MACK LOVIN

@mmitrucker4 Ouch!

Got hit by another semi a few weeks ago. Idiot had his passenger steers stuck in the mud on the shoulder. He decided to take a hard left into oncoming traffic and it was me who was in the lane. Luckily, I didn’t hit anyone in the left lane when he jumped out.

@dartinguphill @LukeGromen @FreightAlley I'm not gay but I'm on team Fuller. Also, no women have responded to this post. 😆

POLL: Who is better looking? @LukeGromen or @FreightAlley Be honest, this is a very serious matter.

@teenygreen 😆😆😆

@hellbenthagen That’s not how that works; that’s not how any of that works!😆😲😆😲

Kids you need anything? Dad's hitting the drive thru on his way home.

@southbaytrucker Clearing I'm doing it wrong. I appreciate your input XI.

@hellbenthagen Who are you explaining it to? We own 70plus trucks and a brokerage. Your costs are to high. I’d reccomend not buying brand new MACKS and fancy custom trailers.

Opposed to the geniuses we have now. Sign me up for a $1,500 a day salary. 🤔

@jon_lisicki Man oh man, that is a tragic situation. This business likes to kick a person when they're down.

I appreciate you sharing. I too have gone through the same. Only my valleys started in ~2023. I had 5 trucks repossessed in 2025 with ~6 payments left for each unit. One truck was repo’ed while our driver was delivering to our customers customer. Imagine me having to explain our situation to our customer and our customers customer. Embarrassing. I had a DOT field audit at our terminal and the repo agents showed in the middle of the audit and drive off with the trucks after they were stickered. Went from ~$600k gross sales/mo to ~$67k in ~45 day span. Not bc of any performance related issues. Have had landlords file unlawful detainers. You name it. Considered filing BK but there’s too much, much much of things going on to stop.

Small fleet owner here. The struggle has been very real these last 2 years and none stronger than 2025. It reminded me of my youth on the family farm in the 80s. Dad got the new tractor he bought 2 years prior repossessed when the market shifted. This was before the government gave you a kick back if you lost money in farming mind you. The lesson learned for me was never give up. I searched my soul in the worst moments of last year. My wife and I arguing about money. Not paying ourselves. Working for nothing several months in a row. All of our savings completely gone by the fall of 25. I haven't been this cash strapped since I was a young man out of High School. We thought real hard about giving up, but Hell Bent Xpress isn't a catchy name. Its an absolute dedication to keep pushing on no matter how hard or difficult the situation becomes. This new environment we find ourselves in means serious change for the transportation industry, that has always operated on trust. We are becoming a very low trust society, therefore we must adapt procedures and tactics. Become more open and honest with sharing who we are and how we accomplish the mission. It can't be talk and flashy websites. It has be verifiable transparency. We are all fine putting a camera on the driver but nobody wants to put a camera on the person in the office who keeps the business compliant. I look forward to proving we have always tried to do it by the book. Have we messed things up in the past, sure. I had my business all jacked up that first year on my own. Then I convinced my wife to come aboard and she dove head first into the compliance pool. We aren't perfect but we will get better to further prove we can be trusted in today's trucking landscape. No place to hide in the shadows if we all shine a light on it. This is how the small trucking companies and brokerages survive, change how we do things. Less trust, more visibility for customers. With all that said, value added means it will cost. Real professional drivers cost money. Quality equipment to ensure safety also costs. You want to ensure your business thrives, then lets make sure we both can. I'm willing to provide it, if you're willing to pay for it. God bless you all that made it this far. 🙏

Let me explain the transportation industry to you sir. Its not a license to print money, despite what you may have heard. The old joke of how to make a million in trucking is to start with 2 million. Its a very risky business of pennies. So no thousands of dollars a day in profit. If you're lucky at my size of fleet. You might make a few hundred. On a good day.

@hellbenthagen It should or you’re in the wrong industry lol. To much debt???

@BlackLabelAdvsr Hearing other entrepreneurs stories is inspiring

@hellbenthagen This is it. This is grit. Feels like my story. Before I sold my business I almost went bankrupt due to cash flow. Not a fun experience but I ended up learning and making the business even stronger!

@BlackLabelAdvsr I sure hope not 🙏

@hellbenthagen Did anyone die???

@1samdavid I have remind myself, to dust off, adjust, then re-engage

@hellbenthagen I love this post, I agree with your point of view As a business owner myself, you really have to learn to trust yourself and not quit at the first setback.

Idk if I would trust that data. Weather satellites didn't get accurate until the 1920s. 🤭

@southbaytrucker If only it worked that way

@hellbenthagen But you’re also running 15 trucks so you’re def making about double I would hope.

@_spez Agreed, if only we could have each other's backs.

@hellbenthagen That’s really sad. As business owners and leaders we need to stand together, pool our collective minds and resources. Because if we don’t, nothings going to change. I’m not a union man, hate em, but we must unite because big corp is insatiable and you’re all being pushed out.

@BlueBlobandBB @TimothyDooner When I'm in the truck i will pull some logbook shenanigans to get it done. I feel the government rules are horribly outdated for the times. But thats a different story for a different time. We're 99.9% compliant. 😉🤫

@hellbenthagen @TimothyDooner Running compliant was a transition for me, having spent my first 3 decades running cowboy, but when I started running my own trucks, I calmed down. My drivers didn’t always like it but, hey, protecting my company was priority. I, too, went without pay at times.

@GiiGii1967 The dog doesn't do the AI voice does he, like scooby-do? 😆 In all seriousness it sounds interesting to me.

@hellbenthagen Our family fleet didn’t make it, but we evolved. truckerbuddy.ai

@_spez I've had a hundred different drivers comment on this post. How many do you think aligned with me? Not as many as you would think.

@hellbenthagen You need an elite haulage group, say a co-op of vetted independent operators with real credibility. Stand together, source only companies with equal credibility. Trucking has failed since the 80s with cheap labour, rates and operators. Genuine business requires genuine business.

@kingshoker_ It would have worked to get me to my load i had booked next. Its all about the week and month. You put it all together.

@hellbenthagen You able to make profit on that lane 1k for 400 miles? Driver pay .60¢, benefits, you got new trucks/trailers, fuel, insurance, office staff, shop etc

Real conversation from yesterday. Load on loadboard paying $600 for 400 miles. Average currently in the lane is $1000. I call and ask the specifics and politely ask for the $1000, nothing more. Guy says we usually cover them for the $600. I said where are your usual truckers then? Stone silence. Thats what I thought. If you're having trouble covering loads with your usual trucking companies this last week, you were using shady truckers.

@MarkOutlaw42069 😆😆😆

And another thing.... Have yall heard any Amish folks bitchin about high gas prices?

@SOCKEYETRUCKING MP13HE

@hellbenthagen What engine is in that 11 MPG mack?

*looks at calender Yep, its 2026 Should I tell him I can get 11 fully loaded and 16 bobtailing?

@FredRI401 Its ridiculousness

@hellbenthagen I looked at a load board for freight in New England and I saw Brokers offering loads for the same rate I charged in the 80's