Cummins Motors

[JoeHutchinson]

This might not be the right fourm but this is the page a normal read so I will post my question here.



I am thinking about becoming a semi truck Owner/Operator



Are there good web sites for info on 15 liter cummins motors ??? Or other semi truck motors ???





Thanks for any help you might give



Joe

 

[HBarlow]

Are you already a commercial driver driving for someone else just considering owning your own truck?

Or are you considering a major career change from something else?

My advice if you are thinking of becoming a commercial driver for the first time would be to take it slow and drive for a trucking fleet for a year or so to learn if you want to continue. Used tractors are cheap to buy now in our bad and declining economy if you have cash or excellent credit and can buy one but once you buy it you'll have to give it away to get rid of it. Trucking fleets have failed and shut down and others have downsized according to what I have heard.

I've never driven big trucks but I spent two years and nine months, 400,000 miles, on the road as a commercial RV transporter. It was an adventure for me, I was retired with a pension and didn't have to work. Overall I enjoyed it. It was exciting every time I got a new load and a new destination assigned. But pulling trailers or driving a big truck on snow and ice covered highways in extremely cold weather is a high risk occupation. Drivers lose their lives every winter. Mistakes or mishaps usually come out of a driver's pocket. I have an old country music CD where the singer says, "the hours are long and the pay is low. " That's what most commercial hauling is. Some do very well, of course, but they have earned their way up the ladder. Not many do.

If commercial driving is going to be your livelihood, it is a tough life. Some drivers have worked themselves into driving for FedEx or Wal-Mart or a specialized fleet but most ordinary OTR drivers have to endure a lot to make a living. It is a life of sacrifice living in a truck on the road and in grimy truck stops, eating bad food, spending hours and days waiting to be unloaded or loaded, hanging around waiting for the next load.

 

[BIGNASTY]

You dont say

Are you already a commercial driver driving for someone else just considering owning your own truck?



Or are you considering a major career change from something else?



My advice if you are thinking of becoming a commercial driver for the first time would be to take it slow and drive for a trucking fleet for a year or so to learn if you want to continue. Used tractors are cheap to buy now in our bad and declining economy if you have cash or excellent credit and can buy one but once you buy it you'll have to give it away to get rid of it. Trucking fleets have failed and shut down and others have downsized according to what I have heard.



I've never driven big trucks but I spent two years and nine months, 400,000 miles, on the road as a commercial RV transporter. It was an adventure for me, I was retired with a pension and didn't have to work. Overall I enjoyed it. It was exciting every time I got a new load and a new destination assigned. But pulling trailers or driving a big truck on snow and ice covered highways in extremely cold weather is a high risk occupation. Drivers lose their lives every winter. Mistakes or mishaps usually come out of a driver's pocket. I have an old country music CD where the singer says, "the hours are long and the pay is low. " That's what most commercial hauling is. Some do very well, of course, but they have earned their way up the ladder. Not many do.



If commercial driving is going to be your livelihood, it is a tough life. Some drivers have worked themselves into driving for FedEx or Wal-Mart or a specialized fleet but most ordinary OTR drivers have to endure a lot to make a living. It is a life of sacrifice living in a truck on the road and in grimy truck stops, eating bad food, spending hours and days waiting to be unloaded or loaded, hanging around waiting for the next load.

Damn Harvey you almost want me to throw in the towel after 30+years of driving (20+ for a major oil company) but I like the grimy truck stops eating bad food I dont spend hours and days for a load I get my 5 or 6 loads a day so I dont hang around waiting much. But your right its a very tough life for most. Actually I have it very good I wont eat anything that comes out of a gas station I wont drink their coffee (I like Starbucks) and look around the next time your in a gas station and if your not the smartest looking person in there I would be amazed. There is always hope for the good job if you get a break and have a clean DMV printout. But even the oil comp. are getting rid of their fleets its allot better for them if the refine the prod. let someone else take the risk outside the gate. IE our last driver screw up cost the company 475 thousand dollars and is still not over. BUT I STILL LIKE TO DRIVE



GAIL

 

[HBarlow]

Gail,

I think you understand exactly what I meant. I'm not disparaging truckers or even the industry but for most drivers it is a tough way to make a living and jumping in with both feet and buying your own truck and trailer before you put some time in as a paid driver could be risky and filled with regrets.

You are one of the professional drivers who worked himself into a good job with a good company and are doing it because you enjoy it. You are probably home every night or at least not gone from home more than one or two. Your's is one of the cushy trucker jobs. Most drivers are away from family, friends, and their own home for weeks at a time running 500-600 miles a day, six days a week.

 

[NIsaacs]

Joe



I am not sure what year you are looking for, current models or older stuff. I would start by searching the web for truck engines. Cummins, Cat, Detroit, Mack, Paccar and Volvo.



Nick

 

[BIGNASTY]

Gail,



I think you understand exactly what I meant. I'm not disparaging truckers or even the industry but for most drivers it is a tough way to make a living and jumping in with both feet and buying your own truck and trailer before you put some time in as a paid driver could be risky and filled with regrets.



You are one of the professional drivers who worked himself into a good job with a good company and are doing it because you enjoy it. You are probably home every night or at least not gone from home more than one or two. Your's is one of the cushy trucker jobs. Most drivers are away from family, friends, and their own home for weeks at a time running 500-600 miles a day, six days a week.

Harvey You my friend are so right. I do have a very cushy trucker job when I had my name on the door I really pushed the body as far each day as I could go. I had a house,truck,insruance,fuel,maint a wife and 2 drape ape's to feed put clothes on pay for school. I made really good money but the wife gave me the choice her or the truck she had had enough of raising 2 kids by herself. (I asked how long I had to make the choice) she didnt see he humor in that but. I sold the truck and went to work hauling 9000 gal of liquid TNT. But there's never a day that I see a long line truck and think about the road. I dont blame the man that started the post Ive allways wanted to see what was on the other side of the next hill no matter how many times Id been over the same hill. I wish him luck but just think, its not a job its a way of life 24/7 365 when you own your own. As for a truck I dont know its a tough call I like Pete but all the new smog laws going on and what will be coming in the DPF's on class 8 retrofits are 10,000 and I dont know but most dont go well from what I hear the motors arnt made to be choked down with all the restriction. It made Cat get out of the on road motor market.

 

[JoeHutchinson]

Thanks guys for all the concern,



I will be finishing up school and getting a CDL here in a couple of months. I all ready have lined up a local driving job and plan to stay with it for at least a year, because with a year of experence not many company will take on a new driver.



What I am researching is what to do next after I drive for a year or so. And I have to see if the new health care bill does indeed outlaw indepent contractor and if Cap and Trade passes and their is a carbon tax on older trucks those things would be game changers. I may well decide it is a bad idea to own a truck, but I am doing my homework to find out for sure what would be best for me. I am in this for the long run, so that why I am working on a busness plan a year ahead of time.



The problems is their don't seem to be web site like this on for Info.



Thank for all the comments



Keep me in mind if run across any good sites



Joe