Is this feasible, and resonable?

Reasonable? - Not Really
Feasable? Not Really
Could you do it? Possibly


Look, being business smart has a lot to do with success as an O/O, but, you need to know the business and the ins and outs also. You could possibly do it, but, I could also possibly when the lottery tomorrow. You get where I'm going with this? Good Luck whatever you decide to do.

 

I'll address a few of your concerns, but in no particular order.

Is your friend an owner-operator or a lease-operator? I'll guess the latter. If that's the case he leases the truck from someone (most likely the leasing company owned by the guy who owns Swift), and he contracts his labor and use of the truck exclusively to Swift. In essence, Swift pays him so he can pay the leasing company.

You would have to hunt down an owner-operator (not an O/0 or a L/0 with Swift) whose insurance policy would allow him/her to take on someone who is green as a driver. Unlikely. Swift's contract probably prohibits such an arrangement for insurance reasons, i.e., they're not about to take such a risk.

Now, if you buy a truck, you'll want to think about ROI. But remember: you have no experience either in driving a tractor and trailer or in pulling loads or in making it all pencil out. Your learning curve will not be "high" or steep. It'll be vertical. It seems like a lot to me, but I can't say that it can't be done or that no one has done it. There's a reason why people work up to truck ownership--it takes time to learn, absorb, and apply everything.

Are you sure that you'll even like driving a truck? Don't say, "Oh, I really like to drive." Trucking's no picnic or paid vacation. It's a dead-serious job.
Yeah, it's great fun sometimes, but you don't just drive when you want or go home when you want. Trucking is as serious as a heart attack.

You would be training yourself. Maybe that will work, maybe it won't. Let's say it doesn't and you find that you don't like trucking's working conditions and regulations and scheduling issues and other BS. But . . . you've already bought a truck (I assume you mean a tractor); you'll get one hell of a haircut. And . . . how would you even know what kind of truck to buy?

You might, of course, uncover a local gig that would have you home every night or every other night or a couple of times a week. But if you've bought the wrong truck for that job . . .

There's a lot, and there aren't any simple answers to your questions. The above stuff is just off the top of my head. Other experienced drivers might see things differently than I do.

 

You might want to read this thread...

http://www.thetruckersreport.com/tr...erator/70022-instant-o-o-and-load-boards.html

 

Lol, I was gonna suggest the same thread.

Actually, my first thought was, "Rob, is that you?"

 

Speaking as someone that was an O/O back in the 80's that is getting back into the game; I would find a company that you can get training with like Central Ref. or Swift or even one of the other companys that will put you through driving school and train you.
Reason, There are a lot of laws, and other things that are not covered in the drivers handbook. Work for a company for a year to see if your going to even like the life style. I think you are going to find it is going to be a lot different than you think.
You don't want to run out and spend $130 to $150 thousand on a truck and find out you don't like it.
My two bits

 

No need for an asbestos suit -- better to ask questions before than after, when it might be too late; you deserve respect for that. Now go make a pot of coffee and read that thread. Take notes, and ask more questions when they occur to you. Cheers.

 

Well, you're a faster reader than I am; maybe I should brew a pot of coffee. T2000: NICE TRUCK. What color?