I was at the truck shop recently, and seen this truck which was pretty much done. Like, dead.  The engine was gone. This truck wasn’t getting back on any highway anytime soon.

Different makes have a different lifespan, but generally well-maintained trucks can do about 200,000 miles to 300,000miles before major repair issues arise. You can expect one to last an average of between 10-15 years.

But I want y’all to understand something. This truck I was looking at, died at 1.2 million miles. You know what that means? That means this truck was taken care of. This truck had good drivers, good mechanics and a good fleet manager.

Like imagine that you made an investment, years and years ago so that you’re able to get 1.2 million miles out of that truck. I mean, just think about it.

If you were to get an average of a $1.90 cents per mile on every load, do the math at 1.2 million miles.

That’s why it’s so important that you’re staying on top of your preventative maintenance. It’s important that you’re not putting band-aids where a repair is needed. You have to actually get it done and take care. Don’t wait until it ain’t driving no more, or you start hearing things you ain’t heard before. Keep track of every part and service and do what needs to be done, when it needs to be done. It’s gotta be a priority y’all. You don’t ever wait till next week. You do it when you know it’s time. ‘Cause the more you take care of the truck, the more it’s going to take care of you.

“The more you take care of the truck, the more it’s going to take care of you.”

So now for that dead truck, it’s gonna cost anywhere from $15k to $20k for an overhaul and new engine. And then we rewind the clock right back and start again which is what I love about trucking. Because if you have a good mechanic that knows what he’s doing, you’ll pretty much end up with a new truck.

So I’ll say it again, stay on top of your maintenance. Don’t let small problems build up because small problems turn into big problems. Big problems y’all don’t need. Invest in your trucks, they are the root of your business. ‘Cause all it takes sometimes is one big problem and your whole business, all you worked for, it’s gone y’all.