I'm in a bit of a dilemma

[Tobin S.]

I have someone who I love at home and I'd like to be there every day now. The problem is that I'm a long haul trucker, an independent contractor who owns a truck. I have big bills associated with the truck and I'm obligated to it for 3.5 more years unless I sell it, and if I do that right now I'll likely have to take a big hit on it. We're probably talking at least $5000 and possibly more if I go that route.

I'm at a point where I need to make a decision on this. I'm going to have to spend about $3000 on new tires if I hang on to the truck for much longer. I don't want to do that unless I'm committed to owning it long term.

The best possible scenario that I can see right now is finding a company that I can lease to and do local work for. That's what I've been trying to find and I didn't think it would be very difficult, but I've been looking for a while now and there's just nothing out there like that where I live. It would be easy to find a local job if I didn't have to worry about leasing on my truck.

So, sell the truck and take a big hit financially and be home, or keep on trucking and do something that I'm becoming increasingly unhappy with. I guess I could also try to hang in there for a while, go ahead and buy the tires and pray I can find something local soon. That's a gamble, but if it paid off I'd be able to have my cake and eat it, too.

[auntAgonist]

1. Tobin, you have another choice.

Can you hire a driver?

Someone you could trust? Maybe even work share. He/she drives a week, takes a week off, you do the same?

OR.

Hire someone full time and find a local job for yourself.

there are options :)

just a thought.

:loveya:

I know how hard this is, been there, done that as you know.

aA
kesha

[Tobin S.]

3. I don't know anyone I would trust enough to do that

I have thought about doing that, but I know how a lot of truckers can be a serious pain. Hell, I can be a serious pain. :D I've also heard horror stories from other owner-operators who have tried that. Equipment getting torn up, truck abandonded, losing their lease, accidents, getting sued.

So that choice is off the table.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

2. money isn't everything.

I like that last option. If you sell the truck it will be a good selling feature to have the new tires. :hi:

[Tobin S.]

5. That's true

And taking the loss is becoming a more attractive option to me the longer I spend away from home.

[Bunny]

4. Go with your heart. True love doesn't happen very often.

The rest is only money, and there are always ways to dig out from under that.

[Tobin S.]

6. Yep

If I was forced to make a decision today, I'd take the hit.

[bluesbassman]

7. How about teaching Jennifer to drive and be a team?

Is that a possibility?

[Tobin S.]

8. I'm not going to ask her to do that

She is established where she is now. She's got a good job that she's been at for a long time, a nice place, three pets that she won't part with, and she likes to be able to see her family and friends often. I'm not going to ask her to give that up.

[bluesbassman]

10. Well if that's not an option (and rightly so), I'd say take the hit and sell.

You guys sound happy together and that's worth the sacrifice.

[rug]

9. $5,000 divided by 42 months is 4 bucks a day.

Sell the truck and be with your woman.

[Tobin S.]

11. That's true, but it's not something that I can finance

Well, I guess I could possibly do it with a credit card cash advance, but they'd probably charge me and Jen our first born. Otherwise, I have to come up with the cash all at once. It's a little harder to take that way, but I see what you are saying.

[Flaxbee]

12. Can you hang with it until the spring? It's always harder

to find solutions and options in the winter, somehow. If you can make a deal with yourself to wait just 90 days, it'll be April and your options may have improved dramatically by then.

I understand what you're saying and thinking, but can you and Jennifer take it a month at a time? I realize there's the upcoming investment in tires ... but I remember all the consideration and thought and work you put into this choice you've made - being an independent contractor - and I think you should just give yourself through the spring to see what options arise then. :shrug:

[elleng]

13. Haven't thought it thru, happy to see you. Consider the tax consequences.

Might go one way or another, but might give you new useful facts.

Also, don't want to aggravate, but to suggest that waiting a few, as suggested above, might help substantively. I do know something about the difficulty of such, as I've been waiting 2+ years for thousands owed me by 'stranged husb; were to have agreement Nov. 1, didn't work, + just learned he's subjected me to unexpected IRS consequences of his behavior. More waiting, but postponed 'agreement' will likely reflect IRS b.s., to my ultimate benefit. (Unintended consequences.)


:hi:

[Haole Girl]

14. Your situation reminds me of people who want to have a child, but then adopt...

..only to get pregnant! :-) It's so true, "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans."

Good luck! These major life decisions are never easy. Though, money never guarantees one's happiness. But you know that.

:hi:

[guitar man]

15. Going local sounds like a good option

If you can swing it. Have you thought about pulling a dump trailer? I know you'd have to spend some money up front to get a pump, wet lines and such installed, but I know a couple of guys around here that are cleaning up on road construction jobs. ;)

[Callalily]

16. I know how you struggled with the

decision to buy the rig in the first place.

Well, let's see. If you stick with it, you need to spend $3k. If you abandon this project, you are out $5k (in reality only 2K when you factor in not having to purchase tires).

Do you think the relationship with Jennifer will continue? Can she wait until you come to terms with a good solution?

If you sell and the relationship does not turnout, then what?

Sorry Tobin, but I do not have any true advice for you.

Back to my first sentence. You struggled with your decision to purchase in the first place. Go within yourself, follow your reasoning and your heart, and hopefully the decision will become clear.

At least I hope.

Oh, and remember, it is said to follow your intuition, so seek advice within yourself. What do you really feel comfortable with?

Good luck.

:hug:

[Parche]

17. i hear you on true love and someone

you care about

i would try to find a local company that does in state trucking, so you dont have to spend nights on the road

keep on trucking!!!

let us know what happens!!

[grasswire]

18. what does she think?

Some women appreciate absence. Some want constant presence.

Surely she has expressed her opinion.

[PufPuf23]

19. Stick with the 3.5 year obligation for your truck and livelihood.

I have read your posts about your new love relationship but don't know your age.

You will have a lifetime together if fortunate. That said, there are plenty of fish in that sea.

The biggest mistakes made in my life have because of my altruistic decisions in response to selfishness or under pressure from exes, employers or business partners, and family that I loved or was committed unconditionally.

I made some huge errors that altered the course of my life and cost me many of my dreams. I am still generous to a fault; prefer living alone; my Estate is going to an Indian Tribe, museum, and university library; and my long term friends know I am not to be crossed nor lied to and respect boundaries.

You can PM me if you want specifics.

One saying is that absence makes the heart grow fonder and perhaps staying on the road may extend the initial romance and seal the commitment.

You can still look for work with less time on the road and not suffer a relatively minor an economic cost.

[hippywife]

20. What do you consider local?

Think it would work out if you looked in Cinci or Columbus for local work? Only about an hour or so either way.

[david13]

21. I like Pufs aspect. There is two sides to any situation. Is this a decision

for the head, or the heart?
Sounds like a rational decision for the head. Hearts can be fickle.
dc