2 Ears & 2 Eyes Here to Learn From You Guys In the Know...

No one will hire you to run under their Authority without experience.

That leaves working for someone else or getting your own authority.

Call for insurance. It is not unusual for someone with zero experience to get quotes of $30,000 to $50,000 or more for their own authority. Yes that is per year.

 

There's an EXCEPTION to everything. You happen to be one and I'm glad you did succeed.

 

Get your cdl with all endorsements.
Then be a company driver for a year.
USA Truck is dry van and after 6 mos. there, can choose your loads and run where you want to.
Leonard's Express is refrigerated and runs 48 states and can learn about refrigerated trucking.
Both companies hire new cdl school grads.
~
USA Truck
.
Leonard's Express

 

I started from scratch. Jumped right in the deep end of the pool. I've never even been to a trucking school. But I have been wrenching my whole life. I've also been pulling trailers and securing freight since forever. I also had experience pulling a flatbed behind a semi truck on Colorado lease roads. I learned how to drive on a 5x4 when I was a roustabout, and I learned how to handle a 10 and 13 speed after that in wireline. Just no tractor trailer experience on asphalt. My first time pulling a 48' flat was actually when I went and picked up my trailer.

I'm doing well. But the point is, I had a lot of things in may favor before I started. I could at least handle and maintain my own equipment, and I already knew how HOS worked.

The rest, I learned along the way. No joke, I learned how to tarp from a YouTube video, and I literally learned how to be a trucker right here on this forum. Point being - it CAN be done. Can you do it? And are you sure in six months that you will still WANT to do it? It would really suck if you paid all-time highs for equipment right now, hated trucking/failed, and had to offload your equipment back onto the market after the bubble pops. You'll lose your butt big time on that deal.

My suggestion is to put in at least a couple months as a company driver. Honestly, you'll burn that much time getting your business in order before you can even pull your first load anyway, so you might as well spend that time learning. It takes a long time to get the truck/trailer, then get insurance, then get IRP, then get IFTA, and so on and so forth. So spend that time actually driving a semi. Then once you're ready to haul your first load, just quit your job and go to work for yourself if you still want to do it.

And don't drop large sums of cash on this equipment. Judging by what you said about not paying off your house because you have a favorable interest rate makes me think you know how "smart money" works, so this might be preaching to the choir, but never use your own money when you can use someone else's. Keep that cash in your pocket. I did pay cash for my truck, but it was only $15,500. And coming from over a decade in the oilfield, I'd really become disconnected with how "valuable" money was, so $15,500 was literally couch-cushion change in my eyes. So many things I would have done differently in retrospect.

Lastly, I'll let you in on my super secret mantra: "Nothin' to it, but to do it"

Good luck.

 

But they do… i have an owner that has been trying to get me to lease onto them since before my authority was active and knew I was just starting out. This was after a good 30 minute chat about who I am and where I’m from and where he started. He was also jumped straight into it 7 years ago.

I agree it would be rare but it happens.

 

I love that @D.Tibbitt took the time to sit down and write some really good stuff, also @God prefers Diesels posted some great stuff as well as some others.

There is also the standard you can’t do it posts. Same crap different day by the naysayers (Nothing against that because some of them speak the truth and it is good to digest much of what has been said) do not do this without careful thought but it can be done.

The timing is really, really tough right now because the prices are insane on trucks and trailers right now. To give an example. When I was truck hunting and trailer hunting there were quite a few 30-50k options for good decent trucks out there (pre-emmisions) and lower prices for a lot of trucks. Like God Prefers Diesels has made out like a bandit on his truck. I would gladly drive his truck for what he paid for it and right now it is worth more. There were tons of DEF trucks for sale with 400k miles selling fin the 20s and 30s at many auctions when I was searching. Hell some internationals with 291k for less than 30k. Now those same trucks with 500+k are selling for 60k plus. 700-800+ emissions truck are selling for so much more than they are worth. Those folks may regret that purchase in another year or two especially if they financed it. I pull flatbed, I paid $25k for my trailer with brand new tires and loads of equipment. Hell I was offered a near new Fontaine all alum 48’ flat for $25k that was near pristine with tons of options for the same price but I have goals that pertain to more than just standard flatbed work so I chose the 53’

Maybe it is because I talk to people on the road but it might surprise a lot of y’all how many people jump right into O/O. I have spoken with many. During idle chat waiting to pick up a load I have spoken with a good number of people who jumped right in.

It is very possible and very doable. This is not rocket science. A good mentor is a huge help because mine has saved my butt more than once and has questioned why I would do this or that and not afraid to tell me to be careful about doing this or that.

So real quick nutshell on my situation had a lot to do with being furloughed during Covid (3.5 months) and then sent home 1.5 weeks after being called back because of a sore throat and deciding to say F y’all I am not dealing with the corporate world anymore. I researched and thought and planned for months before I jumped in. I also had a successful O/O on this page who took the time to send me a message and offer mentor me which was a godsend.

I was a US Navy Aircraft Mechanic turned Civilian Aircraft Mechanic turned Aircraft Maintenance and Pilot instructor. I’ve worked since before it was legal for a young boy to work. Drove some hotshot stuff in the oil fields and delivered chemicals to the rigs but had never driven a 13 speed. Got my CDL and went and picked up my truck in California which I bought from a board member (love this truck btw) and like God Prefers Diesel had not pulled anything longer than 33 feet prior to buying my 53’ flatbed near Joplin Mo. and driving it back to Texas.
I have pulled trailers of one type or another most of my and thus far pulling a 53’ flat has not be difficult for me. It is basic common sense and knowing when to not let pride or ego let you hop out and walk back to make sure you aren’t about to cause yourself or someone else some problems. I still don’t back the greatest like a dry van or reefer driver but I have stuck this trailer in places that the folks working there were surprised I got it on the first try because of what they have seen other drivers do but really if I had to stick this thing in a dock spot or packed truck stop everyday I would suck. Flat bedding you just don’t have to back that often and 53’ spread doesn’t like being torqued around much even with dump axle.

Driving in today’s world is filled with shorts bursts of WTF and stress and many hours of paying attention to everything around you all the time. There is no slack time while driving and I’m not saying you can not relax and enjoy the drive because I love it. I really do. I love seeing the country. I love some of the people I have met along the way and right now I would not trade it for anything. It literally has taken me months to get over working for A$3Hats all my life. It is a very good feeling. This job just doesn’t have the stress level many give it or make it out to be. I don’t take loads I can’t make a delivery on (pending some mechanical or natural disaster) I don’t or won’t sit at a truck stop for a couple days hunting a load. If I go places with low freight I get paid well to go in so I can boogie the heck out of there. I don’t like sitting somewhere for a day or two waiting.

You need to really decide what type of trucking you would do before buying a truck. Some trucks are better for certain types of trucking than others.
I will be 56 years old this month and I chose flatbed. It is only when slinging an 8 foot tarps or folding them in the wind do I questions my sanity. I know some will say it is to much work but for right now when I can still do it I will still do it. I spent many years behind a podium teaching and being outdoors is good for the soul. That being said it is probably slightly easier and more affordable to buy a flatbed trailer right now than a dry van or refer and even leasing might be easier to find. Because you do flatbed doesn’t mean you pull all sorts of flatbed trailers like lowboys etc. that is all learned and done more specialized and experience. Flatbed also requires an engineering like mind to ensure you secure the products so you don’t kill yourself or worse someone around you.
but that is all up to you to decide.

Something that people also might not realize is trucking now is not what trucking was when I was a kid. When I was young our neighbor was an O/O and my family always respected truckers. Nowadays trucking has some of the scummiest dirty filthy people behind the wheel who don’t think twice when it comes to throwing piss bottles and trash right out their truck or trailer. Within a short time you will see bags of #### on the ground, piss bottles, food and trash and some really filthy MFers. I know my truck is not as clean as some but rest assured you won’t see me tossing thrash everywhere, clogging up a fuel island or prancing around shirtless and buttcrack hanging out where I get fuel. You will see so,e old school truckers out there but in reality the most common truckers now are people who are ran like dogs and treated like crap and have sour nasty attitudes toward everyone. So you have to ensure you don’t become one of them. Just like some of the folks who post the same crap on some of these threads if you read through enough of them.

Insurance is expensive. Find a good local agent and get a quote for a new entry with a new CDL before you even buy a truck or trailer. Have a good idea what it might cost. It can be crazy expensive and I know people who have decided against it. Nothing against driving for a company for a few months as has been said. It doesn’t take 1 or 2 years to learn how to handle ####. Nothing about driving a company truck will teach you about filing for IFTA. But it can give you some good skills. I was going to do that and my mentor talked to me about it and my wife was a factor there as well and she knew driving for someone means very little time to be at home and set up your authority. But it could give you some good driving skills. I did not do that.

Also, have a #### good nest egg. Stuff happens and you will encounter snags. I have said it on here before in another thread. All my stuff is paid for, cash, trailer, and my first year I paid for my insurance cash. This year I financed my insurance and it is $1600ish a month. I can do that with one hand tied behind my back. My wife health really took a downturn this last year also, she has been in ICU and in the hospital 4-5 times since I started and if i had know that was going to happen I may have chosen another path. However being an O/O without a ton of bills I can be decide when I go and when I come home and I tend to run good paying stuff out and as good a paying load as I can coming home and I changed how and when I run because of her. At one point I told my mentor I feel like I am losing money if I can’t make a run and his response was nope… when you don’t have a ton of payments you aren’t losing money when you aren’t running, you just aren’t making any. That is a big difference if you think About it. My cost are very low when my truck might be sitting for a few days. My biggest expense is fuel and insurance. I know many will not agree and think you need to be gone all the time to survive if you pick good freight you can do well and not be gone for weeks at a time. You choose that not someone else. Just don’t go burn holes in your bank acct and be smart about your purchases.

Anyhow, I have only been at it for a little over a year, I am far from an expert and I don’t consider myself to be a success at this time. I am still learning and I may never. I am that way with many things in life; I taught for 20+ years also and every week I never felt I was the worlds greatest instructor although many requested me an their instructor. There have been some ups and downs and I’ve made mistakes and I have made some good choices also.

Feel free to PM if you have any specific questions. I am no where near the experience to be a mentor so please don’t think that but I am willing to help any way I can to help you. Not all roses but not all beeewwwllshhhhaatt.

 

I drive for Swift and have never experienced those maladies. Not saying they don't happen, even with Swift, but never had those issues.
That said, I stay out longer than most probably do. I'm out about a month and a half to two months and then go home for about a week. That's what works for me. Also, usually flexible about exactly when I get home. So, sometimes I get home a day or two earlier than requested, sometimes a day or two later. On those uncommon events when I have a Doctor's appointment or similar that put a definite anchor on when I need to be home, I've mostly been able to get it to work. There have been a couple of times things went alittle sideways, but Swift really did a good job at trying to get me home on time. You can't predict things like truck breakdowns and the delays that can cause, but I've always felt Swift did what they could to get me home when I needed.
Also, the number 1 thing of many that I like being a driver for Swift is, believe it or not, safety. If I do not feel comfortable with road and/or weather conditions, I park it and let them know. NEVER, have I gotten anything but gracious acceptance and support for making the 'safe choice', as they call it. As a big company, they can deal with late loads much easier than smaller companies and they'd basically rather have the load late than have to deal with wrecks, lawsuits as a result and all that other crap. I have been given the authority to make those calls on when I can drive and when I feel I should sit out the conditions. I've never been second guessed, or anything that even hints of it. Also, as long as I do what I reasonably can and should to get a load picked up and delivered, if something doesn't work right and a load is late to be picked up or delivered, it had never been held against me.
My tag line is my motto. Notice the load is the third priority, not the 1st or 2nd. Swift, for me and my experience with them, seems to agree.
Anyway, I had thought I'd start with them and move on after a year or two. But, I've enjoyed working with them and I've been treated well and that's why I stayed on and have no plans at present go elsewhere.
I don’t mean this to sound like a Swift recruitment post, but just sharing my experience with them.
I had those same fears you expressed when I started with them and none of that stuff has cropped up, for me. Swift is a really big company, so can't speak to my conditions and experience being Swift wide, or just my little niche.