Getting my own authority, how do you get loads?

Reality check! In the long run LONG RUN it is far better money wise retirement, savings, legally, etc to in this order 1. Drive for someone else 2. Lease to someone else 3. Lastly get your own authority.

LONG TERM doesn’t mean a year or two. Yes not everyone will have that experience. Trucking is like anything else. You have super trucker rock stars who make incredible money. That’s not most people. You have people who make literally crap. That’s not most people. Most people are in the middle. It’s always better to drive someone else’s than own your own. No bills, no worries, a real retirement plan, real medical insurance options, etc. You own your own or get your own for the freedom. Not for the money. If you are doing everything in life based on dollars and cents you’ll never win.

Trucking is set up for the big carriers. Companies that buy trucks by the thousands for next to nothing, have APUs, cheap mechanics when needed, are self insured, who sell their stuff to some sucker every 4 years and get new equipment, etc. You can’t compete with that. Everyone and their brother is hauling van and flatbed. What with your own authority do you think you offer a customer that some big company can’t? NOTHING. You can’t compete! Hazmat? Forget it. Exotic cars? Lol But hey go for it. Why not. We need another xyz logistic out there. That’s logistic not logistics. Make sure you make that mistake.

 

So you want to do more work and not get all the money you think you deserve?

Just because they are the carrier, doesn't mean that they are making the majority of the money. There is an opportunity cost to move that truck, they are doing the part that takes time and money to do.

 

I've had my own authority for over a year now and its not what its all cracked up to be... Gotta constantly fight with brokers rates, unless you have direct freight. I don't have direct freight so I gotta call brokers all day asking for a better rate. None of my stuff is payed for the actual cost to run my truck with fuel per month is around $8,000.
If you think your paying everything to the man now, just go get your own authority. Then you will be paying even more to the man. If you are gonna get your own authority best thing to do is PAY for everything up front. Pay for Insurance, Plates, Trailer, Truck. Everything up front. Then only bill you will have is fuel and maintenance.

 

Yeah, tell me about all the Swift drivers living a good life. If things were that good at Megas, they wouldn't have that crazy driver turnover

 

$8k for fuel per month? Are you doing overweight/oversize or something?

 

No $8,000 is everything including fuel, so Truck payment, Trailer Payment, This payment, That Payment = $8,000. I guess I need to break it down for everyone so they can see. This to the OP as well. This is what I Pay so you can see all the BS it involves.
These numbers are monthly. It is my own choice not to have a maintenance account.

Truck payment- $1300
Trailer Payment- $440
Insurance- $1250
Fuel- (On Average)- $5000
Total amount is $7,990

This amount DOES NOT include Omnitracs, Plates, or Fuel Taxes. Plates are payed for per year and fuel taxes per quarter.

 

All I'm trying to do is save the OP from wasting their time. His quote will be based upon where he lives, record and credit. Unfortunately for me I live in Florida where insurance premiums are crazy.. There was a time not long ago that no one would write policy's for new entrants in Florida..

Progressive is the only one right now that will. My record is clean, no tickets in 30 years and I have excellent credit.. An "new entrant" (Carrier) is the risk that the insurance companies have to weigh.. There is no safety score established for the insurance company weigh their risk.. That's their main reason for high prices..The driver record, credit etc does come into play also but more of a secondary reason for higher premiums.

It's all about location and I was i not implying that the OP was going to get the same quote as I got..

Get a quote, it only takes a few minutes and decide if it's affordable or not..I planned on paying $20k max for a year or two but $30k is just insanity..

 

Man, even 16k a year is insane to me.

 

You could take $16,000 and invest in something else lol and actually make money on it

 

My insurance agent told me the average premium for new authorities in MI nowadays is $18k