1 Truck, 2 or 3 Drivers, What do you think?

Every week i contemplate quitting my driving job and going out on my own. I have been a mechanic all my life, i am a pretty decent driver, pretty great at finding freight for the small company im at, ive got 25 or so brokers in my phone, know where to find parts, good at fighting fires, dodging DOT. Ive got all the tools, i dont mind the spartan lifestyle. Tons of advantages on my side.

But honest to god, if you gave me a decent truck and a $5k fuel card.. Id still probably say no.. The spot rates arent worth the insurance cost right now. The only good thing going on now is cheap equipment prices. Its anybody's guess how long the freight famine will last. A truck costs about as much as a full care nursing home. And they break every week or so. Theres no limit to how much they can consume. Get you criminal charges, huge lawsuits, even prison.

 

No, it's against rule number 1, never go into buisness with family or friends or loan money to them.

 

I dont think the op understands dot regs and the cost of Insurance for one thing. The answer is a big fat no!

 

These days, even the more experienced owner-operators are going bankrupt.
Insurance for your two sons will be prohibitively expensive.
Become a member of www.OOIDA.com which is a business website for the owner-operator and small fleet owner.

 

Please tell me where that guarantee of “it will cost slightly less to own, operate, and maintain and pay a driver than you make hauling the load “ is.
After 43 years in the business, I’m still looking....

 

he says he has done "limited research", so he must know what he's talking about. so why is he here asking us if he should do this.?

 

you got absolute proof of that statement?

how about cheap used trucks, that were traded in fleet trucks??

how about cheap used trucks from rental or lease companies??

how about an owner-op that wants to (or already did) retire?

unless EACH truck for sale specifies why they are up for sale (ie take backs, or repossessions) you cannot assume every cheap truck is one that was repossessed or poorly maintained.

seems to me, your due diligence at researching sucks.

 

I'd go with my previous advice. See if Roehl has the 7/4 7/3 or the 7on 7off Hometime Fleet options in your area. Probably with their Reefer fleet, or Dry van. Nebraska is pretty dead territory for flats.