Looking For a Truckers Opinion.

[LowBoy]

Thanks lowboy/95 for your posts.

Lowboy what does it take to start a lowboy service like yours?

Rule of thumb on starting a trucking business: If you want to make a million dollars at it...start off with 2 million.

I'ts a cruel world nowadays, YoungUn...So many people want to do what the other guy is doing if they think you're making a lot of money.Fact is, everything's relative. The more you invest in equipment of this nature, the higher the risk, because of the competition factor. I talk to guys every day to get different viewpoints on their operations, and some live in this sort of dreamland where they don't care if fuel goes to 5.00/gallon, the rates will always follow. I've been at it a good many years in both transport and construction, and I personaly never witnessed the rates "following" the increase in costs of fuel, insurance, etc. It usually ends up being vacuumed out of your bottom line in the end.
Starting a trucking business isn't a good idea in this particular economy, unless you have a really good, unlimited source of ready cash at hand. It takes a big up-front investment, and a good solid cushion to stay afloat until the volume of revenue is consistent enough to withstand the downfalls.
I'm not saying that with some "luck" and a lot of ambition you couldn't go out and get a truck/trailer, and a handful of customers that actually PAY you,work hard and pay attention, and at your age in a few years be prosperous...that is, if you stay away from the women. ointhead

 

[YoungOne]

Rule of thumb on starting a trucking business: If you want to make a million dollars at it...start off with 2 million.

I'ts a cruel world nowadays, YoungUn...So many people want to do what the other guy is doing if they think you're making a lot of money.Fact is, everything's relative. The more you invest in equipment of this nature, the higher the risk, because of the competition factor. I talk to guys every day to get different viewpoints on their operations, and some live in this sort of dreamland where they don't care if fuel goes to 5.00/gallon, the rates will always follow. I've been at it a good many years in both transport and construction, and I personaly never witnessed the rates "following" the increase in costs of fuel, insurance, etc. It usually ends up being vacuumed out of your bottom line in the end.
Starting a trucking business isn't a good idea in this particular economy, unless you have a really good, unlimited source of ready cash at hand. It takes a big up-front investment, and a good solid cushion to stay afloat until the volume of revenue is consistent enough to withstand the downfalls.
I'm not saying that with some "luck" and a lot of ambition you couldn't go out and get a truck/trailer, and a handful of customers that actually PAY you,work hard and pay attention, and at your age in a few years be prosperous...that is, if you stay away from the women. ointhead

Yeah i see what your saying lowboy. Thanks for explaining in detail.

I plan on owning a construction business one day. I WILL. I just have to get off on the right foot young i guess. And you're right. I don't drink/smoke/ or any drugs. Never have never will. But the women get me every time:usa

-Michael-

What parts of construction did you take place in/ were you an operator/ laborer. details

 

[LowBoy]

Yeah i see what your saying lowboy. Thanks for explaining in detail.

I plan on owning a construction business one day. I WILL. I just have to get off on the right foot young i guess. And you're right. I don't drink/smoke/ or any drugs. Never have never will. But the women get me every time:usa

-Michael-

What parts of construction did you take place in/ were you an operator/ laborer. details

I've been involved in a lot of different facets of the construction industry over the years, Young1. Mostly from the time I was your age I was an operator working around residential home sites, clearing lots and doing the foundation holes, footing drainage, etc. to the fine finish grading, and spreading the screened topsoil back over the freshly graded lot to prepare for seeding. In those days it was all done with JD 310 2WD backhoes, (canopies, no cabs,) had to push yourself forward every time while sitting backwards, and getting stuck meant knowing how to unstick yourself.
Grading was done with JD 350, and big stuff moved around with a JD 755 skidshovel (track loader.) Hauled it all around with a 1970 Brockway 10 wheeler and a 25 ton tag-a-long.
I never minded (and still don't to this very day,) jumping out the front window of an excavator and down into the hole to grab a shovel and help out.
Just recently I did a challenging project that had a 450' long, 2 to 1 slope downhill run from the septic tank to the distribution box, and I did it all with a 320C Cat excavator, and 2 guys that never pushed 2 pieces of pipe together in their lives. I showed them what we needed done, and after 3-4 lengths, we blew through that job like Grant through Richmond. Got the worst part done in 1 day, (severely steep, had to really use your head when digging,) and the next day we completed the whole leach field and had it inspected on day 3, with an honorable mention from the inspector on my "extended efforts" on how I designed and installed these special pipe hold-downs to keep the pipe in place on these wicked slopes.
That's the fun part to me...using what talents you have to make a lasting impression on the authorities.
There were a lot of different projects that I was fortunate enough to be a part of. Some big demo jobs, some really interesting excavation jobs, and of course, the ever-so-humble profession of transportation was blended in there in between. Boy, now that you made me look back on all that stuff, you made me feel old, dude!

Thanks for the chance to share that stuff with ya, pal.

LowBoy.

 

[RuskEnt]

I am 21 and have been following your post for the last few weeks. Just keep talking to local companies. Someone will hire you. Do not get discourage. Alot of people will tell you that you can not do something just because of yur age. Do not listen to them. I am proof that you can accomplish unbeliveable things at a young age when you exert 100% of that effort towards your goals.

I am 21 and i am starting a job for over 250k next week. When i was 18 and started my business, i do not think there was anyone that thought i would be doing the stuff i am doing 3 years later. I never thought i would be where i am at now. But you know what? I gave my business 100% of everything i had.

I almost went out of business several times over the last 3 years. I made mistakes and bad decisions that cost me tens of thousands of dollars. But i never gave up and now its paying off.

Keep your head up man.

 

[LowBoy]

Great, positive energy here. Just remember 3 things that are directly associated with such overwhelming success: 1) LOCATION
2) LOCATION
3) LOCATION.

Many people have had the same dynamic, focused energy to accomplish great things. Only obstacle was where they were trying to do it. You have to go fishing where the fish are nowadays.:thumbsup

BIG difference in the economies of N. Jersey and Virginia, depending on where in Va.