11/10/2026
2016 Ram 1500 Tradesman. 368,910 miles and still going strong!
Those aren’t just miles on a truck. Those are miles going to plumbing jobs, answering service calls, hauling tools and materials, and putting in the work day after day.
I’m not going to sit here and tell you this truck is perfect, because it isn’t. It’s got its share of wear and tear, just like anything with nearly 369,000 miles on it. But it’s still out here doing its job.
A big reason it’s made it this far is because I’ve been the one maintaining it, fixing it, and taking care of it along the way. I know this truck because I’ve put my own hands on just about everything.
There’s one memory that really stands out. Last year, I needed to change the rack and pinion, and I didn’t have anybody available to do it. I had just had shoulder surgery two weeks earlier. It was cold, and before long it started raining. There I was, trying to change that rack and pinion with essentially one good arm.
Believe it or not, that’s exactly what happened. My dad showed up and was absolutely shocked to find me out there doing it.
That’s the kind of determination it has taken to keep things going. Whether it’s my own truck or somebody else’s plumbing, sometimes the job still has to get done, and you figure out how to get it done.
I make my living fixing things for other people, but I also believe in taking care of my own equipment. You don’t always need the newest truck on the road. Sometimes you need a little mechanical knowledge, some determination, and a willingness to put in the work.
It would be nice to retire this truck someday. There are a lot of good and bad memories in this truck, but you know what? I’ll take every one of them.
368,910 miles. Countless plumbing calls. Countless hours of hard work. And a whole lot of stories behind that odometer.
Still earning its keep. And we’re not done yet!