Own my truck or drive theirs?

Like I said in my 1st post, I am new to this and don't have a clue (well, I didn't then but thanks to some of the replies I've received I've gotten a little more informed) as the direction to go.
Now I have found a few Expediter companies and have a few questions I could use help on...
All Types ® Expediting and Transportation Services offers 35% of the load and says $300 to $500 a week is typical (unfortunately they pay every 2 weeks).
Hotshot Logistics pays 75% of the load and has more to offer but I haven't received a reply back yet on the email I sent them.
I've been a custom fabricator/welder for 21 years and I've beat myself to death for as little as $300 a week and I still can but I'd rather not so I'm not sure that I would want to go to work for All Types ® Expediting and Transportation Services although they claim with a clean MVR (which I have) and a clean drug screening (which I'll have no problem passing) they can put me in a cargo van and on the road within 2 days after their 1 day orientation.
I need some opinions...
Should I go with All Types ® Expediting and Transportation Services and use them as a way to get experience?
Or should I pony up the money and buy my unit and then approach some of these companies?
Other than upkeep on my vehicle what other expenses would I be looking at?

 

This is what I want to do. I grew up wanting to be a trucker (although Hotshot is not my idea of a real trucker and I'm not taking anything away from the men and women that are Hotshots, I just meant driving an 18 wheeler as opposed to being an Expediter) but life got in the way of it. 4 years in the Marines, 2 marriages and 2 kids, blah, blah, blah. But I'm finally able to do it after my last marriage and messy divorce. 51 and single, no reason to stick around or be home every night.
I agree with you on the pay. $300-$500 a week would be pretty tough to live on. And I'll try to take your advice on the purchase of a vehicle and check into companies that I can use as experience first. Thanks.

 

That's a good question and I'll have to ask them about the training period length. I'd have to move to Fort Wayne for the job and that's a 4 hour drive from my house. I need to check on the cost of living there and see what small places rent for.

 

TennTrucker,
Over the weekend I found a very small company that is family owned and have been hired. They will pay me 70% of the load value and next Saturday I go to pick up my new 3/4 ton cargo van. Their plates and insurance and they keep the title until I have paid the van off but I get to drive it on my personal time and customize it as long as I take care of it and stay with them. I also get a gas card to use while I'm on runs but I had to agree to be on-call 24/7 which of course I agreed to. One of my biggest selling points was the fact that I'm 50 and single and am willing to take whatever runs they had to offer (apparently the other drivers prefer the shorter runs so they can be home with their families). In exchange for that they have said they will keep me busy and said that I will be able to make a good living at it.
I really didn't expect to find a job like that so early in the game but I suppose prayer can be a powerful thing. Now I'm busy trying to figure out the types of things I need to take with me on the road to help make it comfortable on me. Any suggestions?

 

G/Man,
You're talking about the "chest type" cooler? The kind that plugs into a lighter outlet? Some things I do have already: 1250 watt (3000 watt surge) inverter, 12 volt fan, sleeping bag, air comp and mattress, 12 volt light(s). Any opinions on the "best" GPS units?