Picking my own freight baby! My journey to & of being on Schneider choice, the Adventure & Numbers!

That's exactly why I am here... to learn something I didn't know... plus they(my family members) are all on their own authority.. and every one of them want me to buy a truck right now and just drive under them... and I'm just not comfortable with that... I'm in no hurry, and do intend on doing it right... right for me. I know I rubbed some people the wrong way here, wasn't my intention... I understand that most rookies are clueless... and while I am still a rookie, I do not think I am clueless... if you all only knew the ridiculous comments I get from family for going the company driver route instead of just jumping in... especially since I wanna drive for the pumpkin... so whatever silly comments I get from here... are of zero concern to me.

I did get great info here and will continue to do so... couple of really genuine people here, I'd like to be one of them. I have 4 more hotels to get finished up on my contract with motel 6... then I'm calling recruiters... should be sometime this fall if all the chips fall the right way... which I know just about never happens.

In the meantime I am researching near daily. That's just before being a company driver... so when I do start driving I will know what to look for and know what to ask...

Sure I am already making some loose plans for when I go OO but again I have time, I know I have time, and well we all gotta start making dumb comments and asking dumb questions... it's surprising how much good info you get from this strategy....

Wish all you guys the best... stay safe... and God Bless

 

I really do appreciate that... if you only knew how much I am torn just between that... new vs old. It's a tough call. I do plan on doing this until retirement... about 25 years, and I already know I love the work, love the hate, and am passionate about it... always have been, just took me a while to figure it out... hindsight is always 20/20 tho right!...

Anyway that keeps me leaning toward a new truck and going thru the growing pains of a break in... but I do like the thought of going with and old pre-emission truck and just going thru all the head, motor, bearings, seals, axles etc. but then I still don't know what the truck has been thru, and the aerodynamics and mpg just are better, granted maybe not as much as I originally thought, but better is better, and it pays off over the timeframe I'm talking... and with new truck I can make sure the truck is treated right from day one... I imagine there are many view points and feel I will better be able to get a grasp on it when cranking miles out(company driver mentality)

 

Again, if you are coming onto Choice, you cannot bring on a pre EPA2010 truck.

 

One thing I would tell you to do as a company...run it like you own it...write down how much fuel it's taking so you can see what it'll potentially cost you so you have an idea what your cpm would be...

 

No doubt, Thats a must do for anyone thinking of going OO.

I can sit at a computer and figure a ballpark CPM but it not like an actual CPM. And I alwasy tend to over calc it anyway... but ill share what my latest numbers i played with are:

Based on 10k miles per month(which is a problem right from the start)

.37 CPM Fuel
.30 CPM Truck Note
.08 CPM Fuel Tax/Plates
.07 CPM Insurance
.23 CPM Home Expenses
.10 CPM Savings
.20 CPM Income Tax
.10 CPM Maintenance Fund (build to 40k)

Brings me to 1.45 CPM Which is paying myself 3,300 and over-estimating some bills

Now bare bones to run the truck break even Im at 1.12 CPM

I would love feedback on this... I already know i overestimated Insurance and Fuel tax/plates and probly even income tax. but like i said rather be over then under.

 

With even stricter requirements coming out , which i think already apply to anyone thats looking to come over now...

Makes me wonder what they will do with all those 2010-2014 trucks they have... put ON Guard on them all... on old rigs? Curious how that plays out.

And that is another reason again why i am leaning towards new.

I think the only way i go old is if i decided not to go with the Choice board. But again i have tons of time to decide.

 

This here is truth. OTR company. I've only had 1 1100 mile load since starting here. And 5 loads that were over 800 miles (that includes the 1100 mile one). That's since April. Vast majority of my loads are 300-500 miles and usually have a 50-150 mile load in between each 300-500 one.

 

Not for a company driver.

 

Seems like all loads on the board pay crap lately.