Why lease / work for a company as an O/O?

If I were 100% sure the load on the load board is from a gold star broker, say on the weekend when the Backhaul department was closed, I would just have the broker send me the rate confirmation over and go get the load. Monday morning I would just call/email/fax Backhaul dept the rate con they generate the manifest number and fuel advance if needed/wanted by me. Now a new thing has happened where they will generate a manifest number right away but will not advance the money until we fax them proof that we picked up at the shipper. Evidently some IC's were booking loads and taking the advance and going to the casino.

What I do is have the broker email the Backhaul dept and me and fax the Backhaul dept as well (during the week, say). Then I call Backhaul to see if they got the details. The other day all I got was the machine though. So emailed them for broker credit checks and they did respond. Booked a load and conducted everything over email, getting manifest number, but I declined the fuel advance.

They call it Backhaul department because we as independent contractors are supposed to book loads getting us 'back' to the terminal lanes lol.

 

I could easily afford to go independent. But I was leased to a company for about 15 years. The company handled all the legal stuff and collecting payment etc. So it is easier to be leased on plus you can got big discounts on fuel and tires. I have been looking at companies to lease to ( I have been off the road for 2 years due to family reasons). Two companies that drivers speak well of are Packard in Channahon, Illinois. And Mercer.

 

I'm leased for much the same reasons here and book my own loads. I don't have a backhaul dept. to deal with tho and my rate cons are sent directly to me. I sign and send them back to the broker and forward a copy to my agent for billing purposes and be assigned a trip # for it. All that's left for me to do is run the load and collect the loot.
With companies like this it's the best of both worlds imo. Trick is find the one that offers the most and costs the least.
I'm currently looking at more of a partnership deal starting up a new company with the agent I signed on with here initially that would put more of said pot in my hands along with a few other chosen drivers only. Now the company I'm with is looking at sweetening the pot so to speak to keep me there rather than start up a new company.
Know your worth...

 

just curious , what part Chicago?

 

I am leased to Conway Truckload, similar to heavyhauler's comments for me. Also add in factoring, no charge, dispatch, (no obvious fee but it's part of their percentage) I just used their national account to purchase new steer tires, about 1/2 of local tire shops or TAP/PFJ charge. They have a road service program, if I need it. Between the FSC portion and the national account purchase discount, my fuel costs are $.10/mile, or lower on a light load. No forced dispatch for I/C drivers. Conway is a good company, and I'm making good income there. It's my plan to take one more step into full independence as an O/O, but I'm being careful with that step, taking my time, saving money, reading in the posts here, talking to people, getting as informed as I can before moving on. Above all, I don't want to take a backwards step. Plus, not in a hurry to move away from what I got going now, what I worked hard to put together. There's so many ways to get wrong, you know?

 

Can you earn a good living hauling terminal to terminal freight exclusively, 1200-1400 a week after expenses?

 

Since when did 1200 to 1400 start being considered good money?!

 

After all expenses that is pretty good money.
I know a lot of o/o that would love that kind of money.
A lot to one person might not be a lot to another. I live in Iowa and if your bringing home 1200 a week after all expenses your rolling high on the hog.

 

I highly doubt the poster meant free and clear. Much more likely he was talking settlement check money. After fuel and typical deductions such as plates, occ/acc and truck ins, but before repairs, truck payments, etc.

Also consider this. 1200 a week for 50 weeks is 60k a year. The local company drivers I know make that, and then some. Plus great benefits. It will be a cold day in hell before I operate my business for company driver wages.

 

I'm GROSSING 50-60k right now as a company guy. But after all my deductions I'm NETTING closer to 25-30k.

So if I could NET 1200 a week after all my deductions id jump on the wagon with both feet.