Who becomes an owner operator?

It's going to be fun when all of these idiots that are paying $100,000 for a 7 year old truck end up losing their **** repeatedly because the market goes down a little bit.

 

You guys said “Don’t go Lease” so I didn’t… lolol. I know, I know different thing that lease purchase thing…

I bought my truck and trailer when everyone was still selling everything off. Auctions were full of cascadias and all sorts of low priced
newer stuff with 350k-500k miles.

I am amazed that people are paying $75k plus for those same trucks about to need some expensive emissions parts.

I jumped in with zero recent experience because I was furloughed from a job I held since 1998 during Covid. I dicked around for around for 3.5 months waiting to see if I would be called back which I was for 1.5 weeks and got a sore throat and was sent home for 20 days and it was during that time I said F these people. 3.5 months is along time to think about other career options. We have a low house payment and a private vehicle payment all less than $1600 a month total, and zero credit card debt. So I had no idea how my career field would be had the pandemic continued for years and years etc.
I am sure everyone saw the shortage of goods on the shelf’s and one thing that had always remained was the need to move freight so that is one reason I am here.

I am sure different people migrate to trucking for different reasons for me it was more independence and to get away from the corporate world and always being surrounded by people. I was an instructor and every #### day it was more and different adults in class. Some were great people and some were complete jackazzzzzes. I was tired of it all. I mean people worried about in cab cameras… ####, try being under a microscope of cameras every where but the bathroom and having to scan in and out of different parts of the same building you are working in and the entire time being on cameras or witching view of people constantly and always being available to answer questions every second you are at work. In cab cameras ain’t shizzle.

So I don’t regret going straight into my authority from day one. I had actually applied and was offered driving positions but my wife was like oh hell naw… you aren’t going to be gone for weeks on end and have zero say in when and where you go. I was in the military for 14 years so I have been there.
people act like driving is stressful, to me it is moments of stress compared to always being in front of a class (not a hey read this class, but constant talking and teaching technical information with which the FAA and NTSB can come after you years later if they think what you taught lead to an aircraft accident). It is also nothing compared to working the flight deck of an aircraft carrier in the dark for near 12 hours straight.

One thing I have discovered is many people think only they can do it or they are unicorns but they have forgotten why they did it or they have made it and in reality they aren’t unicorns they just worked hard and that is really what it takes, not hard work driving but hard work getting loads and we all know the paperwork is the hardest part. Leasing on to someone would ease that.

I still wonder how folks going to pay for the truck and trailer they financed at double what it is worth when the bottom drops out.

 

Most of get rich quick types. People that are ceos now because they bought a truck with the drug money they stashed before they went to prison. Got a $3 a mile Amazon haul. Now they are dispatch wizards and can make you $1,000,0000 a week. And for only $2500 you can fly to Dallas and take their class.

 

I’ve noticed a lot of friends and family all now with different authorities who used to work under one. They all talk and share rates. (Collude) Especially in the Indian community.

By and large there are lots of new people that have come in but probably more who have just went out on their own that were already here and just trying to get established.

 

Save your money men. When the tide drops its going to be down for a very long time.

 

Stupidity
Taxes
Actually being in love (w/ someone vs trucking)
Gold digging

 

Thanks for your post, my favorite I've read since joining the forum.
When this bubble bursts, and it will, many people are going to lose everything, and those used trucks, houses, RVs, boats, ATVs are going to be up for sale cheap.
I just went with my sister last week, we together ordered two new KWs, the salesman told us that factory new orders are being canceled at an unprecedented level, and he has been selling trucks for 36 years. Also many who are trying to buy, can't get financing, as lenders tighten up their rules. I figure in 2 years, we will also be buying a few more used trucks and trailers, cheap, and enlarging our little fleet from 10 trucks, to maybe 14.

OP. To answer your question, I do believe that another factor is the mandate biden wants to ram down the throats of companies, where businesses with 100 employees or more, must all jab, or pay exorbitant fines.
But if you have just 1, 20, or even 80 employees, you are exempt.

 

I was one of them. I was an O/O leased on to a small carrier and realized my cell phone can do what the carrier did for me. No brainer.

 

Glutton for punishment?
Sounded like a good idea at the time?

 

Not going to lie I got into trucking almost exclusively because of youtube videos.

About 4 years ago I was in the poker business in Vegas. My wife and I decided to move to a smaller town and raise the kids in a more country atmosphere. Not having any skills outside of the casino made me start looking for a new type of career. I ran across a trucker video on youtube randomly and watched it. Then I started watching more, browsing the web, all the usual research someone does if they get interested in something.

For years I had wanted to be an entrepreneur. I have always looked up to those who owned their own business big or small. I really focused in on the O/O side of the youtube guys. I knew when I ended up getting into trucking that was my end goal.

I quit the rat race in Vegas after being pretty thoroughly jaded at the idea of ever working with the public or being in any position of authority again. Ended up moving to TN and signing on with Primes flatbed division. Drank that Kool aid and got the standard Prime ####ing for about a year and nine months.

I'm a bit of a degenerate gambler and ended up making the correct options plays to make a bundle of money right before covid hit. I cashed out my account immediately after hitting that jackpot and put the money away. Watched the world go to hell and when things started to get a little better I quit Prime and used the money from the options to buy a used Melton t680, new 48' flatbed, year of insurance, and the rest of the expenses getting an MC.

When I got in the rates had just turned around from the absolute slump they hit during the early days of covid. Made a #### ton of money since then and have all paid off equipment now. Not making reefer money but certainly won't complain at how I've done with my 48' Fontaine flat.

Rates are still crazy high across the board even if they have dipped a little. When I was maybe two months into authority I got a load from Lexington KY to MT from TQL (yikes) for $6200 and nearly shat myself I thought it was such a high rate from everything I'd seen previously. Now I wouldn't look at it for less than $7000 and would probably still try and squeeze a little more blood out if I could. IMO we have all become very used to very high rates and many will freak if they come tumbling down rapidly.

Anyways, now I spend a lot more time at home even though I know I should be running hard right now but I am enjoying life so much more than I ever did in Vegas or working for Prime. All because I watched some youtube videos that got me interested and made me realize truckers aren't all scumbags that drink too much and smell bad. Just most of us.