire company and its employees. Suffice to say, I am proud to be doing my part, which has not gone unnoticed.

So: One more good night’s sleep, an early am pick-up and yours truly heads out to Lowng G-Island. New York City, just like I pictured it. Skyscrapers ‘n ev-y-thang…. I have some good friends in Manhattan. It’ll be interesting to see if I can park BB somewhere and go play….

Hello?

Anyone home?

Geez, you really know how to hurt a guy!! We sold our sailboat here a little while ago.... :cry: But, on the other hand...we're busy as a pack of pirates in an unsecure anchorage shopping for a trawler with "twin iron gennies"!! 8) 8)

Clint.... I've been reading your posts here, and needless to say... I'm really happy you found your niche!! Sounds like you are doing well, and thats GREAT!! Just goes to show...not everything about a company has to be less than good..

I do believe you sent me a cell #, and I can't seem to find it... :? Do me a favor and send it to me again, ok? Seems you have been running around in much the same area I tend to haul my tanker.... I'm going to PM you the tractor # and my cell...

Again, I'm really happy for you!! :D :D

Skywalker....
When I toss this corporate BS where I've resided for way too long and jump on the highway, I plan to move to FLA (maybe Jax area) and aquire a "mobile waterfront property". I go back n forth between sail and a trawler. Real room to live on vs feelin the lady heel over to a freshening (free) wind.....ah jeez here I go again... :D
So why did you give up the sail boat?

Sorry bout the hijack Clint...but, ya old salt; you love this sort of conversation anyway :wink:

As if an apology is even necessary, Geo. You old bilge-swilling crustacean. Arrggh, mate-y….. :shock: Now, where's me rum, lad?

Sorry. Spotty Internet access.

Well, the QC had me routed out of Seattle on I-90, then through northern Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, down through Minnesota, Wisconsin and out on I-80. That route didn’t make sense to me, given the numerous passes and hills. All I could see was $100.00 bills dancing around in my head and copious gallon-age of juice. So I took I-84 to I-80. I beat my head trying to figure where I might have calculated incorrectly, but I show BB as having gotten 8.9 mpg running, albeit, 55-ish along the Columbia River Gorge and down towards Salt Lake City.

The Baker Truck Corral in Baker City, OR is a quaint old truck stop at the eastern end of the Blue Mountains. It’s one of my favorite spots to park. Somewhat similar in feel to The Outpost in California, located at the I-15/US 395 junction. Great food, easy atmosphere and lots of parking with minimal fuss.

This is my first lumber load and boy, does my body feel it. 20 straps and two lumber tarps later, and I got me some sore muscles. This too is the first time in where I’ve had to hang out on top of a 13’ high load and throw canvas around in the breeze. It took me a little while to get over the height sensation, but I managed to do so.

This one’s going to run me right through the long weekend. I feel quite fortunate to have gotten this one. Yup. 3000 miles. Thank you.

While at a truck stop along the way in WY, I had the chance to hang out and speak with a TMC driver and his student. What cool people, and my word, what a gorgeous truck. It was an ’07 Pete with all the toys. Did I feel a tad envious? Oh yes. BUT. It was a momentary tad, none the less. My grass is just the exact shade of green I like, and this writer seeketh no further hue thereof. Plus, I’m not that neat. I’m no slob by any stretch, but it’s just a little too, well, too….. As an interminable fringe-dweller, I need edginess. I couldn’t imagine how Arnett Holdings would feel about metallic black flames with red and yellow accents fanning back-aways from the grille. <hehehe>

So that was yesterday. And Colin, sorry to leave the audience hanging. Verizon connectedness gets a bit spotty along I-80 to the east of SLC. However, thanks for the yoo-hoo just the same. Or was it a hello… Regardless… I’m still breathing, man.

Ah yes, the good life. Running through WY and into NE saw some bodacious breezes. My tarps looked like big poofy pillows. I kept checking the mirrors, thinking I would see something akin to a mammoth kite flying behind Ms. BB. But, no such thing happened.

I hit Bosselman’s in Grand Island, NE for a bite and an obligatory wander through the chrome and twaffle shop. I had a nice chat with a younger fellow while standing in front of the cattle prod selection, which was on display. I didn’t know what they were at first, but he was kind enough to fill me in on these marvelous entry-deterrent devices. While I was elaborating on the efficiency of chemical persuaders, his phone rang. His ringer was a lick of Ozzie. I nearly died. I have piles of Black Sabbath of my iPod. Nice to see that all youth is not entirely wasted on the young. <evil grin>

Yeah, this is a big trip and I am lovin’ it. 700 miles on Sunday and another 700 miles on Monday. I should be at my drop site in the wee hours of Tuesday morning. I will be in no great hurry to get off of LI either. A late night slide out of NY would be the ticket. I’d love to ditch the rig somewhere closer to NYC and jump a train into the city. Even better if I could bring my bicycle… It would do my heart a lot of good to run downtown to the east village and grab some pizza or something. There used to be a French bistro which I frequented, called Café’ Jules. It was down on 8th street (a.k.a. St Mark’s) just east of 1st Ave. Loved it.

Meanwhile, I am just dyin’ to see how the buck-o-las are doing. I’ve been knocking down some serious mileage since picking up BB and getting her few ailments rectified. We’ll know more shortly.

Yeah, Skywalker. I’m damn happy, as if you couldn’t tell. I’ve been thinking about this whole leasing business today. In so many ways, it does seem like a bit of a scam coming from some of the other companies. And I am sure that there are other companies who do mean well with their programs.

My take on the program with Swift is that it makes getting into an ownership position more within reach for the average person, such as myself. Having the opportunity to get into a W9 accomplishes several things, immediately:

1st. I got one version of “the best there is”. I could not want for anything better.

2nd. Because of #1, I have no further interest in changing companies. Zilch.

3rd. The people who run me are really good, no, excellent at keeping me moving.

4th. Because of all the above, I know and Swift knows that we will be together for a considerable length of time. I am bound by both contract and honor. And thus, one more dedicated driver has been successfully retained. Swift and myself have a two-year contract with each other. We will both profit handsomely from the association. I can say with near 100% certainty, that I will buy BB at the end of the lease and run her for another 2 years until I own her free and clear. (Ya hear that one, Smooth??? LOL)

Swift makes money off the freight I move. Interstate leasing makes money off the interest on the lease. At the $87,000 market value at the time of lease inception, the price of the tractor was certainly fair. Any dealer would have stickered BB at approximately $10,000.00 more. Any lender would have charged 17% or higher on the note. IEL charges 13% on the lease and 11% on the buyout financing. Given the reasonable pricing and interest, I am glad, if not entirely grateful to do business with Swift/IEL.

Pride of ownership goes a long way with most people. And nowhere is pride more prevalent than in the trucking industry. Everybody, and I mean everybody checks out what’s goin’ down the road. And then there’s the fatigue factor. Because of the manner in which BB glides down the highway, my energy is conserved much more so than in the Volvo. I work less to keep the truck moving more. And as odd as that may sound, I am covering more ground and feeling considerably less beat up, concurrently. And I simply cannot emphasis enough the importance of consistent road speed. Top end aside, ol’ BB doesn’t slow down much for hills. Mountain climbs are improved over Betty at 32-35 mph. A very welcomed bonus.

Driver retention, despite the cynicism, appears to be very important, due to the costs associated with high turnover figures. So in Swift’s actions regarding the leasing of tractors, I feel that they really are doing their best to keep their more valuable runners in house.

Leasing only works for those who can actually run their rigs on a consistent basis. Were I to have a family, say, and a house to maintain, then the lease wouldn’t work as well for me. I run my rig 600 miles per day, without fail. The exception to this rule would be load/unload days, restarts and scheduled/surprise visits to the hallowed halls of Kenworth/Cummins.

A simple ballpark formula looks like this:

$100.00/day fixed costs (Payment, Insurance, Plates, Etc.)
$289.00 100 gallons of fuel (@ 6 mpg)
$389.00 total
$50.00 For anything else I may have missed
$439.00

600 miles per day (loaded/flatbed) @ .94CPM
$564.00
Fuel Surcharge @ .26CPM (@ 6 mpg)
$156.00
$720.00 Total
<$439.00> Expenses/fuel
$281.00 Gross profit/day @ 600 miles

Now, if we kick the mpg up to 6.5, look what happens:
600 miles divided by 6.5 = 92.30 gallons burned.
We conserved 7.70 gallons @ $2.89/gal (current avg. price) which equals $22.25. Not huge by itself (breakfast and dinner) but factor the savings over one month’s time, say 12000 miles and we have a savings of $445.06, times 10 months of actual running, and that’s almost five grand in my pocket.

I came into this business primarily to make enough money to fund my addiction for the sea. It’s a bonus that I love what I am doing in flatbed. It’s an even bigger bonus that Melton sent me to Swift and that Swift’s flatbed division and I fit like two proverbial peas. And I just saw a brand-spankin’ new Melton Freightliner Columbia headin’ the other way. Oh well… there goes the T-600 neighborhood. <eek!>

‘Scuse me, but I’m still gushing over all of this…..

No comment :twisted:

Is this the place?

And thanks for the update.

Hey clint....Looks like you are doing really good!! I enjoy reading your posts. Those numbers are really good!!

tootie

tootie brings up a question.

Is the FSC variable? How does it function?

To be continued.... 8)

Indeed it 'tis...

Way back in the NYC days (circa 1998) I worked in a salon near Union Square on 13th shtreet (as it is pronounced). I was the lead massage therapist, working on 8-10 5'9" skinnys/day. Models from Ford, Calvin, Lauren, name it, they were on my table. Quite an experience, but it eventually ended my career. Too much angst, nervousness, client dependecy issues and psychical overload.

I hung out at Jules almost nightly just to burn the edge off from the day. Even then, I couldn't shut off the telepathic conductivity. I was so open back then, it literally took years to shut down that function of my brain. I could read people from across the room, and I hated it after a while.

One of my more powerful "afterworld" channelings ocurred in Jules with a man whose mother had recently died. He was sitting next to me at the bar. I was in my usual seat. We had not yet acknowledged each other, but a chill came over me. "Oh no, not again" I thought to myself. What could it be this time?

As much as I tried to fend off the interruption to an otherwise peaceful repast, his mother would not desist. Sh*t, ok what do you want?, I inquired.

It was her final request, before fully departing for the earth's energy field, to make her son aware of her feelings of regret for being so emphatic about the completion of his education in medicine. She was a tyrant with him. But, he finished his studies and became an MD.

When I asked her if she really, really wanted me to spoil this man's evening with her request, she replied with a yes. I told her I wasn't going to do it, and she nagged me until it was too much for me to handle. I was nearing convulsions at her insistence.

So, I looked over at the fellow to my left. I humbly appologized for disturbing him and told him that I had a message for him. He looked rather amused and said "Oh? And what could that be?"

I told him that his mother wanted him to know that she was very sorry for being so hard on him during his time in Med school, but she wanted him to know how proud she was that he made it through to become a doctor.

The man was in shock (a look I've seen a thousand times). He fell apart in tears at the bar. When asked how I knew of this, I just told him that it was my curse. When he finally regained his composure, he went on to tell me all the details of what the message meant to him, and how its receipt cleared him of some very deeply-seated emotions with regard to his relationship with his mother. Closure had come to him in areas he assumed would never be resolved. He thanked me repeatedly for my work and proceeded to pick up the tab for my meal.

Just another enchanted evening in NYC. :shock:

Thanks for finding the link, Colin. Perhaps I'll get to rekindle some of my more ghostly connections......

Yes. The fuel surcharge is calculated and factored each Monday and varies according to a fuel price chart furnished by Swift. The specific amount is then multiplied by the number of dispatched miles for a given trip and then reimbursed to the driver on the weekly settlement for said trip.

The dollar amounts kicked back are rather impressive.

I will furnish the audience with actual settlement data at some point in the near future in the interest of showing everyone how the game works and can be played.

Make no mistake. The "getting going" part is expensive, and to a person who does not fully comprehend the program, the first few weeks will either make you ill or sharpen your pencil in short order. The true value of my decision will unfold in the months, not weeks ahead.

But rest assured, Da' Man is off to a very, very good start. 8)

Wind is Cheap :lol:

The spiritual realm indeed is alive and real. :!:

Very true Big Wheels....although my antenna is not very sensitive to that side of things, my old girlfriend's was...some of the experiences she described left me wishing I could tune in. It did strengthen my faith and confidence that there truly is something beyond what is in front of our noses!

Get her and Clint in the same room and watch out...you could microwave a hotdog on all that energy..... :D

Zzzzzzzzzzzzap! :twisted:

I had a lot to say, but I gotta get running. Deadhead to Pittsburgh from Riverhead. For what, I don't know yet.... The run down Long Island through Brooklyn and over the Verrazano was magnifique'. Even in all the traffic, I was a smilin' ex-New Yorker.

More later.

Riverhead to Pittsburgh..DH???? What are they thinking :shock: I hope your next load is something special.
Still following your adventures with interest.

:? Si'. We do this every now and again. My longest DH to date was almost 600 miles to go load at John Deere in Otumwa, IA. But ours is not to question why.... We just do.... @ 81CPM, thank you :roll:

Two coils; that was the big news. Very fancy galvanized babies, all wrapped up in very pretty plastic. These things look spendy. We are heading off to North Carolina together. A quick little 400-ish mile jog for me and BB. That's fine.

When the energy catches up with me, I wanted to outline what one could reasonably expect at the beginning of a lease deal. They were not all too clear as to how it begins, and, if a new lessor is not prepared, it could be a bit scary. So, the next rant will be on the practicalities of starting your own business and how to be prepared.

This is by no means a complaint. But it might explain why leasing is such a challenge to many. In short, you have the fire behind you and the carrot in front of you. In the middle, lies one's destiny, fate and the reality of his or her own creation. The Abyss, as Aleister Crowley once coined it.

Truthfully....we had to give up the sailboat because my wife had to have a titanium plate put in her neck with 6 screws..essentially fusing 3 vertebrae. It had gotten rather difficult for her to get around on the boat, and her upper arm strength just isn't what it used to be. So now I have to buy a trawler with a big windlass on it. Says she won't drag anymore anchors up off the bottom... :shock: :lol: :lol: :lol:

And she said we were outgrowing the boat and needed more room. And I think that living in the tube that sailboats are...gets alittle confining after awhile. I started feeling that way too.

We also noticed that we took the sailboat out to play less than we used to when we had our big power boat. When we had it we were never at the dock when I had off time.

I do miss the "Meri-Mac", she was a fine boat. I rebuilt that boat and shed blood in her bilges...but when I sold her, she was truly "Bristol"!!

Looking at something like a 42' Present or a 43' Marine Trader with twin diesels..... alittle more comfortable and spacious. Big aftdecks for enjoying a couple of "sundowners" :D :D

Now back to our previous topic.... :D :D

Clint it was great talking to you again!! Stay in touch!!

Ditto and likewise. Indeed I shall... :lol:

Without question, the trawler affords some very nice benefits over a sail boat. The catamaran idea Geo mentioned a while back is a very nice compromise between the two. Very fast under sail to boot and tons of space.

This has been an epic week for me and BB. I'm about 100 miles from my drop in northern Indiana as I write this. I didn't know that I could cover so much ground. But, I did. And, in usual Swift fashion, I am pre-planned to Nogales to keep moving over the weekend. (Gee, thanks.)

I'm keeping this one breif on account of Zzz's, but I will fill in some previously mentioned blanks within the next few days. I am just smoked... :oops:

So what of this lease purchase business anyway? Why does it get such a bad rap? Why do so many people fail at it? What makes it so difficult to get up and running? Why does it seem so unthinkable that a trucking company would want to put a great truck within reach of those who wish to become independent contractors? How did the people who failed run their businesses? Were they prepared for the challenges associated with self-employment? One has to wonder as to the credibility of the masses of great disappointment. Am I getting fleeced? Don’t think so.

However, one must fully appreciate what one is getting in to when they start signing paperwork.

Just like changing jobs, there is down time between incomes. It was three weeks from the receipt of my last company driver paycheck to my first O/O settlement, and the first O/O settlement was a negative balance. Hmm. Why? Because, Swift pays one week in arrears, but the truck/additional costs begin immediately upon signing contracts. Oh!? Yes. Oh. OK.

Just like starting any small business, there are start up costs and a period of no income. If you have money in savings to cover the “no money” period, then great. If you don’t, bummer. Should’a waited… I had the money to cover my first payment, my first batch of tie-down equipment, the headache rack, and to keep myself fed/pay bills. It can be a real bitch if you don’t have these things covered when you make the change.

Then, you have to allow for the pay deductions for the balance of the $2500.00 down payment and the deductions for the $1500.00 performance bond. The down payment installations are clipped at $100.00/week and the performance bond is clipped at $50.00/week until both are paid in full. In a few months, these deposits will be paid, but $150.00/week is being taken, and needs to be anticipated. Another deduction that will occur is the “excessive mileage” fee. This is calculated at 11CPM when the tractor exceeds 11,000 miles per month. As would be expected, I will see a good bit of activity here. Also, the maintenance account is currently being funded at a chosen rate of .06¢ per mile.

The cool thing about the excessive mileage deduction is that any money accumulated during the lease period will be applied to the balloon, should one intend to buy the tractor after the end of the leasing period. Effectually, Swift will help me to buy BB with this money. How nice! Right?

I could not make an educated guess as to how many people went for the L/P actually had the benefit of proper education before jumping in. Equally, I cannot guess as to how many people who have had their own businesses before signing up.

Having started and run several small enterprises in the past, I have some previous experience with new small businesses. I know what it takes to get things up and running. I understood what to expect, in terms of operating costs (almost). I revere independence more than anything hence; I had no fear going into the lease. Plus, I knew how I/we could run. This further served to reduce the anxiety and the wondering as to how well I would do. My struggles with Swift do not come from money; they come from managing fatigue and my HOS.

I trusted Swift with my success and my sanity when I assumed the financial liability for BB. And equally, I trusted my CPA. Without these two trust issues fully accommodated, one cannot expect to win at this game. By the time next week’s settlement hits, I will have punched a clean hole right through $10,000.00 in gross revenue to the company that holds the note on BB. $10k+, folks.

What really helped me was the fact that I knew that I didn’t know anything, or much anyway, about what I was doing. I went with my gut instincts and little else. So often is the case in where “real truckers” swear they know everything, when in fact, their words are mere recitations of bs heard ‘round the campfire. I hate to condemn the larger body of truckers whom I have met, but they are indeed a sorry lot of know-it-all/know-nothings who thrive on misery and complaint. I politely dismiss my self when I feel the “sky is falling” mentality as it begins to rear its ugly head.

It is imperative that you love driving in order to be successful. Ownership (lease ship) necessitates motion in perpetuity. If you can’t keep the truck rolling at least 500 miles/day, don’t do it. If you can’t run your logbook wisely, don’t do it. If you need days off during the month to be with your family, then you’ll need to go over your monthly “nut” to see how much time you can reasonably expect to get off without falling precariously behind in revenue. All of these things are critical to success and should not be foolishly overlooked.

I am an ideal candidate for success in this program. I no longer have a home. I am very reclusive in my existential philosophy and living patterns. I don’t settle down well at all. My overhead has been all but eliminated, save for the wireless bill, car and insurance payments.

Out of all my small business ventures, this is the lowest start-up cost venture to date. With my initial down payment, coupled to some period of no revenue, it is still peanuts compare to my photography/videography endeavor, which, all told, cost nearly $100k to start. And as long as I keep Ms. BB rolling, my income is highly predictable, which was not the case in several past business scenarios. If I move freight, the (my) company makes money; guaranteed.

Next Up: The Art of Fueling. :shock:

Clint, keep up the good posting. It's very insightful and I glad to see that the Swift move worked so well for you.

Keep us updated on the lease. It's nice to read a positive experience when it comes to leasing.

If my guessamatation system is working, on a +/- system,im gonna guess your take home pay,after all the stuff to the truck,taxes and weekly prostitute visit....should net you around 800 for the first couple of months till your downpayment is taken care off.

Well iv'e been running around like a chicken with its head cut-off,i did not know how busy we would get,i do now...lol.
i'm loving it,last week i did 3500mi,this week would of been the same,but someone wanted to change dlv date to the following day,so im gonna get a 34hr restart,and run like no tomorrow for the following week,i need to save as much as i can.

I thought my dog was gonna be MIA,she decided she wanted to go sight seeing without me,it was pitch black,i was searching for 20min,looking for her.I had that dreaded gut feeling,thought i was gonna cry,when i couldnt find her. 25 min later she comes strolling back to the truck,she had that look on her face,like "oh shit,he's gonna beat my ass", any other time she would of got a beat down,but i was just happy to have her back.So now,she grounded,cant go outside without a leash,and has to lick clean my dirty smelly socks.

Keep us updated,always nice to know,what to expect from these lease deals from people actually doing it.

OMG. My first restart since acquiring BB. And boy, did I need it. Running off the recap is fine for a while, but all things must end, if only for a little while. I slept for 14 hours.

I spent some time on the phone with my accountant today. We went over the income to date. While good, my technique needs some fine-tuning with regards to fueling practices and payroll ending dates. I’ll have a good post up this evening with all that we have learned.

Sorry for the lapse in posting, but I’ve been working my tail (or what’s left of it) off.

More news at 10:00.

Hasta…

OK. So in the beginning of things, the income stream is inconsistent. The reasons that I am going through pay periods with either no, little or negative income are simple and slightly befuddling. It all has to do with when the trips clear payroll, when the fuel charges hit, and how the lease payment/other stuff accrues. This is to be expected, and to someone who relies on weekly income with no buffer, it could be devastating. In time, my work will catch up with the billing cycles and surpass them, that is certain.

If I didn’t keep asking the right people questions about these matters, it would be all too easy to misconstrue these inconsistencies as malicious business practices designed to screw the driver. I never assume the “victim role” as is so common to, well, common people. Rather, I look objectively at what is going on and do my best to see my way through to the light at the end of the “start-up” tunnel. And I am well on my way. This is not to say that I am having an easy time of it, but, I am not overwhelmed by the process. Again, this is the ticket for a runner as time will prove.

“It’s not what you earn, it’s what you keep that matters”. Well, in the beginning, one sure-fire way to keep the bulk of the dough is to make certain that you only buy enough fuel to run the current trip. That’s a biggie. Reason being, if you buy more fuel that is necessary to run a given trip, and the paperwork doesn’t clear the ending date of the pay period, I then have fuel charges for yet-to-be paid trips on my current settlement. This is not to say that the money is lost and gone for ever, it just means that the profit in the current pay period was negated by excessive fuel charges, which will then bear profit in the next pay period. And it may take a week or two for the profit to make it into my bank account. Meanwhile, the lease payment/other stuff continues to be billed to my account, so even though I am running epic mileage, it will still take some doing to get ahead of the curve. Hence the previous comment concerning the fire behind me and the carrot in from of me.

When anyone starts a small business, there are numerous challenges one has to surmount on the way to seeing a steady income stream. Considering the reliability of miles and dollars, any fool can see that this is one of the potentially lowest risk start-ups to be had. Having the patients, motivation and open-mindedness to see one’s way through the initial challenges is another story, all together.

A nice thing to look forward to, in terms of mellowing the positive/negative spiking, will be the accelerated pay function. This is where the driver is paid when the empty call is QC’d before the Wednesday midnight cut-off. So rather than waiting for the trip envelope to hit the payroll offices, Swift pays based on the e-call and then finishes the settlement (tolls, expenses, etc.) when the trip envelope arrives. As would be expected, it takes months of reliable delivery performance before they hand this privilege out. And then it takes a couple of weeks for the change to take effect. My friend just busted his accelerated pay “cherry” but it hasn’t kicked in yet. Needless to say, we are both interested to see how it affects his settlements…

All of this is very exciting to me. I am enthralled with all the strategic thinking, as well as the work itself. By virtue of the fact that it isn’t easy, the occupation lights up all of my remaining brain cells and adrenal glands. Many fall to pieces in the beginning due to being ill-informed and ill-prepared. We hear about it here all the time. I will do no such thing. Yeah, the $$$ are a bit thin right now, but that will change over the course of the next few months. In the meantime, I continue to do what I do best. I work my friggin’ butt off. And, freight levels are going back through the roof at Swift. Imagine that…..

Hey Clint...is everything OK?? I hope your lack of posting means you are busy making money 8)

I check once a week to see how ya are doing and was just wondering.....

tootie

Yes, Tootie. I'm fine and also, yes, I've been silly busy. I took a couple of weeks off from posting (or so it seems) while some things shook out. I am very pleased to inform my readers that all is going better than expected. It looks more and more like this gig as an O/O is like having a license to print cash. I will elaborate further, as time permits.

Much has happened since last I wrote. But, like I said, it's been an amazing journey. And as I peer further into the pool, the view just gets better...

Please be patient. 8)

BUT, BUT!!!!

We need our fix!!! :cry:

No problem.....i'll check in next weekend.....Glad all is OK.

You have the biggest problem licked and that is learning to play the game. LP will work but it is not for everyone, I agree with that 100% 8)

tootie

Ok. Where to begin?

Last week’s settlement posted with a whopping 6575 loaded miles and 249 empty miles. The combined gross revenue, to the truck, was $8231.19. The net revenue was $4798.95. $3564.59 (gross revenue) was from my run from Tacoma, WA to Riverhead, NY, which had not posted on the previous week’s settlement due to missing paperwork. Can’t make money on a lease, you say? Keep dreaming. My maintenance account is getting phat, like, quick. And, I am going to bump the withholding amount from .06¢/mile to .15¢ next week. If I can get the lease and the balloon paid in three years, as opposed to four, I’ll be a very happy soon-to-be J-44 owner sooner than anticipated. Cocktails will be on me, Geo/Skywalker. Just name the island…..

I am now ahead of the curve, which I spoke of in a previous post. Didn’t really take all that long, did it? Nope.

I don’t really care to write a run-down of where I have been and what I’ve been doing. It seems pointless at this stage. Anyone who has read this thread in its entirety will know that Swift has the freight and the miles, at least for me and the fellow flat runners that I have met.

I am banging out more work than I ever thought possible. The office team in the flatbed division gives me a lot of challenges, but me ‘n ol’ BB just keep showing them who’s boss.

BB is in for a few days off in the next couple of weeks, anyway. Seems as though a certain deer decided to graze in the open road while she and I were heading towards Las Cruces. Inland Kenworth furnished a repair estimate in the amount of $10,000.00. Venison doesn’t come cheap. My deductible is $1000.00, but I have more than enough to cover it, plus some other work, which I would like to have done while she is down. I couldn’t help but to see Bob as I punched out Bambi. Rough one. But, we carry on.

Everyone through the claim process was extremely helpful in getting me prepared to have BB fixed. Swift even has loaner trucks for use (at a fair rate) for extended periods of downtime. This way, I can still generate revenue while sweetie is getting a new hood, etc. How cool is that?

I guess that the most important thing I could talk about at this point, is the shift in thinking which has either recently occurred or has just been entirely confirmed altogether.

Social beliefs, memetics, religious principals, thought contagions and other <ahem> widely-accepted ideas are poison to individuality; yet, they make the herd feel good. Just as they were intended to. We also know that misery loves company, and to the general populace, success is a curse to other people’s complacency. My active readers have cheered me on, while going forward into this lease and buy with Swift. But the numbers of people who interact with me here are but a few compared to the number of views currently listed on the forum index. What do you think is humming in the background with all the lurkers? Give one cause to ponder, doesn’t it? Who cares, anyway.

In my absence from the thread, I re-wrote some of my internal code and came out the other side of the event as an owner in totality. I bought the package hook, line and sinker. I am very proud of what I have done and now, even more so. Herd-mentality is for sheep and I am a wolf. Owning a truck and running it well is a thinking man’s (woman’s) sport. As is evidenced by my income, it would appear that with less than 9 months of total OTR experience, I have been able to elevate my game to that of someone with several years of experience.

I would have never gotten to this place at either Watkins Shepard or Arrow. Frankly, they were not good enough for me. Swift saw me for who I was and treated me accordingly, despite my short time in the seat.

My job is completed here. We’ve gone through freshman orientation to O/O in 4 month’s time. I have been thorough in all my words and hoped to show the audience what can be accomplished with solid work ethics, principals of etiquette and right use of Will.

My Will, not thy will be done.

Xeper.

A successful lease story? At swift no less? Geez, what will people complain about now Clint? You've gone and ruined everything! :wink: :D

Hey Clint...nice job. Be sure to call when you are heading Sactown way. The offer's still open.

And no matter whether you believe in My Will be done (you) or Thy Will be done (me)...you've been doing a great job and deserve a "well done!!!". Keep em rolling!!!

PS...couple of tunes to add to your itune library: Peter Rowan, Reggaebilly album. Songs: Little Maggie & Vulture Peak. Check em out....good rollin tunes.

Its about time you gave us an update,glad to here that you are making the muhla.

July 9th i will be in the same position as you, i still have my doubts,but i believe this oppurtinity was handed to me for a reason,im getting a truck that i want,no downpayment,7 months already paid on the lease, i'll have this sucker paid off in cash,when the lease is up.

I have money saved up for the initial change from company to L/O,as long as im doing what im doing now,i will still have a decent paycheck at the end of the week(not as good as you flatbedders though).

Tuesday i will be in pheonix to take the sucess 101 class, after that i should have my questions answered.

Hey Clint I know you said you don't care about home time. I have been looking at Swift flatbed when I start driving. I went to a local school last year received my CDL A looking to start driving in about a year. Wondering about home time from Swift Flatbed.