Why did you become an O/O?

Discussion in 'Ask An Owner Operator' started by texasbbqbest, Dec 21, 2014.

  1. texasbbqbest

    texasbbqbest Road Train Member

    1,088
    1,962
    Dec 9, 2014
    Minneapolis, MN
    0
    Hey guys!

    I just had a few questions for you.



    For those that are O/O:



    1. What made you decide to start your own business in trucking?

    2. Were you a company driver before you owned your truck and business?

    3. Are you partnered with an existing company or are you completely on your own (meaning do you find your loads or does a company do it for you)?

    4. What do you like most about running a trucking business?

    5. What is the hardest thing about being an Owner Operator?




    Thanks for any answers you can provide. I'm very interested in the thought of owning my own business.

    I'm of course no where close to building one. I'm not even a company driver yet.
     
  2. Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.

  3. reefer101

    reefer101 Medium Load Member

    442
    243
    Oct 24, 2014
    0
    I can run where I want, when I want. even if I would make same money as company driver I would never work for megas. 2, 3 weeks on the road and 2, 3 days at home not for me. I find my loads and I like to have headaches. oh and at my last job managers wore bringing their friends and promoting them and treated me like "where you gona go its bad economy no jobs out there". so I decided to become my own boss.
     
    texasbbqbest Thanks this.
  4. BAYOU

    BAYOU Road Train Member

    2,847
    1,592
    Sep 23, 2010
    Beaumont,Tx
    0
    I never drove for anyone else, I cashed out my savings got a truck and trailer and leased to someone after leasing to three different places I felt there was not anywhere to go so I ended up getting my own numbers.
    I never had any help from anyone I get and find my own loads. The freedom to take go and work when I want is the best part. The hardest thing about what I do is making Family time I can't be there for every kids events even when I'm home there's paper work to do and something to fix as I do most of the work on my equipment.

    would I do it all over again yes but I don't see me doing what I am ten years from now with all the rules and cost rising I find it harder to make what I once did.
     
    exhausted379, texasbbqbest and Ukumfe Thank this.
  5. 30-aught-6

    30-aught-6 Light Load Member

    155
    128
    Dec 16, 2014
    0
    Well,for me there was a TIRED FACTOR, see there comes a time when ONE becomes TIRED,when you get TIRED,U GET FED UP,you get TIRED of not getting treated like a MAN,you get TIRED of people talking to you STUPID as if you have no SENSE, just because there married or related to family of Ownership,

    you get TIRED of being told you have to take this LOAD or else,you get TIRED of being told drive this TRUCK with all these problems even though its your CDL on the LINE,you get TIRED of being lied to by Dispatchers,Fleet Managers,&Driver Managers about your home time,you get TIRED of MANAGEMENT bringin in who they want and you end up doing you and there work and just because MANAGEMENT is buddy buddy,with them its no problem until YOU SPEAK UP FOR YOURSELF & GET RIDICULED,for doing whats right,

    you get TIRED of living PAYCHECK 2 PAYCHECK,with your FAMILYS LIVELIHOOD in the hands of some jerk who figure because they are letting you work for them,that they are SOMEHOW doing you a FAVOR,

    for me the LAST STRAW was someone holding my JOB over my HEAD because they had a bad day & couldnt get RESPECT,SOME NOOKIE,SELF DIGNITY,& GOD KNOWS WHATELSE from WIFEY and from there SIGNIFICANT OTHER & then bringing that BULLCRAP to the corporation the next MORNING,

    I MADE IT MY MISSION TO WORK MY ### OFF FOR 6 MONTHS,& SAVE,SAVE,SAVE hell i remember like yesterday when i went to the BANK to get the CASHIERS CHECK to buy the TRUCK,the old lady EYES got as big as a BOWLING BALL,when i ask her to double count them thousands i had hidden and saved up

    ,lmao she said you told me you were broke,I SAID I am,& Believe it or not thats the Attitude you gotta have to be a Owner Operator to have 10-20,000 in the bank and completely turn the blind eye to it until something breaks on your truck is VITAL,,,but anyway,SHE FOLLOWED ME TO GET THE TRUCK,

    MAN THAT WAS ONE OF THE HAPPIEST DAYS OF MY LIFE,I still got the 1st fuel Receiptfor fuel i ever put in to get her home, i got it in a Cover,AS A REMINDER to never,ever go back to that PLACE AGAIN..HAVENT LOOKED BACK since

    See my story is not like the average guy who went to the bank or truck dealer,because they had good enuff credit to get financed,No one helped me get my truck,No one gave me ANYTHING,i went a few months without just to make sure id get my truck,i paid only the bills that were neccesary to have paid,it was a commitment i made to myself and im glad i made it,

    So yes when i dont want to take a LOAD,or not wanna work or take off for 2 weeks I CAN DO THAT and dont have to ANSWER TO ANYONE,
    I TAKE STOCK INTO THAT

    I hear alot of guys say why would you buy a truck,pay for maintenance,and deal with ifta and yada yada yada,
    just to make what a company driver makes,i say to those PEOPLE,either you dont know what you are talking about,or you took cheap LOADS to make what Company drivers make,or worst case Scenario for Shifs & Giggles,if a Op does make what a company driver makes,Id rather make what a Company driver make and be able to control my own Destiny,

    ALOT OF DRIVERS DONT DRIVE THESE RIGS,JUST FOR THE MONEY,THEY DO IT FOR THE LOVE
    Im addicted to the Diesel Smoke
    man i been round trucks since i was a kid,Grandpa was a Op,Dad was a Op,& now the Tradition continues with me 3rd Generation

    IF you truly want to do this,then there are Roads you must travel and things you have to find out on your own,but you can do it,

    NOTICE I NEVER SAID ANY OF THIS WAS HARD,BUT I NEVER SAID IT WOULD BE EASY,EITHER
     
    Last edited: Dec 21, 2014
  6. blairandgretchen

    blairandgretchen Road Train Member

    12,001
    60,367
    Dec 9, 2011
    South west Missouri
    0
    1 - Paid everything off, it's time to retire the wife from teaming.
    2 - Yes, 11 years now
    3 - Leasing to LS - find my own loads on their proprietary system.
    4 - It's beeen a challenge so far. I like a challenge.
    5 - Don't know, I'm ony half way there. I own the truck, I'm still in the transition phase.

    Good luck, and good question.
     
    texasbbqbest Thanks this.
  7. texasbbqbest

    texasbbqbest Road Train Member

    1,088
    1,962
    Dec 9, 2014
    Minneapolis, MN
    0

    Wow! Your attitude is very admirable! Not a lot of folks would work as hard as you worked to get where you are.

    Thank you for your detailed response. To me it shows how much drive, determination, and sacrifice needed to succeed, as you have done!



    Good on you buddy! I hope you have a great holiday!
     
    30-aught-6 Thanks this.
  8. marmonman

    marmonman Road Train Member

    1,414
    2,828
    Dec 14, 2009
    central illinois
    0
    Well my first truck I bought because I thought that was you did it .
    My second truck I bought I bought because I wanted to reduce the amount of idiots between me and my money !!!

    I tried the company thing and man was that the worse thing for me that I have ever done in my life !!!
    For me it was worse than anything that I had to endure in the Marine Corps .

    Just like right now I came home on Dec.17th and will go back out sometime in 2015 just not sure when yet .
    When I go out I go out to work I don't lay around truck stops or customers waiting on anything I run or I run home .

    I have no desire to just drive a truck I want to be a trucker .
    To me that means I do it in my truck not in a truck .
     
    Ford L8000, ramblingman, 2CAN and 7 others Thank this.
  9. 30-aught-6

    30-aught-6 Light Load Member

    155
    128
    Dec 16, 2014
    0
    Well theres a certain attitude one must have to run a business,you cant Gripe n Bitc% everytime things dont go right or go the way you plan,your not gunna get the highest PAID load everysingle time,you will and can come close,but that comes with years of developing good relationships with AWESOME BROKERS,you dont wanna just rely on loadboards & websites,

    Having a good broker on your TEAM,its fundamental to your success,Most loads on Loadboards are rebrokered,If you develop a good relationship with a few,they will call you when da MONEYLOADS come available,but dont get into a habit of taking cheap loads,once a broker see this thats all they will want to feed you,its ok to turn down a cheap load remember its your MONEY ON THE LINE NOT THERES,this business wasnt BUILT on doing FFBs- FAVORS for BROKERS LMAO

    ,but dont tell all your business,to everybody ,theres alot of UNNECCESARY HATERS,HATE & CUTTHROAT people in this INDUSTRY,have thickskin and learn to take a joke,jokes are helpful theyve brightened up my days alot of times,being pissed at da TRUCK & ShipperS,

    and when you do get discouraged and want to give up,just stop, STOP N PAUSE FOR a SECOND,look at your TRUCK no matter the current problem its having and REMEMBER THE REASON,why you bought her,and it will all come back to you,well it atleast works for me,See you down the Road Driver
     
    texasbbqbest Thanks this.
  10. Cowpie1

    Cowpie1 Road Train Member

    5,569
    4,646
    Nov 25, 2008
    Kellogg, IA
    0
    Why did I do it? Because I am a glutton for punishment.
     
    ramblingman, picaso and texasbbqbest Thank this.
  11. texasbbqbest

    texasbbqbest Road Train Member

    1,088
    1,962
    Dec 9, 2014
    Minneapolis, MN
    0
    That's absolutely great advice. I've found that most things in life go smoother with a little understanding and the ability to develop and maintain relationships with folks you may need in life.

    Thanks again and I hope to join the ranks of the trucking industry very soon!
     
    30-aught-6 Thanks this.
  • Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.