Harley58
05-23-2003, 12:13 PM
The last time I lost sleep thinking about a business venture, I quit my $90,000/yr job at a large Fire Dept and went out and bought a dump truck and trailer (big thing in the Pacific NW) and started hauling big rock. Let's see...startup costs? Just the basics. No micellaneous.
'93 Mack 4 axle dump...$65,000
Pup Trailer....................$ 5000
Heavy equipment trailer $8000
Put 20% down on the truck and paid cash for both trailers.
Rate of pay..72.50 hr
Expenses...
Fuel $150 every other day
Licensing and extra tonnage $3600 every six months
Truck pmt. $1800/mo
Insurance $780/mo for all equipment
Tires (caps) $200 ea.
Oil change and service every 5000 or so miles $460
Run 6 days/wk 14 hr days. Not all paid. 12 if you're lucky. Break down (busted axle..flat..air leak..DOT..) you get the picture?
:cry:
I knew all the expenses going in. The one thing I didn't plan on was getting jerked around when it came time to get paid. I was being expected to be able to carry myself 90 days in the extreme before the checks arrived. You complain, they get someone else. You do eventually get paid though.
I lasted two years, lost a lot of money, and went back to fighting fires.
My situation is truly a case of Golden Handcuffs. Great job. Lots of fun.
It's time to move on for reasons of my own. I plan to move to Florida shortly and am looking strongly at this business. I have been reading these forums for about a week and have developed a tremendous respect for professional LCO's.
I know some may think I'm twisted to leave such a well paying job but I learned the following thing from the dump truck biz...no matter how much a pita the operation was, it was my first taste of being in business for myself and I have never forgotten it. I loved it.
I have no problem working hard if that's what it takes.
I also learned the big ones... Pay your taxes and stay out of debt.
I'm doing my homework now on this business, and if I do decide to join your ranks, I hope to do it justice with a professionally run business. Thanks to all for all the valuable information on this site. I couldn't find anything like this when I was considering the dump truck business. Thanks.
'93 Mack 4 axle dump...$65,000
Pup Trailer....................$ 5000
Heavy equipment trailer $8000
Put 20% down on the truck and paid cash for both trailers.
Rate of pay..72.50 hr
Expenses...
Fuel $150 every other day
Licensing and extra tonnage $3600 every six months
Truck pmt. $1800/mo
Insurance $780/mo for all equipment
Tires (caps) $200 ea.
Oil change and service every 5000 or so miles $460
Run 6 days/wk 14 hr days. Not all paid. 12 if you're lucky. Break down (busted axle..flat..air leak..DOT..) you get the picture?
:cry:
I knew all the expenses going in. The one thing I didn't plan on was getting jerked around when it came time to get paid. I was being expected to be able to carry myself 90 days in the extreme before the checks arrived. You complain, they get someone else. You do eventually get paid though.
I lasted two years, lost a lot of money, and went back to fighting fires.
My situation is truly a case of Golden Handcuffs. Great job. Lots of fun.
It's time to move on for reasons of my own. I plan to move to Florida shortly and am looking strongly at this business. I have been reading these forums for about a week and have developed a tremendous respect for professional LCO's.
I know some may think I'm twisted to leave such a well paying job but I learned the following thing from the dump truck biz...no matter how much a pita the operation was, it was my first taste of being in business for myself and I have never forgotten it. I loved it.
I have no problem working hard if that's what it takes.
I also learned the big ones... Pay your taxes and stay out of debt.
I'm doing my homework now on this business, and if I do decide to join your ranks, I hope to do it justice with a professionally run business. Thanks to all for all the valuable information on this site. I couldn't find anything like this when I was considering the dump truck business. Thanks.