"I am interested in starting a trucking business."

I suggest doing this before even getting a CDL

 

You forgot about the $$$.

When you get there you wake up to see that $78 was deposited into your account, but you spent $30 on food and and $29 on PPE for the right to be paid $0.29 per mile.

 

You’re right, and I’m going to put in at least a year with a company to cut my teeth before venturing out on my own. However, after spending years in the service of the country, living in far worse conditions than those comfy sleepers, and eating #### that I’m not even sure qualifies as food, and being forced to be around other people day in and day out, the biggest draw to the trucking industry for me is the opportunity to be my own boss, be by myself as much as possible (I don’t like other people for the most part and prefer being by myself; I do fine in small doses but I usually hurt other people’s feelings when they say dumb ####.) and just move and never stop moving. I don’t like sitting still anymore.
I say all of that just to say that all of the things other people consider cons of the industry are actually the things that I want the most out of it. I also know how to stay fit and eat well (and more cheaply) in a situation like this. Regardless of all that, you’re right, and I think I would be serving myself well by putting in a little time with a company so I can learn the industry and meet other drivers. I am confident in my ability to run the business side of things, handle paperwork, excel, quickbooks, and in myself in general, but getting that experience will be invaluable and I appreciate the wisdom in your posts a d the time you took out to write them.
Thanks Six Happy 4th everyone.

 

The only time I needed a tow as an owner operator the first question the tow truck driver asked me was, "Do you own this truck?"

"Yes".

"Usually we charge almost $800 for this tow. But because you are the owner I will cut you some slack. Will $450 be okay with you?"

I gave the guy a $100 tip. For all the work that went into setting up my tractor trailer to safely tow, dropping the loaded trailer so another driver could repower the load, and pulling the tractor into the shop and going through disconnect...that's a helluva lot of work.

 

Well if they were merging then one lane wouldn’t be moving and one stopped. If morons knew how to merge there wouldn’t be a problem.

 

Everyone knows how to merge. Its that they refuse to if there is a chance to get one more spot ahead first. Close up the lane and watch them fall into formation.

 

No they don’t or one lane wouldn’t be backed up. It’s called merging not impeding the flow of traffic. I see it all the time in Spartanburg now. One lane stopped and nobody in the other one. Complete idiots.

 

You are absolutely right, when I mentioned wanting to move, I meant more so that I don’t want to be back home all the time, which I’ve noticed a lot of people mentioning they want to do. I just want to run, I don’t have any ties and I don’t want any, I’m willing to drive as much as possible and I’m hungry to make as much money as I can. I’m young, hungry, focused, and driven. No reason or desire to be “at home.”

I couldn’t agree more, not only is patience an extremely valuable trait to have. How quickly you work or get loads delivered means less than ####### if the QUALITY of your work (whether it be tarping, securing, equipment maint., personal hygiene/presentation, etc.) is crap. I am the kind of guy that checks, double checks, then verified my double check to make sure #### is squared away (and I appreciate you mentioning this because I believe it is a quality that gets overlooked these days, despite the fact that it should always be a priority. I obsess over the details, which I have felt hurts me in some areas of life (social life being one, but I’m caring about that a lot less as I’m getting out of my 20’s now) but I believe will be a good quality to have in this line of work, it certainly helped in the military.

I want to be the best, not just fast!

No truer words were ever spoken. Your name is your livelihood. I also heard a quote recently ‘My CDL is my resume’ and I really liked that. Why would I be sloppy with the way that I drive and transport cargo when that is literally the most important business tool I have?

As always, I appreciate the great info and advice y’all give on these forums. They help people like me more than you know and also give me a little hope for humanity, which admittedly, I am losing daily haha.

 

Meticulous is a necessity in flatbed that'll serve you well. I have gotten most of my edge protection off the roadside by folks who forget it piled on the deck. I got a binder and 4 chains in ohio about 2 weeks ago, skidded them up the shoulder on a mudflap.

Not longing for home is another bonus. Friday afternoon is a spurt in leverage to the trucks favor as half the available trucks head for home. try to book a $3k fri-monday drop and take the scenic route, See friends, look at stuff for sale on CL you lust for, get off the beaten path and eat a nice meal at the diner thats struggling to survive across from a hardees. Leave a nice tip, and have a nice life. It all goes around in a big circle.