Broker looking to drive

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by chrisrazorback, Jul 21, 2009.

  1. chrisrazorback

    chrisrazorback Bobtail Member

    1
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    Jul 21, 2009
    Rogers, AR
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    I have been reading all over these forums and I am impressed by all ofthe knowledge one can find just by reading through here. I also find it odd to see that 99% of the postings here regarding the industry is negative.
    I am looking to get into OTR driving and I am looking for advice. First off, let me start by telling a bit about myself:

    I am 27 years old, physically fit, clean-cut

    I have a bachelors degree in business fromthe University of California

    After graduating I took a job as a produce broker with a company out of Arkansas. I worked there for 4 years.

    I have been working as a Freight Broker for the last year, and after doing my research and talking to a lot of qualified people, I have decided to get my CDL and drive a truck.

    With that said, I want to take an educated approach to the business. I have start up money (if needed), and good credit/clean background, etc. I have a lot of contacts in the industry to get loads, good rates, etc.

    What I am asking is this:
    What is the best way to approach this? Should I take a CDL course and then buy a truck and haul for myself? ShouldI try to get in with a solid small company? Should I try to form a relationship with an establish owner operator and drive under their authority and learn the trade while working under someone?

    I would appreciate any and all advice/comments.

    Thanks a lot!
     
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  3. biggeno

    biggeno Light Load Member

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    Jul 8, 2009
    Crossville TN
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    I am a small business owner and I have to say that as an owner operator, with your background you will have a huge edge over plenty of others out there, but IMO start out as a company driver to get the experiance rather than diving right in and buying your own truck exp. with the economy the way it is. I have a couple of dear friends that used to own trucking companys, there is a couple of basic rules...

    Your truck, if you have 1 then right now you will go broke, 2 trucks, one pays for the other, 3 and two will pay for the three and it goes on and on.

    You, learn the business and keep your contacts and build more, try to get a year or 2 under your belt then if the time is right, give it a shot.

    This is just my opinion and trucking is tough right now cause of the economy and all the cutbacks but if you have a clean background and a good MVR you should do fine, try to start with a training company like stevens or swift, stay away from england,

    I wish you the best of luck!
     
  4. Rollover the Original

    Rollover the Original Road Train Member

    3,206
    2,710
    Jul 1, 2009
    Springfield,MO
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    Biggeno is about right. You have the main money generating side of half of the business! This is where most of these newer O/O's screw up is not understanding how to procure the loads. They think you HAVE to go through a broker to get a load!

    You said you have the capital to get you own authority. This is great! BUT you want to drive. OK Go ahead and bank your money in a good investment (I'll try to keep from laughing!) or savings account and go through one of the companies that will take grads. My main advice is to take a Tech or college type of driving school instead of a bottom feeders course. You'll wind up spending a lot of money while "trying" to pay them back while being abused by the company and the trainer! But give yourself at LEAST a year behind the wheel before you buy a truck. You notice I said BUY a truck! You have the necessary education to understand a lease agreement and you understand the principle of a business plan and in your plan I know you will have in there how you expect to pay your operating costs until the BOL's start to get pain on the 30, 60 or ninety day payments. You will have enough to run this business for at least 6 months although a lot of banks will hedge that with you needing to be self supporting for 9 months to a year and a half and these days 1.5 years isn't a bad proposal on their part!
    Anyway when you learn the ropes to the transporting side and learn the life enough to know if this is what you want to do then jump on it. And as biggeno said 1 truck will be a stretch as you're doing it all. Also it's a proven bad luck thing in trucking that odd numbers of trucks in a fleet do better than even! It's bad luck or something like green cars used to be in NASCAR!

    You live in Rogers and that's a great place to run out of due to all of the chicken and chicken does pay and pay better than average. You know how to check! I drove for a company here in Springfield and was dedicated to NYC out of Tyson and as of last year in March they were getting 2.48 plus .58FSC and then they paid for NYC pay for crossing the bridges! My weekly as a COMPANY driver was anywhere from 11-1700 a week depending on which load I hauled as I did nothing but Restaurant Depot's around NYC. You did produce and I looked at the govt listings and apples and peaches back to the mid west are doing well but not like a year ago. The same with CA loads back east. I took a brokers course 2 years ago but decided that there were too many fingers in that pie and I didn't want to make money off of the ones doing the work! I was hoping to go back to O/O but then Cancer did an invasion and that's pretty much screwed up my life to where I am now! LOL.
    Now if you need a driver who knows what to do drop a line and I'll try to give you what little advice 30+ years driving experience can give! But don't jump on a truck until you have the experience you need to make sound decesions
     
  5. jtrnr1951

    jtrnr1951 Road Train Member

    Driver looking to broker !! Whats your phone number ??
     
  6. Beechvtail

    Beechvtail Light Load Member

    280
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    Jul 14, 2009
    Wisconsin Rapids, WI
    0
    Now, that would be an interesting trade...
     
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