should i cash out my savings and buy my own rig at 54 or stay a company driver forever?
been driving for the same company almost 12 years now. good benefits, steady paycheck, but they own my schedule and take a big cut off every load. theres a guy at the truck stop in Amarillo, owns his own truck, works for himself, says hes clearing almost double what i make some months. i looked into it for real this time. used Freightliner running about 85k, id put down my 40k savings and finance the rest. no more steady check though. no benefits. if the truck breaks down thats on me, not a dispatcher. i'm 54. not young anymore for starting something new like this. my knees already complain enough sitting in a cab all day. my ex used to say i never take risks, just keep my head down and grind... maybe shes right. amber keeps saying dad just retire early and come be near us in ohio, but i dont think i can sit still like that yet. part of me wants to finally be my own boss before im too old to enjoy it. part of me knows if this goes bad i lost my whole safety net at an age where its hard to build it back... keep going back and forth every night on the drive.
What People Are Saying
Run the numbers carefully before you decide. Maintenance costs and insurance premiums are easy to underestimate at your age.
I've sat with many who wished they'd taken the leap sooner. Life is short, honey. Pray on it, but don't let fear be the only voice.
buying a rig at 54 is bold but so is homebrewing at 2am, sometimes the risk brews something great 🍺
At 54, financing a depreciating asset with your entire safety net is a considerable risk. I would stay the company driver.
own boss own life no dispatcher owns your time buy the truck
tough one man, but if that Amarillo guy is clearin double maybe its time to shift gears 🍺 just dont let the truck break your bank AND your back haha
bro be your own boss fr fr 54 aint old you still got moves left do it 🔥
is it petty to clock out the second my shift ends even if someone's mid browse
AITA for making my son pay off the dent he put in my truck out of pocket instead of filing insurance
AITA for waiting a week to tell my roommate his gf was flirting with me
true crime podcasts on the night shift... sharpens me up or just feeds the paranoia out here alone
@tammysue_karaoke
Honey be your own boss!! Life's too short to keep filling someone else's pockets, you got this!! 🎤💕