I hear ya, and i completely disagree. I’ve driven 272s that had rear axle leaks that should have never been on the road. I have driven older tractors that were held together by rubberbands. I’m not a mechanic. I don’t have mechanic skills. I can’t pretrip a tractor and see everything. I will take a new tractor everyday over an old beater that might have a problem i don’t see. At least I know it is road worthy.
My grampah started his own trucking company when he got out of navy in 1918 , one horse & wagon delivering ice to hotels in Boston , had 20 tractors at his peak 40 trailers and about 30 men !
He never made it past 6th grade