Dallas area O/O, i have a few questions..

I am not in the Dallas area but I did run a trucking company for a while and now I mechanic on them.

I always tell any driver that comes into our shop and starts talking about getting their own truck that they need to have 10k in the bank after they have their equipment. You need that safety cushion for fuel, waiting for payments, and for mechanical breakdowns that might occur.
Most of the time in our area a good day-cab is going to cost you more than a sleeper unit. Sit down with your paper and pencil and start adding up the price of equipment, tags, insurance, 2290. It adds up fast.

Good luck.

And welcome to the forum..

 

You also need to see what youre rates would be and line up contracts before you get going. Definitely go with a small sleeper, better to have it and not need it. One thing I learned in going on my own is the business becomes #1. Because if it fails you and youre family lose.

 

Business is cyclical. I would suggest that you get a sleeper on the truck. Even if you are fortunate enough to find local local or regional freight, things may change where you may need to start staying out over night in order to survive. You must plan for contingencies. At one time you could make a good living running what I call the "triangle" in Texas. That is from the DFW area to Houston to San Antonio. I have not checked that lane in a while. If you want to check rates, you need to subscribe to some of the loadboards or contact freight brokers or shippers in your area. Outbound Texas loads tend to be on the low side. Running your own truck will require more of your time. If you only want to earn $50-60,000, why bother with buying a truck? You can make that driving a company truck. Staying local should not be a problem in your area. There is a lot of oil field work going on around Fort Worth and down in Johnson County. Those jobs usually pay well.

 

We have a lot of short runs out of Dallas and are working on getting return freight back to Dallas. It's there for the finding, just have to bid on all the RFP's for all of the different major companies. Loads typically pay pretty well.

 

Regional Day Cab Owner-Operators can expect to clear $175/day (home every night). Regional Sleeper Cab Owner-Operators can expect to clear $200/day (home every weekend). The difference is about $7500 per year. This is for Texas regional for dry van. Flatbed you may be able to get another $25 per day after expenses. You will make about $50,000 as a regional owner-operator (home weekends) leased on to a Texas carrier. If you can get the business as a new carrier (no reputation, and no shipper contacts), then you will be able to take home 10%-15% more that being leased on to a carrier. Keep in mind that you have all the liability insurance risks, etc. Get in a wreck and hurt someone, say goodbye to driving a truck again because you will be bankrupt when you are sued for multi-millions. Also, Texas is a huge area, so you should plan to have a sleeper just in case you are stuck on the road rather than paying out $100 for a hotel room.

As a Company driver, the only real difference is having forced dispatch and the worries taken off your shoulders since you aren't running a business with your own truck. Money is similar when running local (home every night). OTR is where you really make the money as an owner-operator ($250 per working day, but 25 working days per month = $75,000/year).

 

Check with Hixon lumber.....they have a yard in Carrolton, and Caddo Mills you can haul out
of and be home everyday....you make better money than a company driver, but your not
going to get rich.
i did it for a year and a half before going to Oakley.....you need to have your own truck,trailer,
tarps, straps, bunnies....
like I said its not bad for someone who has to be home daily... But you can ,make better money pulling
someone else's trailer and no trailer tires to buy.....

Do a search for Bo Moses Trucking out of Stephens, AR.... If you want to lease to someone instead of
doing your own authority....He is the main hauler for Hixon Lumber, and being leased to him you will
get the same pay per mile as the outside guys with their own authority....