want to get thoughts of experianced O/O

Discussion in 'Ask An Owner Operator' started by Josherd87, Aug 19, 2014.

  1. Josherd87

    Josherd87 Light Load Member

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    Feb 19, 2014
    Columbus, Ohio
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    So i have a good local full time driving gig. I'm happy with what I'm making and am not leaving but I have been thinking of purchasing a day can or 2 and finding a few good men to drive them. But here is the kicker. Unlike most guys, I'm not doing this to make a living and net 40k a year of these trucks. My 1 and ONLY goal is to take whatever profits after running expenses and payroll and everything, and put it into a savings account for my 2 kids graduation, and buy then cars on their 16th and whatever else may pop up once they are older.
    The way I look at it, I want a driver to run locally, get to be home with his family at nights and weekends, be able to offer hin a stable and good job, with insurance and stuff. After paying him a decent salary/wage and operation cost, I would be perfectly content if I only profited say 5-10 k a year for myself to put into this account. I do understand the headache aND paperwork involved. My wife is on board as she is a senior assistant at a company and we will work together on the office side of this company.

    What I am asking, is this do able?? Can I pay a driver say 50k to run local and cover operation cost of trucks and everything that comes with it and still net, for myself (to put into savings) anywhere from 5-10 k a year??
    I will be running g out of my home and I have places to park the rig/rigs.


    Any honest answers are welcomed, please just don't start bashing, this is a idea at the very foundation and this is kinda part of my research to see if it is possible to operate this way?
     
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  3. zinita17601

    zinita17601 Road Train Member

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    Aug 19, 2010
    lancaster pa
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    do you have a customer or plan to work with brokers?what equipments you gonna be pulling?
     
  4. Josherd87

    Josherd87 Light Load Member

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    Feb 19, 2014
    Columbus, Ohio
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    Well, I know it's hell on equipment and the lowest paying, but just to start was going to hook up containers. I have a little experience with load boards but only OTR never dealt with a broker with local work. I have a general idea of equipment. Ran into a couple stearling daycabs double axel 10spd tranny for around 15k.
    I'm definitely open to a broker, and different freight then lugging around containers. These were just my initial ideas to get this in motion.
     
  5. zinita17601

    zinita17601 Road Train Member

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    Aug 19, 2010
    lancaster pa
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    pulling containers is not a bad idea if you wanna keep your drivers home everyday and your trucks within your reach,5 to 10k profit is not to hard to achieve if you got the right drivers,a bad driver can make you loose a lot of money very quick.try to lease your trucks with a company rather than having your own mc that way you dont have to pay too much on fixed expenses.to work with brokers you gonna need tractors and trailers and it will be tough to keep your drivers running locally and still make a profit.be carefull what trucks you buy and make sure you get a mechanic to look at them first.i suggest you buy sleepers instead of day cabs even if you gonna run local for too reasons:day cabs are harder to sell and you never know maybe you change the way you operate in the future.i hope this helps and maybe a more experienced o/o have better ideas for you.good luck
     
  6. Pahrump

    Pahrump Medium Load Member

    a driver with a bad day or a big dot violation or torn up transmission can out you in the hole for the year,,guys with years of experience driving buy trucks and fail..if you do not know a lot about trucking you could loose a lot of money,,maybe better to buy some rental property
     
  7. spyder7723

    spyder7723 Road Train Member

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    Mar 31, 2013
    sarasota, fl
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    The only way you will profit 10k annually pulling containers is if you pay your drivers fast food wages.

    Edit to clarify: I'm not being snarky, I'm speaking from 16 years of owning trucks. In those 16 years I have never seen a container move pay anything worth dealing with. Container hauling really is bottom of the barrel as far as rates are concerned.
     
    Last edited: Aug 19, 2014
  8. maggard359

    maggard359 Medium Load Member

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    Florida
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    Find good drivers, good attitudes, pay them what you would expect to get paid if you were hauling, and the profit will come. Your area should have great container work year round if you get hooked up with right outfit. Main thing find good dependable drivers. They are out there but a whole lot more bad ones. One bad one can sink you in a heartbeat.
     
  9. rank

    rank Road Train Member

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    50 miles north of Rochester, NY
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    A co-worker friend of mine was a son of a car hauler. My buddy bought a truck and put a driver in it and leased to the same company as his father. Took everything he made at his job to cover the losses the driver cost him. Stolen fuel, damaged freight, not showing up or work. Worst thing he ever did he said at the time.
     
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