Who’s in and who’s out?

Discussion in 'Ask An Owner Operator' started by Midwest Trucker, Jul 21, 2025.

What’s your status?

  1. Had my authority and I still do.

    32 vote(s)
    34.8%
  2. Had my authority and no longer do.

    4 vote(s)
    4.3%
  3. Leased on and still do.

    16 vote(s)
    17.4%
  4. Leased on and no longer do.

    2 vote(s)
    2.2%
  5. Had my authority and now lease on.

    1 vote(s)
    1.1%
  6. Was leased on but now have my own authority.

    3 vote(s)
    3.3%
  7. Had authority or leased on but now company drive.

    5 vote(s)
    5.4%
  8. I’m a company driver and wish to remain so.

    22 vote(s)
    23.9%
  9. I’m a company driver but hope to own my own truck.

    2 vote(s)
    2.2%
  10. None of the above but I’ll explain.

    5 vote(s)
    5.4%
  1. chimbotano

    chimbotano Heavy Load Member

    764
    1,101
    Apr 21, 2013
    0
    I'm 100% independent O/O. I've been hauling reefer for about 11 years out of 12 years on the road. I run as low miles as possible for the most amount of money I can get. I average 6k miles monthly little more little less.
    I see this trucking business as opportunity to make money. that is the reason , I'm 1 man 1 truck fleet.
    In my opinion, as soon as you buy more trucks and hire people to work for you, the whole concept of opportunity dissipates. no more opportunities. Now you become a prey. now you become an employee who must work to survive. at the same time you begin to destroy rates therefore the industry gets destroyed.
    so, in my opinion, we , the truckers for wanting to have more , we start lowering the rates, exploiting others and we are so fkn ignorants that we start blaming someone else for our own stupidity.
     
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  3. Constant Learner

    Constant Learner Heavy Load Member

    707
    1,076
    Jul 19, 2011
    The Moon
    0
    That never makes sense. Something else is wrong.
     
  4. D.Tibbitt

    D.Tibbitt Road Train Member

    21,759
    148,693
    Apr 26, 2013
    Gettin' down westbound
    0
    Why feel sorry for them? If they spent as much time working towards finding a path forward in business as they do crying on youtube they might be able to figure something out... Why are all those guys to good to go be a company driver..? sometimes u gotta know when the cards aint comin ur way and take ur money elsewhere... I have failed in this business probably as much as anybody but i find no point in crying about it because times got hard and took me out. oh well, #### happens, tomorrows a new day. Theres always a different way forward. Sometimes it takes thinking outside the box. But these youtube crybabys wont ever change anything. They will just turn on the camera and get people to feel sorry for them. Kinda like that guy that started a go fund me because his engine needed a rebuild, but said there was no company jobs available to work to put some honest money together. What a joke...i hope i never have an attitude like that , might as well just blow my brains out at that point
     
  5. Constant Learner

    Constant Learner Heavy Load Member

    707
    1,076
    Jul 19, 2011
    The Moon
    0
    He's not a crybaby, did you watch it? He posts all the numbers, probably no one else does.
    His equipment is paid off. Now let see your numbers, I doubt you do better than him.
     
  6. D.Tibbitt

    D.Tibbitt Road Train Member

    21,759
    148,693
    Apr 26, 2013
    Gettin' down westbound
    0
    You are right . He does better than me. some people make #### happen others sit around and say its not possible. If theres no money to be made then find something else to do and quit #####in. Otherwise you are hardly much more mature than a 5 year old
     
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  7. Long FLD

    Long FLD Road Train Member

    11,901
    48,878
    Mar 4, 2015
    0
    Must be nice to be lucky.
     
  8. sirjeff

    sirjeff Medium Load Member

    453
    1,325
    Dec 1, 2013
    Kootenays, British Columbia
    0
    @Constant Learner

    Everyone I know doing regional is doing either decently enough considering, or pretty good. Myself included. A mix of deck freight, equipment, specialty reefer etc. Common thing is, none of it is the easiest type of trucking where the barriers to enter are quite low. And, they are all service based.

    Ive never been a general freight otr guy, I wouldn't be good at it. Living in a truck is a tremendous sacrifice to family and usually self, and it should pay much more.

    Theres a lot of people stuck in the cheeseburger mentality. McDonald's is who they are because they sell billions of cheeseburgers like the megas do with freight. Gotta sell steaks
     
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  9. Long FLD

    Long FLD Road Train Member

    11,901
    48,878
    Mar 4, 2015
    0
    I’m assuming his numbers are for the entire year since he shows 54k miles. I started hauling fuel on May 6 as a company driver and I’m $6k less than he’s net for the entire year. And I’ve slept in the truck 3 nights since I started the fuel gig. No way I’d live in a truck running spot freight for less than company driver pay.

    IMG_6425.jpeg IMG_6424.jpeg
     
    D.Tibbitt Thanks this.
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