Lease operator?

What are the advantages/disadvantages of being a lease operator? And how does being a lease operator work?

Also another question if you were going to buy a new truck which one would you get?

 

I'll scratch the surface; what kind of trucking will you do? You will need to spec. the truck for the type of work you are interested in. Just one of the many areas you need to spec is body style; can you use a condo or will you need a raised-roof or flat-top. The reason for this is, some flatbed or tanker freight, a condo isn't satisfactory. Some chemical companies are very old and won't accomodate a condo body style. If you're pulling a reefer or van, a condo or raised roof with fairing is better for fuel economy. Be careful with tractor weight; this can limit you on amount of freight you can haul. A reefer trailer is heavy, so you must consider this when buying a tractor, if reefer is what interests you.
I'll stop there. Some else can help you with transmission, drives, engine specifications & questions to ask when you get to the dealership. Usually, truck dealerships keep the best used trade in on their lot, and some will still have some warranty. Usually, they won't keep any used trucks with obvious problems on their lot. Not that one can't slip thru at times.

 

9 out of 10 times like this. You pay for everything for the truck (and slowly go broke) ,as the company reaps the profits of you running like Rosie O'Donnell from a salad, just to try to keep your head above water. Towards the end of the lease, the miles magically dry up. The company then repo's your truck and resells it to the next "lease operator" and re-starts the process over.... Think of it as modern day sharecropping.

 

Lease operator you own the truck and run under someone else's authority . They have the customers and liability insurance. To keep it short they do the office work, and you do the road work. You get paid either % split like 70% to you or milage rate.

Lease purchase is the same only the company you lease to is also selling you the truck. Not always the best thing.

On a lease if the company fires you , you take your truck and look for work.

On a lease purchase if the company fires or starves you, they take their truck back. And sell it to the next guy.

 

Yea I should have been much more specific. I would be hauling dry van or reefer. I would already have my own truck when I would start working for a company. I thought perhaps leasing onto a company would be better since I don't have a whole bunch of interest in being a O/O at this time. I figured a lease operator was sort of the middle ground between company driver and O/O.

As far as the type of truck I would be looking to get. I was looking at getting a new 2013 truck. I have not decided on if I want to get an automatic or not. If anybody could provide some suggestions about what trucks they like more than others suggestions would be much appreciated!!

 

How bout you just drive as a company driver first. It shows you have less than 1 yr experience. When you're leasing you're not just driving the truck anymore you're running a business

 

I second this.

 

wow dude don;t take this wrong but a new 2013 truck is like 130k on average prob on the low side to make sence on a lease running just general lease rates the numbers are tough on a good day ......if you really got the mojo and once you got the experience pay cash for a good used truck something under 20k and work your up on truck you will come out far ahead in the long run

 

Really great points being made here. There's a lot to think about as well as perform before you jump ship. If I were you, I'd do A LOT more research before getting into your own truck.

 

Ok aside from the money aspect of all things concerning the truck what is the downside to having your own truck?