Moving Day

[Don Fairchild]

Well guys I need to leave cal. The owners of the company have asked me not to rebuild any more engines under CCTS,
however I can build under my own name. We just received our new workers comp rates and they went up $8.00 per $1,000 of coverage and we have never had a claim. A friend just went to mo to regester his bus because his registration went from $389 a year to over $1,200 a year, and his insurance doubled.

I will build engines under my name till some time early next year when I will move out of cal. All engines will carry a one year warranty. I am looking for suggestions for a place to move to that is not against business. A place where you guys will help support me with some of your work.

Any and all help is appreciated so let the flaming begin.

p.s I need to stay within a day or two drive from my mom. She will be 81 in Oct. My wife will not go with me at this time as here mom is 81 and depends on her several times a week.


Thanks

Don

[BG6]

If you want to keep doing engines, and stay close to the People's Republic, you might check Nevada (either Las Vegas or Reno), Phoenix or Salt Lake City.  PHX and SLC are transportation hubs, RNO and LAS are the first major town out of California on their respective highways.

There is no personal income tax in Nevada.

Where are you now, and how much to rebuild a 6V92? 

[niles500]

Never met you or Luvrbus - but just from observation - I think his location and your combined talents/knowledge would be quite complimentary - I think AZ agrees with him - and it's close by Cali for your other considerations - FWIW

[HighTechRedneck]

Don, if you are up for a long distance move, how about Tennessee.  Business friendly, no personal income tax, low business taxes, very low vehicle registrations ($23), and is a very beautiful area of the country.  Chattanooga sits on I-75 and I-24, both heavy with truck traffic and 75 is a common snow bird route between north and south and is fairly centrally located among many bus nuts.  It has a good industrial pressence and a comfortable population - about 200,000 in the city, 400,000 including the surrounding area.  It is likely to see a growth surge as Volkswagon is building a plant there now.

In case accessibility to diesel parts suppliers is a plus, there is a freightliner parts house in town and a Detroit Diesel parts house just across the border in GA.

[grantgoold]

Don, I vote Reno!

Just outside of town in Fernley they are practically giving land away.

Good luck!

Grant

[Hartley]

Yeah if you don't mind a little radiation....

Just Kidding.

[Dreamscape]

Gosh Don, that is horrible news! But when one door closes, another will open!

I'm not sure where your Mom lives, and that is important to be close, you need to pick a place that has a great transportation hub. Either truck, air or just the fact you are in an easy area for pickup.

Arizona, Texas and Tennessee come to mind. Also something to consider is where you get your parts from, and the ease of shipping them to you.

Give Clifford a call, he might have some great ideas for you.

Good Luck,

Paul

[uncle ned]

Don   

   Tennessee gets you close to the music ind and the all the singing groups. All run buses. also close to BK.  Don't know if that is good or bad. LOL

and close to me

uncle ned

ps

BK still planing on coming and camping under the big oak tree before it is to late.

[Hobie]

Your reputation is solid and your clients will follow you where ever you go! 

The sad part is your story reflects the business climate in California and possible reaching nationwide... at least for a while.   Ok.  ...biting my tongue ..... no more political ranting

[oldmansax]

don,

Sorry to hear about your situation but I can sympathize. We live in the socialist state of Maryland & have the same problems. Taxes getting higher, red tape getting longer, but family & friends that depend on us are here.

I have been investigating moving for about two years & Tennessee is in the top spot for us so far, with SC not far behind. If appears you may have the same problems as we do: you can't be but so far away from your present location. We would like to consider Arizona or Nevada but it's too far from family. You would probably make out like a bandit in Tennessee but your family ties you to California.

Your customer base will follow wherever you land.

We wish you the best!

TOM

[johns4104s]

Don.

I would look at some were central US, a city were you would have easy access to Southwest airlines.

John

[RickB]

Don,

Sorry to hear about your troubles. having just moved back from TN I would not recommend building a plan upon the music scene down there, first of all the leasing companies either have their own maintenance facilities or have lengthy contracts with existing facilities, second there is certainly a good old boy network that would be extremely difficult to work your way into and thirdly they are all running new 4 stroke (primarily series 60) powertrains, which it has been my understanding that you are a 2 stroke genius.

The music scene in Nashville is not in an expansion mode at all right now it is in an inward implosion and I would bet that most of Music Row will be gone in a few years. I still have friends from around the country moving there, spending their savings trying to get work and eventually moving back home, minus their savings of course. Nashville is becoming a town of younger folks who can still sleep on one anothers apartment floors. Man, I remember those days when you were free from most responsibilities and could commit everything you had to your dreams...

I know it would be farther out than you would like but I think I speak for all the locals when I say we would sure love to have you in the Midwest. Minneapolis area to be specific!

Good luck Don,

Rick

[Len Silva]

You might consider a move north instead of east.  It seems to me that marine interests will be using two strokers long after the last one is off the road.

[johns4104s]

The Gulf cost has lots of tugs/work/and crew boats. they also have lots of big truck scrap yards. M y friend picks up truck engines fromthem for pennies on the dollar and mounts  them in tug boats. If you need to be hooked up with people t talk to email me.
The weather and people here is great,
John

[Busted Knuckle]

Don,
Sorry to hear of the bad news on the country of CA ruining businesses, and running them off!

But as many have mentioned TN is business friendly! And we would really love having you out here, how about buying a TN ranch with a mother's and MIL's cabin on the property! Then you could put up a shop, camping area, and parking area on the other end of the property and have it all! (FAMILY, business, busnuts, low cost place for customers, friends and low funded future customers to store their buses/trucks, etc.)

If interested give me a holler maybe we could work together. We are looking more aggressively than before now that the state has bought the property we lease from our landlord! (we are enjoying the rent free stay at the moment!) Even really look'n @ the Choo-Choo area too!   
  BK 

Don   
   Tennessee gets you close to the music ind and the all the singing groups. All run buses. also close to BK.  Don't know if that is good or bad. LOL
and close to me
uncle ned
ps
BK still planing on coming and camping under the big oak tree before it is to late.

Uncle Ned,
Need to come visit it while it's a "free state park!" (really it is now that it belongs to the state, and as long as I rule over it it has "free parking!" LOL!)
  BK