Feeling lost in the trucking career. Should I go O/O?

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by OdderThan, Sep 9, 2025.

  1. OdderThan

    OdderThan Bobtail Member

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    Sep 9, 2025
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    4 years, 43 out of the lower 48. extremely efficient runner. clean record and all endorsements.

    I live along the I90/I94 corridor

    DFW, Chicago, NY/NYC, NJ. were my bread and butter lanes, I love the difficult stuff and I 110% trust my skills to get anywhere I need to.

    see newlywed foods in chicago, US salt in watkins glen, performance foods in Elizabeth NJ as small examples.

    I can easily blindside, ive been in plenty of mountains, and have driven across the entirety of I80

    great credit, positive monthly cash flow

    Im local now, but am just bored,the small private fleet im on pays well and respects me. no rules, no cameras, its just extremely boring. average 7500 a month.

    I just feel lost. I miss OTR but after i went local i told myself the only way i would ever go back OTR is as an O/O leased onto someone.

    I just am too efficient for most companies around here and you get to a point where they make you sit because they just cant get enough loads, I consider it work, not a life style, ive always treated my company time as if i were an O/O, "if it were my truck this is how id need to run in order to profit" mindset.

    Im ahead of the curve in terms of company drivers, i guess im just holding myself back.

    I understand the business side, its not daunting, just a big step.

    Im in limbo, can I take the step? yes

    but

    Im comfortably uncomfortable with my current outfit.

    I guess i need some words of wisdom for any of you who've been here.

    i have a few trucks in mind locally that fit the spec i want, to be efficient, and they have great maintenance records, part of me also wants to get a pre emissions truck since im mechanically inclined and taking this step solidifies that im here for the long haul

    a small cheat code, the small fleet im on has an overflow from a dedicated account i used to run for them. They offer it to drivers who own their own truck and lease on to them, its a dedicated run out and back same day, the guys ive spoken to that take the loads religiously all run nicer peterbilt daycab or coffin sleepers and say it pays enough to be comfortable.
     
    Last edited: Sep 9, 2025
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  3. Chinatown

    Chinatown Road Train Member

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    @Ridgeline hopefully will give some insight to your plan.
     
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  4. bryan21384

    bryan21384 Road Train Member

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    Why are you comfortably uncomfortable?
     
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  5. upnorthwpg

    upnorthwpg Road Train Member

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    The way the business is now, stay stable where you are, boring or not.
     
  6. Chinatown

    Chinatown Road Train Member

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    ....or get a job on a cruise ship!
    [​IMG]
     
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  7. rollin coal

    rollin coal Road Train Member

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    Don't waste your money and time buying a truck to lease on somewhere. Guaranteed you'll end up disappointed sooner or later. If you don't see an actual business need somewhere for a customer dependent on trucks you're just another truck driver. And truck drivers are a dime a dozen.
     
  8. Lonesome

    Lonesome Mr. Sarcasm

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    Sounds like a pretty sweet gig you are on now. Ya gotta do what ya gotta do, but look at everything before you jump. Good luck!!
     
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  9. Pepper24

    Pepper24 Road Train Member

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    Not sure why you want to buy a truck then lease it to a carrier.All you doing is buying a job sometimes you have to do that depending on where you live and the availability of jobs in your area.But you really won’t end up with any more money than a good job once you figure in truck payments,fuel maintenance insurance it very well could be less money depending on factors like do you have a family and need health insurance.A trucking business when you get right down to it isn’t any different than any other business it comes down to being able to sell your services if you’re good at that get a truck and trailer your own authority that’s where the money is.
     
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  10. Long FLD

    Long FLD Road Train Member

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    I wouldn’t lease to a carrier unless you’re going to be doing work you couldn’t do with your own authority.
     
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  11. tscottme

    tscottme Road Train Member

    Find a hobby that fits your schedule.
    Or got OTR but without becoming O-O. Just understand if you go OTR you will have almost no control over your day. You'll need to do 110% of your job because some office dork can only do 60% of his job. You need to figure out exactly what is causing the "uncomfortable" conclusion. I worked at 1 company for 18 years. I had seniority to make my work day exactly what I wanted and eventually I needed to leave because I could not make it any more perfect and each day or each problem was like Groundhog Day, "this again, don't you people know X and how can you be surprised every day that X is going to happen but every day you are surprised X happened." I switched to tankers (awesome) that caused me to visit every state I hadn't already been to. When I got trips to the NW and Intermountain West I knew I wanted to work there until I retired. So I did that. I was lucky in that each step after I left the 18 year company paid more and more. That allowed me to retire early.

    I think you need some challenge, not necessarily changing jobs. The industry is very slow, so I would first look inside your company. Then I would look at a hobby, and then look outside the company. Just don't believe a web site, a recruiter. Make sure if you leave you only leave after you have talked to another driver actually doing now what you want to do and he can show you the "receipts" and not just tell you a tall-tale.
     
    Last edited: Sep 9, 2025
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