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[Rawze]

When someone's bio says they have been driving trucks since the 1990's ...

Why would they possibly still be broke with nothing to show for 20+ years of driving?? - Where do all those efforts go???

The way this happens is that something is VERY WRONG somewhere!.

Most people in this situation when asked, as soon as they start talking,.. they blame EVERYTHING and ALL their problems on "those damn junk trucks and those damn low-rent rates, and those damn shippers, and those damn e-logs,..." and this repeating pattern of "... ..." --- STOP RIGHT THERE FOR A MOMENT!!!



- I know plenty of guys who ARE highly profitable with todays so-called "junk trucks and low rates" who have FAR FAR LESS EXPERIENCE THAN THAT 20-YEAR VETERAN!!!!!!... WHY???!!??? -- Because they DO NOT have several years of bad driving habits, poor business practices, and the attitude of "what used to be" always dragging them down. They have maybe 5 or 6 years or perhaps even less of GOOD, HIGHLY PROFITABLE DRIVING HABITS and a profitable business model where they stay on top of all the things that would dare to threaten it!.

I AM ONE OF THOSE GUYS!...
(reference) - http://rawze.com/forums/showthread.php?t...29#pid9429

Thus, my reply to the veteran o/o out there complaining and struggling to make ends meet is always the same --- "THAT GUY WITH THE "BACK IN THE DAY" ATTITUDE SHOULD LOOK INTO THE MIRROR WHEN THEY WANT TO PLACE BLAME. NO ONE, AND NOTHING ELSE CAN CORRECT THIS!"....

There WILL ALWAYS be something a person can count on in trucking... The equipment will be made cheaper and cheaper every year while becoming more expensive to maintain + keep running combined with lower and lower, more competitive rates. - THAT HAS BEEN THE NORM IN TRUCKING SINCE THE AUTOMOBILE WAS INVENTED!!! so if you have not figured out how to "keep up" with this after several years of trying,.. then I would suggest a different strategy or career. if what someone is doing is not working,.. then STOP DOING IT THAT WAY!.

What someone did last year,.. 3 years ago,.. 10+ years ago -- WILL NOT WORK TO MAKE YOU A DECENT PROFIT TODAY!!! - PERIOD!. Holding on to outdated ways and thinking in todays trucking world is a waste of time and money!

I.E.> it seems everyone in trucking who has been around a lot of years seems to have this same "STUCK IN YESTER-YEAR" attitude that holds them back. They do nothing but complain and place blame on "It ain't as good as it used to be" instead of DOING SOMETHING TO MOVE FORWARD AND AHEAD OF THE CURVE TO KEEP THEMSELVES PROFITABLE!.

10+ years ago's business model is simply is too out far of date!. Anyone who still thinks so does nothing but piss away what they have more and more every year until eventually it will no longer work for them. - Sorry, but I just don't get it. Why would someone make themselves a complete slave to what they do by NOT keeping up with what is the most profitable business decisions, driving style, strategies, etc. and not take steps to stay as far ahead in competitiveness as possible?. Too many o/o's out there let it all slip away and blame everything except themselves when they have nothing to show for their efforts and are struggling to get by several years later. I meet at least a dozen people like this every single year and the excuses are ALWAYS "junky engines and trucks ... emissions crap... the rates,... etc... " - Literally everything but the fact that their decisions, bad driving habits, etc. way of thinking over the last couple years simply is too out far of date. Literally everything gets blamed but the fact that they are the one who needed to keep up with a changing industry, not the other way around. Most who are stuck in this situation will then get mad and try to defend themselves when confronted. It becomes that broken record of "Well back in the day,.. bla... bla... ramble... ramble ..." bulls%it that simply does not apply any more. What they refuse to see is that many years of driving now = many years of BAD CAREER HABITS THAT NO LONGER WORK.

They can get mad at me all they want to but this is the reality of it. I hate to break it to everyone, but haulin'nass, bragging rights, and Antiques road show trucks hauling low-rent goods just don't normally pay the bills any more!. That driving style and mentality is just not profitable any more. The goal these days is to stay at all times, MORE PROFITABLE than the average mega-fleet truck running the roads before you can start to see a decent dollar any more long term. Anything less and you are falling behind. Don't become a bigger and bigger slave to the system with less and less to show for it in next 10+ years.

I refuse to allow myself to end up like that!.. Flat refuse to be a slave to the system with nothing to show for what I do. I say that if someone is reading this and taking it directly with this "wow, he just described me" then my advice towards them would be "stand up and fight all those years of getting left behind in this industry and start learning how to work with what is the most profitable ways of doing things instead!". Rawze is not to blame, I am simply the guy who dares to say out loud the reality that no one else wants to hear ... If someone can't make what they do work for them, that person to curse out is standing in the mirror!.

* Learn how to slow down and lower ALL your operating costs across the board.

* Learn how to manage time with a higher constraint so that you CAN slow down.

* Learn how to keep after this newer cry-baby equipment so that it does not keep you in the poor-house.

* Learn how to live WITHOUT big nose, antique road-show style square hooded trucks that belong in a museum or in some specialty operation ONLY instead of out on the highways moving dry/reefer or other goods better suited for a well-spec'd aero truck these days.

* Learn how to move your goods with LESS POWER and LESS WEAR AND TEAR on the equipment knowing already it is not made like the fuel-sucking beasts of yester-year.

* Ego,.. and "proud, fancy big-nose, big power, go-fast trucking" don't pay the bills any more. It is the right-lane slow and steady o/o earo, modern engine truck guys like me who keep getting in your way while you brag about passing them who are keeping the money your pissing away. The truth is that guys like myself and others that are actually laughing and shaking their head at those left lane idiots who can't figure out how to drive profitably when it comes time to compare the percentage pay that one can keep!.

Strive for anything less these days,.. and you will not be prepared for tomorrow, but will simply be left behind like all the rest who struggle and complain. That is the reality no one seems to want to face but it is here to stay. Truck owners can count on one thing for sure... it is ALWAYS moving in this direction,,... it always has,.. and always will, so the only question someone needs to ask themselves is WHY they have not been moving with it instead of against it?. - If these new guys in trucking just like myself can figure it out with far less experience behind them,.. then how come the veterans can't?

If someone has a problem with this... I feel bad for them, because they are only fooling themselves if they think that things will change by some miracle and become better in trucking in the future. The path for the future of trucking is clear. Plan for it well, very well, and stay on top of it BEFORE IT CAN EFFECT YOU or get left behind.

Trucking today is NOT about managing your profits,.. but more-so MANAGING ALL YOUR COSTS WHILE PREVENTING DOWN-TIME VERY WELL against the chicken-scratch for pay you have to scrape by with. By the way,... Trucking these days requires 5 pieces of equipment ... SOME BASIC SMARTS, A TRUCK, A COMPUTER TO TALK TO THE TRUCK AND KEEP AFTER IT WITH, A DECENT SET OF WRENCHES AND TOOLS, AND THE INTERNET FOR LEARNING HOW TO MAKE IT ALL WORK FOR YOU SO THAT YOU CAN STOP GIVING ALL YOUR PROFITS WAY TO REPAIR SHOPS!