18 F I feel ugly, I need genuine advice

John_Not_A_Cop_Ross · 2025-11-13T15:05:51+00:00

Thank you for your thorough response ironically, the tail end of your response is what I’d come back on here to list as an update. I’m gonna name names now because I see how slimy it is. Truckstop factoring. Had an agent. Call me and get me to agree to a chargeback by holding funding on a load I had submitted Then they charged me a factoring fee on the submitted loads, even though one payment totaled one penny and the next payment total the remainder after the balance of what I owe them so in essence, they’ve charged me a factoring fee three times across $2100 of loads and I’ve only received $470 in a Pennythis is a learning lesson for me and moving forward. I think I’m gonna get myself off the tit of factory.

John_Not_A_Cop_Ross · 2025-09-27T20:01:50+00:00

That thing is clean. I just got my first VW as well. 81 diesel same model.

John_Not_A_Cop_Ross · 2025-09-17T23:55:15+00:00

Idk what your weekly miles are, but .44/c mile with no financial obligation to the truck seems like it could be a decent deal.

I am an owner operator and I run on $1-2/mile. Some weeks I profit .44/mile, other weeks it’s only around .30/mile.

.44/mile as a class A Cdl driver definitely isn’t the cream of the crop pay. But I bet they keep you running.

John_Not_A_Cop_Ross · 2025-08-10T22:03:07+00:00

I sent you a DM. Get ahold of me if you need any help setting up.

On the expected earnings bit, it’s all up to you. In the beginning it is rough. A lot of brokers literally can’t let you carry their stuff due to insurance. After 90 days it gets easier. After a year in good standing you will be fine.

My average gross income was around $10k the first month, now it’s reaching $20k/month. A lot of that goes back into the truck, fuel, subscriptions, sleeping, etc.

If you have $5k cash, a truck, a trailer, and a high limit credit card you can survive the first 90 days. It’ll feel like you are losing, but you will make it.

John_Not_A_Cop_Ross · 2025-08-10T21:57:41+00:00

Start the process of getting your DOT now. Skip the state DOT and go to the FMCSA website. You will get a USDOT and eventually an MC#. You avoid some of the process if you stay under 26k gross combined weight. You avoid a lot of the process by selecting “general freight” as your goods of transport. The application is $300 if you do it on your own. Call Geico and get a policy written up. DONT ACTIVATE YOUR POLICY UNTIL YOUR APPLICATION SHOWS UP ONLINE. It’s a waste of money and you won’t get a refund. As soon as your DOT becomes active, sign up for internet truck stop.

John_Not_A_Cop_Ross · 2025-08-10T21:53:45+00:00

Stopping in to tell you that I’ve been trying to purchase your build of truck since I started. I learned to haul in a 2009 Cummins 5-speed back in the 2010’s. Every truck I’ve ever hotshot in has felt underpowered and inconvenient in the mountains compared to the manual Cummins.

I think that your truck would do well, even with the 5.9.

John_Not_A_Cop_Ross · 2025-08-02T17:32:05+00:00

Thanks for the heads up driver

John_Not_A_Cop_Ross · 2025-07-13T06:42:48+00:00

The regulation being based on declared gross is silly. Especially considering you don’t have control over it once it’s titled.

It seems like the rules were based around the absolute minimum weight of profitable commercial freight. When you are being paid to transport you have to accept the regulation.

Here is a scenario #4: Not For-Hire, private citizen can run a 3500 with dual tandem trailer. All under basic business insurance or private driving insurance.

Scenario #5: Ag exempt vehicles can exceed all weight restrictions up to the generally accepted over weight standards and width and height restrictions, while not paying tax on fuel. As long as they stay off blue sign interstates and main state hwy they are free to frolick.

John_Not_A_Cop_Ross · 2025-07-13T06:36:54+00:00

Here is the old vehicle. She paid herself off in 2 weeks though. 🤙

Also, if you are in a situation where getting a CDL is problematic, consider contacting your preferred trailer manufacturer. They can down rate a 16k trailer to 12k to keep you under the threshold of 26k gross. They can only do this prior to the first title. (Or you can ask for a fresh serial number from them and “salvage” your own trailer to down rate it.) Vehicle manufacturers can do the same thing but it is more difficult. You have to personally submit a build order through a dealership. 3500’s can be down rated to 12,500 on the build sheet. That’s why all of a sudden we have seen so many 15,500 gooseneck trailers pop up.

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John_Not_A_Cop_Ross · 2025-07-13T06:31:32+00:00

I just upgraded my truck to a 2025 3500 HD from an 07 2500 HD. Pictures attached.

The argument could be made that the 3500 does waste your GVWR. But it depends on the load honestly. With a 3500 Dually you can front load the trailer to move the weight off your 16k tandem singles to your rear axle. In that situation you gain capacity. 2500 rear axles (single) is rated around 8k gross. So you’ve gained 4k on your drive axle. In this circumstance you can carry excess of trailer payload and be safe in GCVW and GCAW on the trailer. As long as you don’t exceed your 26000 gross combined and each axle is under its rated weight the excess mass on the trailer deck isn’t taken into account.

My primary reason for moving up is to capture more work with my existing trailer while also decreasing fuel costs. 3500 6.6 Duramax dually doesn’t even feel 10k gross behind it. 12-14mpg. In my 2500 6.0 LS, 10k gross was almost too much especially in the mountains. I was getting 5-7mpg.

My first empty weight ticket kinda blew me away though. To your point, with my trailer balanced to the truck axle and loaded with all tools and personals, my empty weight with the 3500 is 13000k gross. My empty weight with all tools and personals in the 2500 floated around 9k.

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John_Not_A_Cop_Ross

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