By: Michael Thomas

A realistic, emotionally compelling scene of a large semi-truck on a heavy-duty repair lift inside a dealership service bay. The environment shows a clean but corporate dealership shop with bright overhead lights and expensive diagnostic equipment. In the foreground, a lone, middle-aged male truck owner—wearing a slightly worn-out baseball cap and work shirt—stands with his head down, hands on hips, facing the elevated truck. His expression shows deep worry, disappointment, and financial stress. There’s a service invoice printed on a clipboard in his hand, slightly tilted so it hints at a large repair cost. Behind him is a window looking out to an empty trailer yard, suggesting stalled operations. The overall tone is warm but somber, using a soft golden hour light filtering in through the window to create contrast between the hope he once had and the weight of reality now hitting him. A faded U.S. flag decal is on the truck’s door, subtly reinforcing the theme of American small business hardship. The scene must evoke empathy and reflection about the financial crushing of independent truckers by corporate repair shops.

I’m sick and tired of seeing the hard-working truckers of America getting financially destroyed by predatory repair shops and overpriced parts.

And I’m not just talking about your local corner shop charging a little extra.

I’m talking about:

Dealership service departments billing $5,000–$10,000 for basic repairs that should cost $1,200.
National fleet service chains charging $180+ per hour for junior techs.
OEM parts distributors marking up $400 parts into $3,800 invoices—plus labor, diagnostics, and “emergency freight fees.”
Franchise repair networks pushing unneeded repairs to hit sales quotas.
Mobile regen techs charging $2,000 just to clear codes.
Sensor and module suppliers tripling prices and blaming “supply chain” while padding profits.

These companies are not struggling. They’re thriving—off the blood, sweat, and broke-down dreams of America’s trucking workforce.

Follow the Money: Who’s Profiting While We’re Breaking Down?

Let’s look at real financial data from public companies dominating truck service, parts, and fleet repairs:

🔹 Rush Enterprises (NASDAQ: RUSHA)

2024 Revenue: $7.8 Billion
Net Income: $304.2 Million
Service operations covered 132.6% of overhead—meaning parts and repairs are pure profit drivers.

🔹 Penske Automotive Group (NYSE: PAG)

2024 Revenue: $30.5 Billion
Parts & Service Revenue: $3 Billion+

🔹 PACCAR Inc (NASDAQ: PCAR)

2024 Revenue: $33.66 Billion
Net Income: $4.16 Billion
Financial services (maintenance-related): $2.1 Billion

🔹 Advance Auto Parts (NYSE: AAP)

2024 Revenue: $11.15 Billion
Facing backlash after offloading Worldpac for $1.5B, while mechanics still face inflated part costs

This isn’t a broken system. It’s a rigged system. These corporations rake in billions while truckers are left with:

$7,000 DEF line flushes
$20,000 in forced downtime
And repair bills that put owner-operators out of business overnight

This Is a National Crisis

And let me be blunt: it affects all of America—not just truckers.

When trucks can’t roll, shelves go empty
When fleets go under, prices go up
When drivers default, finance companies collapse
When repair gouging becomes normal, trucking dies from within

In 2024, the U.S. trucking industry experienced a significant number of company closures. According to data from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) analyzed by TruckInfo.net, nearly 10,000 motor carriers ceased operations in the first half of the year alone .TheTrucker.com

This downturn followed a challenging 2023, during which approximately 88,000 trucking companies and 8,000 freight brokers shut down . The closures in 2024 were influenced by several factors, including:FreightWaves+4Warehousing & Fulfillment+41Truck+4

Overcapacity: The industry faced an oversupply of trucks relative to freight demand, leading to reduced rates and profitability.
Rising Operational Costs: Increased expenses for fuel, maintenance, insurance, and labor put additional financial pressure on carriers.
Economic Pressures: Fluctuating freight volumes and economic uncertainties contributed to the financial strain on trucking companies.Warehousing & Fulfillment+1FreightWaves+1

Notable closures in 2024 included Arnold Transportation Services, a 92-year-old Texas-based carrier, and Flagship Transport, a Miami-Dade trucking company .FreightWaves+2Warehousing & Fulfillment+21Truck+2

These developments underscore the volatility within the trucking sector and highlight the importance of adaptability and financial resilience for carriers operating in a competitive and fluctuating market.

Sources

And no one is stopping it !

We have regulations for emissions. We have rules for hours of service. We even have CSA scores for safety.

But we have zero oversight on the one thing that decides whether a truck can get back on the road: repair pricing.

We Must Demand Accountability

Here’s what we need to do—starting now:

Call on our State Representatives

Demand legislation that monitors pricing and introduces repair transparency for heavy-duty equipment.

Submit cases to the FMCSA

We need an official case study into gouging practices nationwide. We must present real invoices. Real outcomes. Real business closures.

Support Honest Repair Shops

Support mobile techs, independent diesel shops, and certified mechanics who don’t prey on desperation.

Start a Trucking Repair Oversight Network

If we can verify safe carriers, we can verify honest mechanics. Let’s build it. I’ll lead it.

Enough Is Enough

This industry was built by men and women who sacrificed everything to keep America moving. And now, too many of them are sitting in parking lots—watching their dreams get repo’d—because someone said a $300 part would cost $4,000.

It’s time we speak up. It’s time we fight back. And it’s time we bring accountability back to the shop floor.

Share this. Copy it. Post it. Tag a rep. Call a news station.

Trucking isn't just business—It’s survival.

And we will not let it die at the hands of greedy mechanics.

With you on every mile,

My Name is Michael Thomas and I approve this message. To all you repair facilities out there ripping off our family, Im watching you.

Michael Thomas America’s Most Powerful AI Logistics Consultant Founder, Freight University & Logistical Forwarding Solutions

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"I’m Sick and Tired of the Mechanic Shops"