I used to be an owner op, sold my truck about 8 years ago and picked up a local job delivering block on a flat bed, i spend half my day in the truck and half on my forklift, I make about 1k a week working about 35hrs a week, I'm usually off work by 1pm and don't work weekends and don't have to deal with all the bull crap like logs and scales and best of all, I have a life outside a truck. I'll be dammed if I ever drive otr again.
Then it wasn't 4 you. Some ppl actually love what we do. Some ppl it's a lifestyle & we're not complaining about every lil negative part of the job because the negative part of other jobs are greater.
I am truly happy for you for seeking and successfully finding the exact same kind of job that I did in trucking for 25 years. If you have everything all hooked up, a nice home, and financial stability, this is your place. Don't ever let go.
I paid off 54k in a little over 2 years.. that was my truck and trailer. I also put back a decent amount of money for breakdown and for times like this. I’ve been parked for 3 months and could only do that because I prepared for it.. I’ve been doing this long enough to know that the great rates weren’t going to last. This man on here speaks truth!! I’m putting my equipment back on the road at end of July.. rates aren’t the best but I think they’re manageable for the most part.. live cheap! No high dollar a month car payment, mortgage is reasonable, etc etc.. good luck to all of y’all out there
We shouldn’t have to live cheap. We are business owners, and skilled laborers in just about any other field. We would be millionaires, but because we are truck drivers, and apparently most of us don’t know our own value we are treated like slaves.
I'm buying a truck for 81.5k in the next couple of weeks, leasing it under my bosses Authority to keep insurance cheap and to make it easier on my self. Its got way more power than I ever need and I'm pulling about 13k lbs 1 way and probably if no returns 44k on the way back. Average rates are about 1.80-2$ a mile for dry van depending where you are, I know the heat map, but things are actually starting to pick back up again, peak season is around the corner and the overall Stock market it self with company earnings are doing good this quarter. Currently, we're at the lowest Inflation % in the last 2 years thanks to the FED Hikes from Jerome Powell. Luckily for me I am in a position where if the truck breaks down or I need it in the shop then I can do that while jumping back into one of my bosses trucks to run as a typical company driver during that down time. A lot of people do not have this luxary and we also have dedicated lanes right now.
@@achaosg the cost to run a Truck is between $1.50 to $2.50 per mile depending on fuel. Your Boss whom you’ll lease onto and taking some weekly %10 to %30 and than charging you probably 800 a month for insurance. There’s not enough to go around to hand anyone %10 to 30% the guys whom do that and make it work. They own their equipment and they Do 99% of the work their selves. To get your own Authority after the initial premium which first year is always the highest will drop to $500 to $800 a month depending on your credit and MVR mines $700 a month for a perfect MVR crap credit and 4 years in business without any claims flatbed insurance is higher than van (that itself is a scam, but that’s another topic) the only reason to lease onto someone that makes sense to me is for steady good paying year round work and 1 way freight paying less than the cost to operate isn’t a successful business model take $81,000 and start a mobile mechanic shop or mobile welding. Or gun smithing or any of a 1000 business where you don’t face a 35,000 dollar break down risk everyday and what nobody tells you is not only can and you will have a 20k breakdown but you can have another 20k breakdown 30 miles from the last one. I had a clutch go out and the shop quoted 2,500 and kept my truck 9 days and charged $5,500 and 3 days after I got it back the Front carrier to the differential went out and I was quoted 2,900 and they kept my truck 14 days and billed me $5,018.47 and than 5 days later my Injector went out. $1,200 I did it myself. 6 days later I lost a trailer tire which took 5 trailer floor cross members totaling $2,300 and it never ends my friend and I don’t haul Frieght for less than $3.50 on every single mile Empty & loaded and still I’m not some successful business I’m a barely breathing trucker and I was foolish to think you can be a successful trucker without owning 6 to 10 trucks with how small the profit margin is and the risks.
I retired 1 month ago after 41 year's of being OTR, im really not going to miss it because my best days out of the 41 years were from 1982 to 2010, after that it started to go downhill fast with all the BS regulations DEF, ELD no parking,, high cost of repairs on the road when u break down, and ur lucky if the dealership's have parts that are available if not you sit for days weeks ETC,,, the other thing is nobody has any respect for others, holding the fuel pumps, piss bottles everywhere, roads all sk because of potholes in e every major highway especially NY Illinois, CT, and into MN all liberal states ,ETC,,,,,, I wish the young generation alot of luck because trucking has gone to hell. I WOULDN'T BUY A TRUCK !!!!! There's no money in it, unless you want to live out of a suitcase and have no life.
@@willsr.9154hello im 20 and i wanna become a trucker just to save up 50k. im able to save 95% of my money and currently have 5k. I want some tips into what would be the best to haul and otr or local and would it be better being an owner operator. I just want good money to save and start in real estate thank you im located in far west Texas
I feel ya but don't agree, 32 years I been at this. I broke my leg & was down for 18 months, I couldn't wait 2 get back in my truck. Rates ain't the best & I knew they were gonna come 2 a end also but consistency is still key. My truck is paid off & yes there are breakdowns but no eld. No big car payments or mortgage. I have a life at home as I go home when I feel like it. It's not all peaches & cream but it's what I loved since I was a kid. I worked in plants & that was modern day slavery. I'm doing what I love 💜😃
Im 26 got out of prison a year ago. Got into trucking in 2023. Quickly realize Trucking aint what it used to be. I’m leaving trucking to start my own business next year 💯
@user-zr9sr5if4b trucking ain't 4 every body but 4 you 2 say it ain't what it used 2 be is krazy. I was trucking b4 you were born, it's still the same if you kno what your doing. Change is a part of life, trucking is a lifestyle. Sounds like your not built 4 this lifestyle. Nothings wrong wit that but don't say it's not what it used 2 be when you don't kno what it used 2 be. No offense but you don't have the time in this lifestyle 2 be judgmental.
Well said. That's exactly who they are. The "drivers" that paid $200k for a junker truck /w 500k miles and 20% interest rate. They waiting for $5/mile to come back 😂😂😂😂😂😂
Obviously neither one of you have a lot of experience behind the wheel to disrespect other drivers like that. Your parents should be ashamed of how they raised you. As always…it starts at home. Whether rich or poor…morals and respect for others are taught by the parents…sorry y’all missed out
@drivingwheelswithkeith2682 has nothing to do with what you're talking about. It is basic economics. Laws of supply and demand. Respect plays no role at all. I never told anyone to take those idiotic deals for those junk trucks, and at the time, I had less than a year driving, and even then, I knew it was a terrible sale. I never wished failure on anyone but back then I was constantly criticize whenever I said those rate couldn't last. Now look. 🤷♂️
@@rogerg0834 I love history. Your remark makes me think of those long ago wheat farmers who were raising $2/bushel bumper crops in 1918 that saw prices a little over a decade later of less than $0.25/bu.
Let me humble myself. I failed from getting my emotions involved. I lost my truck and everything. And it was my fault. Thank you for this vlog. I appreciate truth and it hurts. Hopefully I can do it again. Lesson learned. LOSE YOUR EMOTIONS AND STAY CONSISTANT. Just a lesson to pass on. Hope it helps someone.
dig in put your brains to work ask 4 help advice or get pissed and quit THINKING . No room 4 failure kick butt team up. Do what it takes to be proud u did what u determined.
Everybody’s gonna have an opinion. As an owner operator with a $2250 a month truck payment I see where this industry has declined rapidly! Rates are still waaaaaayyyy down compared to 2020/2021. For me it’s about running smarter NOT longer. These “effin” brokers have drained my love & passion for trucking!!!!! Can’t even get a decent rate nowadays! Anything less than $2.00 a mile is a DAMN JOKE
You are 100% correct. Rates go up and go down. Take the good with the bad but those drivers that thought they had found the rainbows end in the previous 2 years are now realizing that trucking is super volatile. Keep trucking driver!!
Really thankful for your video. I think it was meant from God for me to see it because I’m really down on my luck right now with Trucking. I’ve been getting screwed over and over and over again by these companies out of Chicago and I appreciate your video.
@BloomingRose60 You are not lying. I was out of trucking for a year. Took a Job with Kim Logistics out Chicago. This is my 4th week. And I'm about to go with a different company because of this. I got stuck going to a small facility in Pittsburgh. And had to reverse onto the street. And return into the facility. Thank God there was a class B dump truck in back of me to help me back out. It was a nightmare but I made it. Horrible route planning and just take any load. And then lie and say there options are limited. A wewk before the tornadoes in Iowa and Nebraska. I went up a dirt road outside Lincoln to get cattle feed. Absolutely horrible. When I stopped to put GPS in. The whole truck was rocking back and forth from the wind gusts. Talk about holding on for dear life.
I have been doing this for 37 years. My secret for survival is… I buy my trucks new with 500k warranty, and keep them for 10 years. The first five years I pay off my truck, the next five years I continue making the same payment into my business account and draw my repairs from that account. Let’s say my payment is 4K a month. 48 k a year. Even if I average 20k a year in repairs I still have a surplus of 140k to either invest into a new truck or invest in something else.
great video. I bought my w900 during the start of the inflation worked it 5 months made good money in that period sold it and made 50k profit on the truck. Took those 50k and earnings i made bought myself a daycab and trailer cash working local
I worked for 7 years in europe. About 3 months otr with 2-3 weeks at home. I quit because of dispatchers because they were assholes and because of police because they treated you like a criminal.
Man you are exactly right. I grossed $5800 as a lease operator for Swift last week working 7 days. After all expenses I brought home $2750 and that’s a with a $660 truck payment and $200 insurance payment. I chased the hell outta those miles though. Truth is the money is still there and if this truck was paid off I’d be doing even better. Also put 20 cpm in maintenance account
@Eli9A I wouldn't. If that's your pay, net, there no point. Just keep in mind that most company drivers don't make anywhere close to that week after week. They might have 1 or 2 good weeks every 4 months and net $1700+ but that's not common for company drivers. More like $1300 net week after week.
I drive truck for a year then take a year off . Been doing this for the last 8 years. You basically work 2 years worth of hours in 1 year anyway . Hate every minute while I’m trucking but the time off is worth it !
One or two bad things with trucking is not enough truck parking and not enough places with showers for truckers and not enough places for truckers to get quality food at a reasonable prices
Here is my style. Don't run cheap freight at. Chase more money less miles. Park it when time's are tough. This is only my way and it's worked for me every time. Everything is paid for ( full disclosure )
@@legenda4341 yes they have. Truck has been parked for 18 months. I plan on everything going to crap all the time. It has cost me and saved me countless times and I guess I'm about at break even. I do other things to make a few bucks. I've lost so much money do to brokers and of course factoring companies that it is very hard knowing that you are a victim every time you start that truck. Best of luck out there.
I'm not a trucker, but my neighbor drove a tractor trailer for 40 years. He retired a couple years. He told me trucking was filled with fun and freedom when he started. When he retired, new technology like gps and digital log books ruined it. Companies wanted to know why you made left instead of a right and they watched your drive hours closely. I can't speak from experience, but it sounds like alot of things lately. Technology sucked the fun out of everything.
What he left out was those ELD (electronic log devices) are the reason why drivers are parking where they can for two MANDATORY thirty minute breaks and when we got to the end of our eleven hour work day. If you go ONE minute of that allotted 11 hours and those log show you didn't take those TWO mandatory thirty minute breaks you are in for a huge fine. No exceptions. Those fines are the reasons that fuel many new drivers to simply park fully loaded trucks and say 'fuck it, I'm outta here, come get YOUR goddam truck".
That is true but the guy he is describing does not sound like an owner operator. Most trucks on the road are 2007 or newer and require eld's. Guys have gotten tickets for stupid reasons such as having the eld on local instead of over the road setting even though the eld recorded EVERYTHING that an over the road would have covered too. It's stupid but thats the way it is. The guy sounds to me like someone who knows how to do a job and doesn't want or need electronic eyes looking at him from a thousand miles away. The job is simply thankless and I am not going to do it again. @@itchintogo7689
I heard one story from a so-called driver that was supposedly pulling in upto $20k a month and given the current economy in trucking they had to "hang it up" and turn the truck in because the income is so low. 🤦♂️ People that are this feakn bad at business MUST go bankrupt because if you were pulling in up to $20k/mo and you dont have ANY money saved or your truck paid off you're a damn fool.
You clearly don't understand the expenses involved. 20k Gross is way different than 20k Net. This is why we have so many idiots that came into Trucking during Covid
When times are good truck hard because times will change. When times are bad run hard till the times change. And this golden rule "always buy toys with cash". I try to never use income to buy debt. God Bless till next time Sammy.
Thanks for the advice brother. I been down on myself thinking negative. I know better. Thank you for the encouraging message. It was meant for me to see this message. 💪🏾👊🏾🙏🏾
Thanks man I needed that. I’m a company driver for 4 years now. Hard for me to get credit and money saved because I have family members that rely on me to help them financially so I’m left with a low-fat bank acct. I made my own way since I was a teenager. But times have changed it seems. Keep it rollin!
I hate OTR. Not enough parkings to rest, too much waste of time at shippers and receivers. Get paid by the hours and week ends off. Peace of mind. Don't Make no sense to have an appointment at 2 PM and get the load at 10 PM. Running out of hours, can't keep your eyes open, your brain is tired and can't find nowhere to safely park. No respect for drivers at all. The drivers are considered like sauvages without family. Crazy environment... I am out of those B.S.
My hats off to you guys and gals I guess who are still out there trying!! I had my tractor when fuel was 70 and going up. When it hit 99 we were all pissed big time!! But the people on the roads and stops were a whole lot nicer and considerate than what's out there now!! I've watched a bunch of videos on here and there's a lot of loosers on the road!! But the whole country is getting that way from the top down!! I keep talking to people that if the truckers disappear were in big trouble!! Hang Tough!!!
There is "I'm makin it work" and then there is being successful. This downturn isn't anywhere from over yet, barely making it and saying things like "Equipments paid off" only means your floating on luck till the next break down or tow bill. Trucks cost money to operate, its not a one and done once you purchased it. True, your month to month looks better when you save money on interest. But what the hell is the point of being out here if you eek out a living, this job is terrible for social and family life. You don't get to be home, you live in a 60-80 sq ft box without plumbing using public restrooms all the time. Its crap. Its gotta be rewarding to do it and it just isn't. This downturn has been going strong for 16 months and now contracts are all setting up to renew AGAIN at these bargain basement prices. Throw in the towel this shit isn't coming back for another year or more.
My aunts brother lost everything he had his last year trucking because he was in an accident and was sued. He lost his entire life savings and went back to a factory job.
@@hurt1704 no, i think most insurance just covers a certain amount. I dont know the details but i dont think insurance covered much. Insurance used to be illegal as it was recognised as a scam.
Got my CDL in 09 Remember trainers looking Around the class of 25 (swift) Saying "Look around, in twelve months 10 of will still be working OTR Twenty four months 4 of you will still Be working OTR" Idk if his statistics where correct But labor dept says 90% turn over rate In the first year for CDL drivers
I have been watching you for years bro you are an inspiration. I am a one truck owner operator that has gone up and down in this field for 25 years as a driver owner operator for the last four years. Finally you give me the push to keep going. I’ve been on the road so long that I don’t wanna do the long hauls anymore. Lol but the way things are here on the west, we figured out a maneuver up and down the I five that is going to pay off. Keep doing what you doing brother I grow when I watch your videos.
The Real GrindSmiths are still out here 🚛🚛💨💨Like you said a “Short Term” Situation can decide a persons fate and some people don’t “Trap out the Truck” so they will have problems making 💰💰And those who are throwing in the Towel ima just say this Once you do what I did a few months ago YOU WILL BE BACK😂😂Because after picking orders riding forklifts and dealing with the politics of being around messy co workers and idiots and being paid pennies for what just to be at home every night 🤬🤬SMH I put my stuff in Storage and Returned back to Field 🫡🍻🚛YALL Stay safe and pull it together the Game will get better 💪🏾💪🏾🤟🏾🚛🚛💨💰🍻
💖💖💖 Good Content but these people today are ignorant and it’s the blind leading the blind out here ! You just can’t fix stupid ! But at least you try to tell them !!!!!!!! Good Video !!!! Poptart
I’m on a process of getting two driver and drive them local / regional. Then I’m done. Make 1k per truck a week I’m golden . I’m will not do this anymore with me as a driver .You see this guys talking 6-10k a week. Those guys are the same guys you see on the truck stop with 30 years in trucking trying to make it. There is so many ways to make money is not even funny. My friend became a digital photographer all aspects of his life are on point. While mine became stressful, problem with family. Depression. I seen a lot of money but also I seen how quickly it evaporates. Putting you on a never ending cycle. Trust me if you were able to break into this business you can break into any other business. You don’t have to be the owner / worker / mechanic/ labor / dispatch / and the driver to make 1.5/2k a week.
Dude facts. I completely failed cause I saved money got in a bike accident lost everything cause I needed to recover was out for 11 month. Now I’m back on the road for the last 3 month trying to make it all back it a long road but I’ll say this I’m running them miles 3300-4000 miles a week pushing it
@@steven-napoleonwilliams1422 yes sir! I’m trying to but jump the gun and bought thing I thought I could afford. Now I’m trying to just save my credit.
I can honestly say, I often feel like I’m ready to throw in the towel. I’ve been otr for the last 14 years. These last 2 have been a lot of misery for me personally. A few reasons have made me feel down about trucking but it just my opinion. I work for a top LTL company. My terminal is 2hrs from home. When I started with this company I ran team with my good friend. We ran for 2yrs, left out Sunday back home Thursday but my pal was ready to start running local as he was having some issues with his personal life and I don’t blame him one bit. But in return, I had to figure out something else to do and being 2hrs away from home/work, it made local running questionable. I either had to transfer to a yard closest to home which is a good 45-60mins from home and sadly, you do not keep your seniority when transferring, or I find someone else that wants to run team and hope we can mingle well being stuck in a small truck for 2 grown men all week and my other option was running line haul. I went with line haul as it would guarantee me a set run all week every week. I didn’t have but a few yrs seniority so I was left with the night runs after bidding. I leave the house Monday around 5pm work the night and then Tuesday morning I head to a hotel close to work because driving 2-2.5hrs one way to and from work just isn’t feasible. Work doesn’t help pay for the hotel stay during the week unless I’m having to shut down in a different city. I then return home Saturday by 4pm. But once I get home on Saturdays I’m ready to crash from being up since 5pm the day before, drive 647miles in the truck then drive another 145miles in my car to get home being awake for dang near 24hrs. So Saturday is pretty much a wasted day and that leaves me with Sundays to bond with the wife and kids and try to keep my sanity and so on. Not to mention dealing with the daily BS of idiot steering wheel holders who can’t figure out how cruise control works or they are just brain dead to their surroundings and down to the minivans, sometimes I wonder how I can hold it together lol
@@jamesballard6564 you’re absolutely right!! I look back at the years I’ve missed out watching my kids take first steps, speak first words and missed many family events etc. I got into this lifestyle in hopes to be better off in the long run and provide my family with a happy life but now the wife and kids don’t live the happy life I envisioned as I’m never home and they can only enjoy me through FaceTime and it’s really getting to them anymore. I’m not sure what I’d look into next but whatever it is, I won’t take it if it doesn’t allow me a life outside of work. I’m only getting older!
I made mistakes exactly what you said when times were good i didn't prepare for the bad times but knowing what I've experienced man I'll be doing things a lot different this time around!!!
I'm not in trucking but my friend is , i was listening for him , and you have made a lot of sense for anybody to apply in there business and life .. i wish you more success...
With deregulation came an over saturation of drivers and equipment. People who had absolutely no business experience go into debt, took whatever haul they could, thus started the broker's business screwing anybody and everybody, shippers and receivers missing appointments, thus waiting and losing money. I was raised in this business in the 50's, and I saw all this coming with deregulation came in. So, I avoided much of what others are experiencing, but for just so long. Screw America and the Chinese, importers, bought and paid for politicians, and everyone else. I've passed acers and acers of new tractors, trailers, flats and lowboys', all repossessed. So for all of you still in... smarten up - GET OUT.
Gret stuff! My 2 cents, maintenance/future truck fund shoul be atleast 26 cpm, an inframe nowadays, alone is north of $35-40k. Having a separate bank account for this, plus 30% parked aside for taxes, from net income, helps with sleeping better at night.
I quit it. Man, it seems like you’re making great money at 70k. But 3 months out for 4 days off is crazy. You are smarter than you think. I thought I was too dumb to make that kind of money anywhere else but I learned video production and make that easy now. Also my buddy learned to code in like 3 months. He didn’t really believe in himself either but if you find the right teachers I guess it’s easy. I’m going to look into it. Trucking is like slave labor with crooked cops behind every stop sign. What’s the point for 60-70k
Over the road driving sounds like fun at first. After a month behind the wheel, you realize quickly that you made the wrong choice. Life becomes a prison inside your truck. You can't escape. All you want to do is get rid of your truck and work at McDonalds. At least you'll have your social life back. McDonald's is less of a prison than a whole week, stuck in a truck. If you're lucky to find local work as a CDL A driver and able to go home every day, then beautiful! Anything else is prison.
older truck diver guys replaced by 18 y. o. high school grads. Maybe some non- English speaking illegals too. -So, don't drive anywhere without taking out life insurance or making out a will and a trust first...
Trucking Rates have been in the Trash Can, Since March 2022 Fuel Prices twice as high since that time, still haven't recovered, you may be dealing with a Broker, whom isn't trying to screw you, during these times, your trucking career depends on the Broker's you work for, it's not worth it, for the average Dry van, or Refrigerated, unless you have Good Broker's, you have not a Clue what the average Trucker is Experiencing Today in America, if you don't agree with Me, please share the Broker's Names, having you own authority is Night and Day compared to Truckers whom lease on to a Carrier, the Lanes, that you Run, also is a Factor, of survival in the industry today.
I'm almost done with my current prison err I mean driving term. (Time to take a break before the next term. Curse of diesel contaminated blood,lol) Squirlling away during the good times while working 20-40 years is more then enough time and saving in any career anyway unless your a lifer. The highway will always be there,keep that CDL and health safe and clean. Jobs are a plenty for those willing to work.
Also start your own trucking business with 1 truck and file an LLC and get an EIN for them tax breaks and grow your business. Just it make me mad get jealous when foreign people come to America and build a business. I am American and growing my trucking company business
Afterv43 years of OTR truckdriving,I quit to,no more fun,I would get home after 3 are 4 weeks out and could not wait to get back out on the road,but the last few years,I regret getting back in the truck after I got home,and only stay out a week at a time,no money,harassed by DOT,and the people in there 4 wheelers always trying to cut us off,the new truck drivers are very dangerous to be around,watching tv,being on the cell phone,I big fan of life,always afraid of dieing,I never had that problem before,being a owner/op for 30 years,always had enough money but the last few years I was losing money,not worth it,used to make 4 dollars a mile running flatbed,it drop down to 2.00 a mile,not enough money.
I didnt quit trucking but i quit long haul trucking. Got a local job. Im make more money driveing local then i did 5 years of company to company skipping long haul. I go home everyday. See my kids every day. Screw long haul bullshit Long haul is the biggest ripp their ever was . Every company has some special payment plan making it sound like your gonna make money. Your not. Its all designed to rob you of everything but make you think maybe.
Trucking aint what it used to be. Back in the day I could easily bring home $3k a week and be home twice a week as a company driver. Anyone thats been in the biz 20+ years, just hang it up. It ain't worth the headache. You can make todays freight rates as a loadjockey. Seriously.
So, quit could care less. I make so much money in the Trucking industry even in this bad economy it would be stupid to quit. Owner operators are quitting by the dozens every day and that means there's more loads for other drivers.
The trucking industry is screwed. Old ones like myself are retired or just quitting. The next generation has absolutely no interest in a job where you're never home, you're out in the elements, and you can't push a button or call "THE GUY" to fix it. I retired out to the middle of nowhere, so food is growing out back or on the hoof.
Trucking shouldn't be forever but to progress like buy pay off house remodel and INVEST in opening small businesses and get off truck. Maybe do some hotshot runs or local while your other businesses are growing
Oh, I didn't give up. I'm just not going to let anyone treat me the way trucking companies, shippers and receivers thought they were entitled to treat me. They needed me...I didn't need them.
Been there. Done that. Big problem. You live life in the very itsy bitsy tiny window of time with your loved ones. You go back out. Rinse and repeat. Realizing the whole time that the planned time to be home and be part of their life never gonna happen. Until you choose to say enough. All the money in the world does not come close to comparison to 'living' your life with your loved ones. Even though, yea but, or what if. The road or loved ones? Yeah... I know. Eventually.
Best thing I ever did was to leave a shitty paying union trucking job for a substantially better paying linehaul job. And still going home everyday after 10 hours. The good thing about linehaul is, I can tell you every idiot company or contracted drivers to watch out for along my route. Charger, Ego, Gigg, Amazon, XPO, T-Force, Swift, Werner, Central Transport, anything with a red maple leaf, anything with Arabic script, and alot of independent contractors. It's a clusterfuck out here. If you have to speed 10/15 mph everywhere you go, you're just an idiot.
Im a company driver. Flatbeder .. salute you O/Os.. i know my lane and what works for me.. for me its the consitenncy and simplicity. My company has contracts and i get paid percentage of the rate, not cpm.. I know myself, im not a super hero trucker nor am i a numbers crutching business mind. i dont need my name on the side of the door.. i just get my piece of the pie and cruise the roads 💪🏿
What I have learned lazy truck drivers don't make money and they refuse to do 2 stops. Sometimes as an owner operator you have to do 2 stop meaning having 2 loads on the truck. You can make it out here if you have a brain and not lazy.
10:04 "Even in times of failure, keep driving towards success. Those little negative seeds inside your head that keep reminding you of failure, you start believing that until it becomes a fact." Train your mind to manifest success, not failure. Just the reminder I needed today, so many things will bring you down and must guard your mind.
Brother you are an OG and a veteran in this game RUclips trucker Legend let me tell you man thank you for the encouraging words I am an owner operator with my own authority and paid equipment staying strong trying to make it through but sometimes I do wake up with the negativity in my head and you're right why worry so much about a break down before it even comes!! all I'm doing is adding fuel to the fire God bless you brother
America is a maze of loans and credit. You have cash on hand at times, but you are always sitting on some type of debt. You'll be lucky to retire and have a halfway comfortable retirement. The medical costs of old age does most people in.
Damn driver, wish you would've made this video like 2 months ago. I was 10 months from last payment and one breakdown away from outta business. Well that breakdown happen and I let the truck go and went back company. Worst decision of 2023 so far.
I’m not allowed to drive unsupervised because I have epilepsy and there is no way in hell I would wanna drive all day long. I respect you for doing it but I can’t because I could have a seizure anytime especially if I’m not sleeping enough.
Pretty good conversation sounds like you got a good handle on things. I was an owner-operator that bought the wrong truck for the job then did everything wrong. The left-hand didn't know what the right hand was doing. Then came 2009 and I was unprepared. Lost everything and I mean everything. Thanks for the video glad to see somebody making it
I am giving up I have done everything I can do to keep my business open I went for repairs at the beginning of last month for a new transmission that cost about $13,000 in repairs. I got my truck back out the shop four days later it went back down again for another $8000 at this point, I have spent every dime that I have to keep me running but I just can’t get out this hole that I am here. I have not worked in about two months I still try to get loans for the 8000 to be told that it is hard for Trucking Company at this point to get a loan for anything at this point right now so I am just not quite sure what else I can do to save my business
Mannnn oh Mannnn!!! Thanks for the positivity!!!! I swear I watch this video right in time!!! Thanks again Brother and Be Safe!!!! Let’s Keep on Trucking!!!
I was fortunate enough to find a livestock company that needed a couple drivers. Saved my business. Too many out there running that cheap freight. They know you’ll do it, so that’s why it stays like that. Y’all know who you are 🫵🏻
Owning a truck is only worth it if you live in it full time and run hard or you run team with wife. If not you can find local ltl company make 100k go home everyday off weekends and stress free.
Drivers nowdays are too soft In the 70s a AC was a luxury and drivers treated each other with respect nowddrivers get angry at others not pulling up at the fuel island ,,,too soft you all stress too much
The chase the miles idea he talking about is exactly why the maket is in the gutter. Ohh ill just run more miles for a lower rate .... and next week lower again ect . Where do you think that leads ? It leads to lower and lower rates until people go bankrupt.
Only people that can make it right now are people that has alot of credit or $in the bank or no bills or a spouse or family member or friend that has $ to push you thru these hard times
Thank you Sammy for this everything you said I have wrestled with and you have confirmed ✅ it and I just said until God say so I am going to keep going
Rule for life is being healthy to keep working and constantly stay earning. Stay off the motorcycles, rent a boat, no mountain climbing, and definitely no parachuting out of perfectly safe airplanes.
You know your business. You have to have bank for emergency repairs and unexpected expenses. You have to. You run your authority the way it should be done. And you try to help other owners with good information and the best way to book loads. Talk at ya later
I had a goal to pay my truck off early which is at a fixed 5% rate. Once I had the money, given the current interest rate situation, I decided to keep the liquid capital and accept the loan interest as a necessary expense. I'm pretty sure right now, even with excellent credit, it'd be difficult to get better than a 5% fixed rate loan if you suddenly needed the money for an unexpected repair for example. These are details you need to consider as a business owner. Re evaluate your goals adjust to current conditions.
Given the current economic situation, you made a smart move. 5% is great for a CMV. The liquid capital is necessary, just in case. Hopefully, not but never know.
![Tee Grizzley - Blow for Blow (feat. J. Cole) [Official Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/wNLN5xsx5dc/mqdefault.jpg)
I used to be an owner op, sold my truck about 8 years ago and picked up a local job delivering block on a flat bed, i spend half my day in the truck and half on my forklift, I make about 1k a week working about 35hrs a week, I'm usually off work by 1pm and don't work weekends and don't have to deal with all the bull crap like logs and scales and best of all, I have a life outside a truck. I'll be dammed if I ever drive otr again.
Then it wasn't 4 you. Some ppl actually love what we do. Some ppl it's a lifestyle & we're not complaining about every lil negative part of the job because the negative part of other jobs are greater.
Nomad life style is good and comfy but room is too small. This should motivate to get outside and Live healthy !
Amen
I drive locally, too. My life is 100x better than OTR.
I am truly happy for you for seeking and successfully finding the exact same kind of job that I did in trucking for 25 years. If you have everything all hooked up, a nice home, and financial stability, this is your place. Don't ever let go.
I paid off 54k in a little over 2 years.. that was my truck and trailer. I also put back a decent amount of money for breakdown and for times like this. I’ve been parked for 3 months and could only do that because I prepared for it.. I’ve been doing this long enough to know that the great rates weren’t going to last.
This man on here speaks truth!! I’m putting my equipment back on the road at end of July.. rates aren’t the best but I think they’re manageable for the most part.. live cheap! No high dollar a month car payment, mortgage is reasonable, etc etc..
good luck to all of y’all out there
Live like 🐀 work like a 🐎 . Great tactics 👏
We shouldn’t have to live cheap. We are business owners, and skilled laborers in just about any other field. We would be millionaires, but because we are truck drivers, and apparently most of us don’t know our own value we are treated like slaves.
Thxz Sammy!
I'm buying a truck for 81.5k in the next couple of weeks, leasing it under my bosses Authority to keep insurance cheap and to make it easier on my self. Its got way more power than I ever need and I'm pulling about 13k lbs 1 way and probably if no returns 44k on the way back. Average rates are about 1.80-2$ a mile for dry van depending where you are, I know the heat map, but things are actually starting to pick back up again, peak season is around the corner and the overall Stock market it self with company earnings are doing good this quarter. Currently, we're at the lowest Inflation % in the last 2 years thanks to the FED Hikes from Jerome Powell. Luckily for me I am in a position where if the truck breaks down or I need it in the shop then I can do that while jumping back into one of my bosses trucks to run as a typical company driver during that down time. A lot of people do not have this luxary and we also have dedicated lanes right now.
@@achaosg the cost to run a Truck is between $1.50 to $2.50 per mile depending on fuel. Your Boss whom you’ll lease onto and taking some weekly %10 to %30 and than charging you probably 800 a month for insurance. There’s not enough to go around to hand anyone %10 to 30% the guys whom do that and make it work. They own their equipment and they Do 99% of the work their selves. To get your own Authority after the initial premium which first year is always the highest will drop to $500 to $800 a month depending on your credit and MVR mines $700 a month for a perfect MVR crap credit and 4 years in business without any claims flatbed insurance is higher than van (that itself is a scam, but that’s another topic) the only reason to lease onto someone that makes sense to me is for steady good paying year round work and 1 way freight paying less than the cost to operate isn’t a successful business model take $81,000 and start a mobile mechanic shop or mobile welding. Or gun smithing or any of a 1000 business where you don’t face a 35,000 dollar break down risk everyday and what nobody tells you is not only can and you will have a 20k breakdown but you can have another 20k breakdown 30 miles from the last one. I had a clutch go out and the shop quoted 2,500 and kept my truck 9 days and charged $5,500 and 3 days after I got it back the Front carrier to the differential went out and I was quoted 2,900 and they kept my truck 14 days and billed me $5,018.47 and than 5 days later my Injector went out. $1,200 I did it myself. 6 days later I lost a trailer tire which took 5 trailer floor cross members totaling $2,300 and it never ends my friend and I don’t haul Frieght for less than $3.50 on every single mile Empty & loaded and still I’m not some successful business I’m a barely breathing trucker and I was foolish to think you can be a successful trucker without owning 6 to 10 trucks with how small the profit margin is and the risks.
I retired 1 month ago after 41 year's of being OTR, im really not going to miss it because my best days out of the 41 years were from 1982 to 2010, after that it started to go downhill fast with all the BS regulations DEF, ELD no parking,, high cost of repairs on the road when u break down, and ur lucky if the dealership's have parts that are available if not you sit for days weeks ETC,,, the other thing is nobody has any respect for others, holding the fuel pumps, piss bottles everywhere, roads all sk because of potholes in e every major highway especially NY Illinois, CT, and into MN all liberal states ,ETC,,,,,, I wish the young generation alot of luck because trucking has gone to hell. I WOULDN'T BUY A TRUCK !!!!! There's no money in it, unless you want to live out of a suitcase and have no life.
I'm right behind you brother five more years and that's it I'm done 41 years out here, enjoy your retirement
@@willsr.9154hello im 20 and i wanna become a trucker just to save up 50k. im able to save 95% of my money and currently have 5k. I want some tips into what would be the best to haul and otr or local and would it be better being an owner operator. I just want good money to save and start in real estate thank you im located in far west Texas
I feel ya but don't agree, 32 years I been at this. I broke my leg & was down for 18 months, I couldn't wait 2 get back in my truck. Rates ain't the best & I knew they were gonna come 2 a end also but consistency is still key. My truck is paid off & yes there are breakdowns but no eld. No big car payments or mortgage. I have a life at home as I go home when I feel like it. It's not all peaches & cream but it's what I loved since I was a kid. I worked in plants & that was modern day slavery. I'm doing what I love 💜😃
Im 26 got out of prison a year ago. Got into trucking in 2023. Quickly realize Trucking aint what it used to be. I’m leaving trucking to start my own business next year 💯
@user-zr9sr5if4b trucking ain't 4 every body but 4 you 2 say it ain't what it used 2 be is krazy. I was trucking b4 you were born, it's still the same if you kno what your doing. Change is a part of life, trucking is a lifestyle. Sounds like your not built 4 this lifestyle. Nothings wrong wit that but don't say it's not what it used 2 be when you don't kno what it used 2 be. No offense but you don't have the time in this lifestyle 2 be judgmental.
There are too many Covid drivers they need to go. Sadly
Well said. That's exactly who they are. The "drivers" that paid $200k for a junker truck /w 500k miles and 20% interest rate. They waiting for $5/mile to come back 😂😂😂😂😂😂
Obviously neither one of you have a lot of experience behind the wheel to disrespect other drivers like that. Your parents should be ashamed of how they raised you. As always…it starts at home. Whether rich or poor…morals and respect for others are taught by the parents…sorry y’all missed out
@drivingwheelswithkeith2682 has nothing to do with what you're talking about. It is basic economics. Laws of supply and demand. Respect plays no role at all. I never told anyone to take those idiotic deals for those junk trucks, and at the time, I had less than a year driving, and even then, I knew it was a terrible sale. I never wished failure on anyone but back then I was constantly criticize whenever I said those rate couldn't last. Now look. 🤷♂️
You mentioned Divocckilled
@@rogerg0834 I love history. Your remark makes me think of those long ago wheat farmers who were raising $2/bushel bumper crops in 1918 that saw prices a little over a decade later of less than $0.25/bu.
Let me humble myself. I failed from getting my emotions involved. I lost my truck and everything. And it was my fault. Thank you for this vlog. I appreciate truth and it hurts. Hopefully I can do it again. Lesson learned. LOSE YOUR EMOTIONS AND STAY CONSISTANT. Just a lesson to pass on. Hope it helps someone.
I hope the best for you and God bless you and make you prosperous. Amen
dig in put your brains to work ask 4 help advice or get pissed and quit THINKING . No room 4 failure kick butt team up. Do what it takes to be proud u did what u determined.
If it pays the bills???? Work pays..... maybe retirement. As long as you stay healthy.
Same here
You can do it, just go for it 💪
Everybody’s gonna have an opinion. As an owner operator with a $2250 a month truck payment I see where this industry has declined rapidly! Rates are still waaaaaayyyy down compared to 2020/2021. For me it’s about running smarter NOT longer. These “effin” brokers have drained my love & passion for trucking!!!!! Can’t even get a decent rate nowadays! Anything less than $2.00 a mile is a DAMN JOKE
Amen brother! Couldn’t agree more. Confident not cocky. Learn from our mistakes and grow 👊🏻
You are 100% correct. Rates go up and go down. Take the good with the bad but those drivers that thought they had found the rainbows end in the previous 2 years are now realizing that trucking is super volatile. Keep trucking driver!!
Really thankful for your video. I think it was meant from God for me to see it because I’m really down on my luck right now with Trucking. I’ve been getting screwed over and over and over again by these companies out of Chicago and I appreciate your video.
Don't even say Chicago to me! NO scruples, double brokering, cheating drivers thru fees, taking shitty loads at tiny facilities mutha...! Whew!
I live near Chicago. Which companies are you talking about?
Hang in there! Things about to get better after the third quarter!
@BloomingRose60 You are not lying. I was out of trucking for a year. Took a Job with Kim Logistics out Chicago. This is my 4th week. And I'm about to go with a different company because of this. I got stuck going to a small facility in Pittsburgh. And had to reverse onto the street. And return into the facility. Thank God there was a class B dump truck in back of me to help me back out. It was a nightmare but I made it. Horrible route planning and just take any load. And then lie and say there options are limited. A wewk before the tornadoes in Iowa and Nebraska. I went up a dirt road outside Lincoln to get cattle feed. Absolutely horrible. When I stopped to put GPS in. The whole truck was rocking back and forth from the wind gusts. Talk about holding on for dear life.
I have been doing this for 37 years. My secret for survival is… I buy my trucks new with 500k warranty, and keep them for 10 years. The first five years I pay off my truck, the next five years I continue making the same payment into my business account and draw my repairs from that account. Let’s say my payment is 4K a month. 48 k a year. Even if I average 20k a year in repairs I still have a surplus of 140k to either invest into a new truck or invest in something else.
The fact that it's that much fixing needing to be done to the truck. electric will lower that cost significantly for you
Thx Sammy!Been feeling unmotivated but my truck will be paid for in September.trying my best to keep pushing
great video. I bought my w900 during the start of the inflation worked it 5 months made good money in that period sold it and made 50k profit on the truck. Took those 50k and earnings i made bought myself a daycab and trailer cash working local
I worked for 7 years in europe. About 3 months otr with 2-3 weeks at home. I quit because of dispatchers because they were assholes and because of police because they treated you like a criminal.
People with foreign accents f the blue collar world up.
Especially the Ukrainians
@@George-dy3ptThere is a reason why Bill Gates said Ukraine has the most corrupt government in Europe before the war
I'm retired,,now i sell dope,,and trucking never paid this good,,
Man you are exactly right. I grossed $5800 as a lease operator for Swift last week working 7 days. After all expenses I brought home $2750 and that’s a with a $660 truck payment and $200 insurance payment. I chased the hell outta those miles though. Truth is the money is still there and if this truck was paid off I’d be doing even better. Also put 20 cpm in maintenance account
How much do you average weekly after all expenses
That's a solid week. During covid if I made $5k gross solo it was a great week.
im company and bring home $2200- $2500 a week for 6 days work. is it worth it being a lease? to me, no.
@@Eli9Awhat company are you telling us you clear 2500+ after taxes I call bs
@Eli9A I wouldn't. If that's your pay, net, there no point. Just keep in mind that most company drivers don't make anywhere close to that week after week. They might have 1 or 2 good weeks every 4 months and net $1700+ but that's not common for company drivers. More like $1300 net week after week.
I drive truck for a year then take a year off . Been doing this for the last 8 years. You basically work 2 years worth of hours in 1 year anyway . Hate every minute while I’m trucking but the time off is worth it !
One or two bad things with trucking is not enough truck parking and not enough places with showers for truckers and not enough places for truckers to get quality food at a reasonable prices
Here is my style. Don't run cheap freight at. Chase more money less miles. Park it when time's are tough. This is only my way and it's worked for me every time. Everything is paid for ( full disclosure )
Times been tough for a while now 😅
@@legenda4341 yes they have. Truck has been parked for 18 months. I plan on everything going to crap all the time. It has cost me and saved me countless times and I guess I'm about at break even. I do other things to make a few bucks. I've lost so much money do to brokers and of course factoring companies that it is very hard knowing that you are a victim every time you start that truck. Best of luck out there.
Dispatcher from hell does not help.
I'm not a trucker, but my neighbor drove a tractor trailer for 40 years. He retired a couple years. He told me trucking was filled with fun and freedom when he started. When he retired, new technology like gps and digital log books ruined it. Companies wanted to know why you made left instead of a right and they watched your drive hours closely. I can't speak from experience, but it sounds like alot of things lately. Technology sucked the fun out of everything.
What he left out was those ELD (electronic log devices) are the reason why drivers are parking where they can for two MANDATORY thirty minute breaks and when we got to the end of our eleven hour work day. If you go ONE minute of that allotted 11 hours and those log show you didn't take those TWO mandatory thirty minute breaks you are in for a huge fine. No exceptions. Those fines are the reasons that fuel many new drivers to simply park fully loaded trucks and say 'fuck it, I'm outta here, come get YOUR goddam truck".
I understand if your trk is 2007 or older, u don't have to have eld.
That is true but the guy he is describing does not sound like an owner operator. Most trucks on the road are 2007 or newer and require eld's. Guys have gotten tickets for stupid reasons such as having the eld on local instead of over the road setting even though the eld recorded EVERYTHING that an over the road would have covered too. It's stupid but thats the way it is. The guy sounds to me like someone who knows how to do a job and doesn't want or need electronic eyes looking at him from a thousand miles away. The job is simply thankless and I am not going to do it again.
@@itchintogo7689
Dot regulations yeah you are right when the shelves are empty at the grocery store they might think twice why theirs no drivers anymore!!
I quit otr n now jockey trailers 8 hours a day. No logs, payment, traffic, have union wage n benefits.
I heard one story from a so-called driver that was supposedly pulling in upto $20k a month and given the current economy in trucking they had to "hang it up" and turn the truck in because the income is so low. 🤦♂️
People that are this feakn bad at business MUST go bankrupt because if you were pulling in up to $20k/mo and you dont have ANY money saved or your truck paid off you're a damn fool.
You clearly don't understand the expenses involved. 20k Gross is way different than 20k Net. This is why we have so many idiots that came into Trucking during Covid
Yup
Welcome to Biden and More Democrats economy 😂
Covid was Donald Trump and the economy was his fault. Stop believing what you hear on Fox News.
When times are good truck hard because times will change. When times are bad run hard till the times change. And this golden rule "always buy toys with cash". I try to never use income to buy debt. God Bless till next time Sammy.
Go to UPS I hear they’re hiring at $45 an hour. Probably better than this I don’t know.
Thanks for the advice brother. I been down on myself thinking negative. I know better. Thank you for the encouraging message. It was meant for me to see this message. 💪🏾👊🏾🙏🏾
Thanks man I needed that. I’m a company driver for 4 years now. Hard for me to get credit and money saved because I have family members that rely on me to help them financially so I’m left with a low-fat bank acct. I made my own way since I was a teenager. But times have changed it seems. Keep it rollin!
Thanks man really Appreciate the Advice...you have me looking at things differently now
I hate OTR. Not enough parkings to rest, too much waste of time at shippers and receivers. Get paid by the hours and week ends off. Peace of mind. Don't Make no sense to have an appointment at 2 PM and get the load at 10 PM. Running out of hours, can't keep your eyes open, your brain is tired and can't find nowhere to safely park. No respect for drivers at all. The drivers are considered like sauvages without family. Crazy environment... I am out of those B.S.
My hats off to you guys and gals I guess who are still out there trying!! I had my tractor when fuel was 70 and going up. When it hit 99 we were all pissed big time!! But the people on the roads and stops were a whole lot nicer and considerate than what's out there now!! I've watched a bunch of videos on here and there's a lot of loosers on the road!! But the whole country is getting that way from the top down!! I keep talking to people that if the truckers disappear were in big trouble!! Hang Tough!!!
Ain’t no doubt about that 🙌
There is "I'm makin it work" and then there is being successful.
This downturn isn't anywhere from over yet, barely making it and saying things like "Equipments paid off" only means your floating on luck till the next break down or tow bill.
Trucks cost money to operate, its not a one and done once you purchased it. True, your month to month looks better when you save money on interest.
But what the hell is the point of being out here if you eek out a living, this job is terrible for social and family life. You don't get to be home, you live in a 60-80 sq ft box without plumbing using public restrooms all the time.
Its crap. Its gotta be rewarding to do it and it just isn't.
This downturn has been going strong for 16 months and now contracts are all setting up to renew AGAIN at these bargain basement prices.
Throw in the towel this shit isn't coming back for another year or more.
You have all these reasons to not succeed. And I respect that. It’s your life.
I’m on year 24 and I continue make it work.
LOL Of course I would stumble upon your video about not giving up ............. 😂
My aunts brother lost everything he had his last year trucking because he was in an accident and was sued. He lost his entire life savings and went back to a factory job.
His insurance didn’t cover the lawsuit?
@@hurt1704 no, i think most insurance just covers a certain amount. I dont know the details but i dont think insurance covered much. Insurance used to be illegal as it was recognised as a scam.
@@hurt1704probably had a skeleton policy or was an outlaw
Got my CDL in 09
Remember trainers looking
Around the class of 25 (swift)
Saying
"Look around, in twelve months
10 of will still be working OTR
Twenty four months 4 of you will still
Be working OTR"
Idk if his statistics where correct
But labor dept says 90% turn over rate
In the first year for CDL drivers
I have been watching you for years bro you are an inspiration. I am a one truck owner operator that has gone up and down in this field for 25 years as a driver owner operator for the last four years. Finally you give me the push to keep going. I’ve been on the road so long that I don’t wanna do the long hauls anymore. Lol but the way things are here on the west, we figured out a maneuver up and down the I five that is going to pay off. Keep doing what you doing brother I grow when I watch your videos.
The Real GrindSmiths are still out here 🚛🚛💨💨Like you said a “Short Term” Situation can decide a persons fate and some people don’t “Trap out the Truck” so they will have problems making 💰💰And those who are throwing in the Towel ima just say this Once you do what I did a few months ago YOU WILL BE BACK😂😂Because after picking orders riding forklifts and dealing with the politics of being around messy co workers and idiots and being paid pennies for what just to be at home every night 🤬🤬SMH I put my stuff in Storage and Returned back to Field 🫡🍻🚛YALL Stay safe and pull it together the Game will get better 💪🏾💪🏾🤟🏾🚛🚛💨💰🍻
Negative people never accomplish anything
💖💖💖 Good Content but these people today are ignorant and it’s the blind leading the blind out here ! You just can’t fix stupid ! But at least you try to tell them !!!!!!!! Good Video !!!! Poptart
I’m on a process of getting two driver and drive them local / regional. Then I’m done. Make 1k per truck a week I’m golden . I’m will not do this anymore with me as a driver .You see this guys talking 6-10k a week. Those guys are the same guys you see on the truck stop with 30 years in trucking trying to make it. There is so many ways to make money is not even funny. My friend became a digital photographer all aspects of his life are on point. While mine became stressful, problem with family. Depression. I seen a lot of money but also I seen how quickly it evaporates. Putting you on a never ending cycle. Trust me if you were able to break into this business you can break into any other business. You don’t have to be the owner / worker / mechanic/ labor / dispatch / and the driver to make 1.5/2k a week.
Dude facts. I completely failed cause I saved money got in a bike accident lost everything cause I needed to recover was out for 11 month. Now I’m back on the road for the last 3 month trying to make it all back it a long road but I’ll say this I’m running them miles 3300-4000 miles a week pushing it
Keep on pushing brother and scale down your cost of living...
@@steven-napoleonwilliams1422 yes sir! I’m trying to but jump the gun and bought thing I thought I could afford. Now I’m trying to just save my credit.
@@8300rpmalldayJust sell them and cut your losses! The "wants", I mean
Hope things improve for truck drivers !!! Im just a lowly diesel mechanic but the sacrifice and pay for truckers is horrid 😢
170 thousand new trucking businesses were created during the plandemic. It's no surprise why trucking is going bust. I don't see a boom anytime soon.
I can honestly say, I often feel like I’m ready to throw in the towel. I’ve been otr for the last 14 years. These last 2 have been a lot of misery for me personally. A few reasons have made me feel down about trucking but it just my opinion.
I work for a top LTL company. My terminal is 2hrs from home. When I started with this company I ran team with my good friend. We ran for 2yrs, left out Sunday back home Thursday but my pal was ready to start running local as he was having some issues with his personal life and I don’t blame him one bit. But in return, I had to figure out something else to do and being 2hrs away from home/work, it made local running questionable. I either had to transfer to a yard closest to home which is a good 45-60mins from home and sadly, you do not keep your seniority when transferring, or I find someone else that wants to run team and hope we can mingle well being stuck in a small truck for 2 grown men all week and my other option was running line haul. I went with line haul as it would guarantee me a set run all week every week. I didn’t have but a few yrs seniority so I was left with the night runs after bidding.
I leave the house Monday around 5pm work the night and then Tuesday morning I head to a hotel close to work because driving 2-2.5hrs one way to and from work just isn’t feasible. Work doesn’t help pay for the hotel stay during the week unless I’m having to shut down in a different city. I then return home Saturday by 4pm. But once I get home on Saturdays I’m ready to crash from being up since 5pm the day before, drive 647miles in the truck then drive another 145miles in my car to get home being awake for dang near 24hrs. So Saturday is pretty much a wasted day and that leaves me with Sundays to bond with the wife and kids and try to keep my sanity and so on. Not to mention dealing with the daily BS of idiot steering wheel holders who can’t figure out how cruise control works or they are just brain dead to their surroundings and down to the minivans, sometimes I wonder how I can hold it together lol
That's not a life worth remembering. Change industry. Even if it pays less. You will be happier in the long run.
@@jamesballard6564 you’re absolutely right!! I look back at the years I’ve missed out watching my kids take first steps, speak first words and missed many family events etc. I got into this lifestyle in hopes to be better off in the long run and provide my family with a happy life but now the wife and kids don’t live the happy life I envisioned as I’m never home and they can only enjoy me through FaceTime and it’s really getting to them anymore. I’m not sure what I’d look into next but whatever it is, I won’t take it if it doesn’t allow me a life outside of work. I’m only getting older!
UPS???
@@Goodboy26611 Think “Green and White” ………
Man that would suck I couldn't handle that every week.I would have to find a local job home every night with my family.
I made mistakes exactly what you said when times were good i didn't prepare for the bad times but knowing what I've experienced man I'll be doing things a lot different this time around!!!
I'm not in trucking but my friend is , i was listening for him , and you have made a lot of sense for anybody to apply in there business and life .. i wish you more success...
With deregulation came an over saturation of drivers and equipment. People who had absolutely no business experience go into debt, took whatever haul they could, thus started the broker's business screwing anybody and everybody, shippers and receivers missing appointments, thus waiting and losing money. I was raised in this business in the 50's, and I saw all this coming with deregulation came in. So, I avoided much of what others are experiencing, but for just so long. Screw America and the Chinese, importers, bought and paid for politicians, and everyone else. I've passed acers and acers of new tractors, trailers, flats and lowboys', all repossessed. So for all of you still in... smarten up - GET OUT.
Gret stuff! My 2 cents, maintenance/future truck fund shoul be atleast 26 cpm, an inframe nowadays, alone is north of $35-40k. Having a separate bank account for this, plus 30% parked aside for taxes, from net income, helps with sleeping better at night.
I quit it. Man, it seems like you’re making great money at 70k. But 3 months out for 4 days off is crazy. You are smarter than you think. I thought I was too dumb to make that kind of money anywhere else but I learned video production and make that easy now. Also my buddy learned to code in like 3 months. He didn’t really believe in himself either but if you find the right teachers I guess it’s easy. I’m going to look into it. Trucking is like slave labor with crooked cops behind every stop sign. What’s the point for 60-70k
Over the road driving sounds like fun at first. After a month behind the wheel, you realize quickly that you made the wrong choice. Life becomes a prison inside your truck. You can't escape. All you want to do is get rid of your truck and work at McDonalds. At least you'll have your social life back.
McDonald's is less of a prison than a whole week, stuck in a truck.
If you're lucky to find local work as a CDL A driver and able to go home every day, then beautiful! Anything else is prison.
older truck diver guys replaced by 18 y. o. high school grads. Maybe some non- English speaking illegals too. -So, don't drive anywhere without taking out life insurance or making out a will and a trust first...
Trucking Rates have been in the Trash Can, Since March 2022 Fuel Prices twice as high since that time, still haven't recovered, you may be dealing with a Broker, whom isn't trying to screw you, during these times, your trucking career depends on the Broker's you work for, it's not worth it, for the average Dry van, or Refrigerated, unless you have Good Broker's, you have not a Clue what the average Trucker is Experiencing Today in America, if you don't agree with Me, please share the Broker's Names, having you own authority is Night and Day compared to Truckers whom lease on to a Carrier, the Lanes, that you Run, also is a Factor, of survival in the industry today.
I'm almost done with my current prison err I mean driving term. (Time to take a break before the next term. Curse of diesel contaminated blood,lol)
Squirlling away during the good times while working 20-40 years is more then enough time and saving in any career anyway unless your a lifer.
The highway will always be there,keep that CDL and health safe and clean. Jobs are a plenty for those willing to work.
Great Video! I love your work ethic, humbleness and your outlook on this trucking game! We never quit!! We gone grind it til we find it!! 😂 😂
Also start your own trucking business with 1 truck and file an LLC and get an EIN for them tax breaks and grow your business. Just it make me mad get jealous when foreign people come to America and build a business. I am American and growing my trucking company business
Afterv43 years of OTR truckdriving,I quit to,no more fun,I would get home after 3 are 4 weeks out and could not wait to get back out on the road,but the last few years,I regret getting back in the truck after I got home,and only stay out a week at a time,no money,harassed by DOT,and the people in there 4 wheelers always trying to cut us off,the new truck drivers are very dangerous to be around,watching tv,being on the cell phone,I big fan of life,always afraid of dieing,I never had that problem before,being a owner/op for 30 years,always had enough money but the last few years I was losing money,not worth it,used to make 4 dollars a mile running flatbed,it drop down to 2.00 a mile,not enough money.
I didnt quit trucking but i quit long haul trucking. Got a local job. Im make more money driveing local then i did 5 years of company to company skipping long haul. I go home everyday. See my kids every day. Screw long haul bullshit Long haul is the biggest ripp their ever was . Every company has some special payment plan making it sound like your gonna make money. Your not. Its all designed to rob you of everything but make you think maybe.
I love your videos!!!!! Very educational and I think you are 100% correct on this subject!!!!
Trucking aint what it used to be. Back in the day I could easily bring home $3k a week and be home twice a week as a company driver. Anyone thats been in the biz 20+ years, just hang it up. It ain't worth the headache. You can make todays freight rates as a loadjockey. Seriously.
So, quit could care less. I make so much money in the Trucking industry even in this bad economy it would be stupid to quit. Owner operators are quitting by the dozens every day and that means there's more loads for other drivers.
The trucking industry is screwed. Old ones like myself are retired or just quitting. The next generation has absolutely no interest in a job where you're never home, you're out in the elements, and you can't push a button or call "THE GUY" to fix it. I retired out to the middle of nowhere, so food is growing out back or on the hoof.
Trucking shouldn't be forever but to progress like buy pay off house remodel and INVEST in opening small businesses and get off truck. Maybe do some hotshot runs or local while your other businesses are growing
Oh, I didn't give up. I'm just not going to let anyone treat me the way trucking companies, shippers and receivers thought they were entitled to treat me. They needed me...I didn't need them.
Been there. Done that. Big problem. You live life in the very itsy bitsy tiny window of time with your loved ones. You go back out. Rinse and repeat. Realizing the whole time that the planned time to be home and be part of their life never gonna happen. Until you choose to say enough. All the money in the world does not come close to comparison to 'living' your life with your loved ones. Even though, yea but, or what if. The road or loved ones? Yeah... I know. Eventually.
Foreigners, PPP drivers and Dazzy Duke drivers are killing us!!!!
I sold my truck 3mos ago and i DONT regret it. I went back to being a company driver hauling cars 100k plus a year
Best thing I ever did was to leave a shitty paying union trucking job for a substantially better paying linehaul job. And still going home everyday after 10 hours.
The good thing about linehaul is, I can tell you every idiot company or contracted drivers to watch out for along my route.
Charger, Ego, Gigg, Amazon, XPO, T-Force, Swift, Werner, Central Transport, anything with a red maple leaf, anything with Arabic script, and alot of independent contractors.
It's a clusterfuck out here. If you have to speed 10/15 mph everywhere you go, you're just an idiot.
There is WAY TOO MUCH capacity --- I WANT drivers to quit!!!
Im a company driver. Flatbeder .. salute you O/Os.. i know my lane and what works for me.. for me its the consitenncy and simplicity. My company has contracts and i get paid percentage of the rate, not cpm.. I know myself, im not a super hero trucker nor am i a numbers crutching business mind. i dont need my name on the side of the door.. i just get my piece of the pie and cruise the roads 💪🏿
What I have learned lazy truck drivers don't make money and they refuse to do 2 stops. Sometimes as an owner operator you have to do 2 stop meaning having 2 loads on the truck. You can make it out here if you have a brain and not lazy.
10:04 "Even in times of failure, keep driving towards success. Those little negative seeds inside your head that keep reminding you of failure, you start believing that until it becomes a fact." Train your mind to manifest success, not failure. Just the reminder I needed today, so many things will bring you down and must guard your mind.
I went to driving a tour bus for bands. I'm thankful for driving OTR for 5 years or I wouldn't have the job I have now.
Oh man you've got my dream job.
@user-cx8sp8xw2d get that P endorsement and email company's some will teach you. You just need one yes
Short term fear??!!😂 u do know fuel is over 5 a gallon again and 2.00 a mile is the norm right? Spread your misinformation somewhere else
Brother you are an OG and a veteran in this game RUclips trucker Legend let me tell you man thank you for the encouraging words I am an owner operator with my own authority and paid equipment staying strong trying to make it through but sometimes I do wake up with the negativity in my head and you're right why worry so much about a break down before it even comes!! all I'm doing is adding fuel to the fire God bless you brother
America is a maze of loans and credit. You have cash on hand at times, but you are always sitting on some type of debt. You'll be lucky to retire and have a halfway comfortable retirement. The medical costs of old age does most people in.
Damn driver, wish you would've made this video like 2 months ago. I was 10 months from last payment and one breakdown away from outta business. Well that breakdown happen and I let the truck go and went back company. Worst decision of 2023 so far.
I’m not allowed to drive unsupervised because I have epilepsy and there is no way in hell I would wanna drive all day long. I respect you for doing it but I can’t because I could have a seizure anytime especially if I’m not sleeping enough.
Pretty good conversation sounds like you got a good handle on things. I was an owner-operator that bought the wrong truck for the job then did everything wrong. The left-hand didn't know what the right hand was doing. Then came 2009 and I was unprepared. Lost everything and I mean everything. Thanks for the video glad to see somebody making it
I am giving up I have done everything I can do to keep my business open I went for repairs at the beginning of last month for a new transmission that cost about $13,000 in repairs. I got my truck back out the shop four days later it went back down again for another $8000 at this point, I have spent every dime that I have to keep me running but I just can’t get out this hole that I am here. I have not worked in about two months I still try to get loans for the 8000 to be told that it is hard for Trucking Company at this point to get a loan for anything at this point right now so I am just not quite sure what else I can do to save my business
Mannnn oh Mannnn!!! Thanks for the positivity!!!! I swear I watch this video right in time!!! Thanks again Brother and Be Safe!!!! Let’s Keep on Trucking!!!
I think if you don't love driving you shouldn't be a truck driver. Too many people driving only for the money just to fund another career.
I was fortunate enough to find a livestock company that needed a couple drivers. Saved my business.
Too many out there running that cheap freight. They know you’ll do it, so that’s why it stays like that. Y’all know who you are 🫵🏻
Owning a truck is only worth it if you live in it full time and run hard or you run team with wife. If not you can find local ltl company make 100k go home everyday off weekends and stress free.
What's killing the industry is these large companies hiring sandal wearing visa holders. It's keeping the pay low and image low
Drivers nowdays are too soft In the 70s a AC was a luxury and drivers treated each other with respect nowddrivers get angry at others not pulling up at the fuel island ,,,too soft you all stress too much
Go and see how Brokers are living off your hard work.
Millionaire's selling your time while living like kings.
The chase the miles idea he talking about is exactly why the maket is in the gutter. Ohh ill just run more miles for a lower rate .... and next week lower again ect . Where do you think that leads ? It leads to lower and lower rates until people go bankrupt.
A lot of people come into the industry when it’s hot then leave when it gets back to normal lol.
"Satan is out to get me". I felt that statement.😅
To each his own I am doing very well and staying grateful
Hey bro thanks for words of encouragement I was thinking of giving up on trucking but you got me thinking stay whit it
Only people that can make it right now are people that has alot of credit or $in the bank or no bills or a spouse or family member or friend that has $ to push you thru these hard times
Thank you Sammy for this everything you said I have wrestled with and you have confirmed ✅ it and I just said until God say so I am going to keep going
Rule for life is being healthy to keep working and constantly stay earning.
Stay off the motorcycles, rent a boat, no mountain climbing, and definitely no parachuting out of perfectly safe airplanes.
You know your business. You have to have bank for emergency repairs and unexpected expenses. You have to. You run your authority the way it should be done. And you try to help other owners with good information and the best way to book loads. Talk at ya later
Yeah, but what if we're headed for a depression? You assume things get better in a year or two. What if it doesn't?
Why should i work like a slave to live cheap. That is stupid. Nope ,i am out.
Avoid California n tyrant justins Quebec n Ontario
GRST VIDEO THANKS FOR SHARING. THIS IS COLDSTEEL OUT OF PHOENIX. ROLL SAFE.
I had a goal to pay my truck off early which is at a fixed 5% rate. Once I had the money, given the current interest rate situation, I decided to keep the liquid capital and accept the loan interest as a necessary expense. I'm pretty sure right now, even with excellent credit, it'd be difficult to get better than a 5% fixed rate loan if you suddenly needed the money for an unexpected repair for example. These are details you need to consider as a business owner. Re evaluate your goals adjust to current conditions.
Given the current economic situation, you made a smart move. 5% is great for a CMV. The liquid capital is necessary, just in case. Hopefully, not but never know.
I have a 1976 Mack dump truck. I work average 50 hours a week. Home every day. I average 125 dollars an hour. No DEF no E log no bullshit.