Looking to buy truck and hopper bottom

They’re all expensive to work on.
Startup, getting DOT number and MC number, can be done for $300, or hire someone like OOIDA for 550ish, they’ll double check to make sure no mistakes.
Insurance, well, age may be against you too, around $14,000/year for first year.
$550 for HVUT(Heavy vehicle use tax)
Around $1350-$1750 for tags.
IFTA if you drive more than 1 state.

Then trailer tags, mine cost $150 for permanent tags, plus $850 sales tax.
There’s some figures.
I’d say run a little more, put more back, buy truck and trailer outright.

You could finance both, and run but you don’t have any contacts yet, talk to grain brokers in your area to see about working with them.
Tell them you wanting to get a truck and trailer, they sometimes know a guy retiring wanting to sale one.

 

https://www.truckpaper.com/listings...2537/1990-freightliner-fld120?CTRY=Canada,USA

I keep dreaming of buying this as my 2nd ride..
But the Castleton steel hopper may be a little heavy for the US..

 

Go run somebody elses truck and trailer local for a year or two and keep saving. Descent truck will run you about 25 to 30k, and a descent trailer about 20 to 25k. That being said, both will still have mechanical expenses to be expected in the first year. You wont make enough locally unless you stay out most nights, and that means more idling/wear and tear, unless you have an apu which most pre eld trucks dont. If you want to set yourself up for a better way of living in 20 years, save enough to pay cash for your equipment, and have a good 20k line if credit available. Hopper bottom is a tough industry locally, and the maintenance bills never stop coming. Best of luck!

 

I always thought hopper bottoms locally was a good business to be in.

 

It is, if you have enough contacts in the industry to keep the truck loaded and moving.
The rates aren't very high and you have to be willing to put in a lot of time to make it pay.
It usually turns into a seven day a week job. Six days of driving...or waiting in lines to load and unload... and doing maintenance on your truck the seventh day.

 

Bingo!

 

Depends on where you live and what you want to haul. Grain doesn’t pay the best, but if you can use it to fill in between commodity loads you can build some nice rounds.

 

And you don’t get those contacts unless you start. I get so frustrated with the know it alls that discourage the newbies from swinging the bat.

 

Maybe the "know-it-alls" are just guys with some experience and are trying to show the OP a few things to watch out for.
If you're looking for one of those "safe" forums where everybody agrees with each other and tells sweet sounding lies to avoid a bitter truth you're probably in the wrong place. Snow flakes don't last long here.
Do we have opinionated people here? Yes we do. Are they always right? No, of course not. But they're right often enough that they're worth listening to.