Do I have to buy a trailer with my truck?

**Brugal** · 07.20.2012

Hello all,
I know nothing about trucking and would like to get into the business. I plan to buy a conv. sleeper and would like to know if I have to buy the trailer also? and how does that work?

Alex

**vinsanity** · 07.20.2012

That depends on what you want to do. If you lease onto a company you usually pull their trailers.

**Rugerfan** · 07.20.2012

if you know nothing about the industry i would recommmend you be a company driver for awhile and not jump into a o/o position. just my .02

**JTM22** · 07.20.2012

Hey Brugal,

Like Rugerfan just said, you'd be saving yourself alot if you started off in trucking working for a company to get your feet wet. Unless you have a contract to haul in hand, you'd be shooting yourself in the foot going O/O with no industry experience.

Not to mention - do you know what it costs to run a truck per mile? It's more than you'd think. Just my 2cents on the matter aswell though.

**largecar2399** · 07.20.2012

Originally Posted by Rugerfan

if you know nothing about the industry i would recommmend you be a company driver for awhile and not jump into a o/o position. just my .02

UMMM YEA if you dont know anything of the industry im with him get a company job because o/o is not a piece of cake...

**CAXPT** · 07.21.2012

As everyone else has stated, since you're admittedly new to the industry get some time on someone else's dime to learn the trade.

That said, there are several options when you do decide to go O/O.

1.) Power Only lease. They have trailers they want you to haul, you don't lease their trailers, you move them for them. Intermodal containers fall in this category. All kinds of trailers.
2.) Lease on. You work as a leased driver, which means you haul their trailers whether they charge you to lease/rent them or not. Flexibility in available trailers for different loads.
3.) O/O complete. You buy/lease your own trailer and lease on to someone else. Your pay is higher because you have your own trailer. No flexibility, stuck with one trailer type.

There are different benefits/drawbacks to each of these options and there may be more options also, these are just the larger obvious groups.

Good Luck

**chompi** · 07.21.2012

If you do not know the answer to this question you have quite a bit to learn before buying a truck. If you are just looking to drive around and spend money for the fun of it then go for it. However if you want to succeed and make money then you need to go to school and drive company for about a year until you learn if you need a trailer or not.

**123456** · 07.21.2012

No,

you don't have to buy a trailer.

**Wiseguywireless** · 07.21.2012

Hey Alex, no one here is trying to steer you wrong, You would be better off getting used to driving and dinging up a bottom feeder company truck for a year or two. You will also find out if you really like trucking and can learn while out there on the road what it is like to put up with what there is. Learn from the O/Os out there. we all gripe and complain, but we still do it. figure out why that is.... Then if you think you are as crazy as we are, then go ahead and buy that truck. If you think you are going to be rich on easy street. Don't do it.

**G/MAN** · 07.21.2012

Originally Posted by Brugal

Hello all,
I know nothing about trucking and would like to get into the business. I plan to buy a conv. sleeper and would like to know if I have to buy the trailer also? and how does that work?

Alex

I would agree with others about getting some driving experience before going out and buying a truck. You didn't mention whether you plan on leasing on to a carrier or get your own authority. I will assume that you plan on leasing to a carrier. Most carriers will not lease on an owner operator without at least 6-12 months experience. Whether you need to buy a trailer will depend on the carrier with whom you lease and the type of freight you plan on hauling. If you plan on pulling vans, most carriers have their own trailers you can pull. Some will allow you to bring your own trailer. If you have your own trailer you can make more money. If you want to pull flats, you will usually need to either buy your own trailer or rent one. In addition, you will also need to buy all of your securement equipment and that will run about $2,500 for new.