10/08/2026
“Why do you run a fleet of older trucks?”
I got asked this the other day at a job-site walk through and it made me start to reflect on why haven’t we started to upgrade our fleet. For me it simply comes down to numbers and something that I can’t seem to change about myself.
I’ve always believed that if you can’t afford to pay it in cash, you can’t afford it. That’s a mindset that has stuck with me since I started this business in 2017 as a high school kid trying to make a buck.
Here’s what a paid-off truck means to me:
- Ownership. That truck is ours. Not the bank’s.
- No monthly payments. Less overhead and more money staying in the business.
- Financial stress during the offseason. When work slows down, we aren’t stressing about making 4-5 payments on a fleet of trucks when revenue is less consistent through winter
- Less debt and financial risk. Fewer financial obligations hanging over our heads. I don’t know how people sleep at night knowing they have 3-4 vehicle loans out.
- More money to reinvest. Instead of spending thousands on truck payments, we can put that money toward equipment, employees, and growing the company.
- Lower breakeven point. We don’t have to generate as much revenue each month just to cover our overhead and expenses.
- Less pressure. We can make decisions based on what’s best for the business rather than what bills are due. That’s freedom.
- They still get the job done, other than the occasional breakdown. They might have higher miles, dents, and scratches, but they show up and work just like we do.
Don’t get me wrong, there will absolutely come a day when upgrading our fleet makes sense,
But right now, I’d rather have a fleet of paid-off trucks and the freedom to keep investing in our business.
And if that means driving older trucks for a few more years, I’m perfectly fine with that. 🤝