Is it time to be a owner op? (Owner op or hotshot?)

A lot of it now depends on your personal financial situation - debt/income ratio, capitalization going in - driving record, insurance quotes - planning.

Planning. Do a lot of that. you've found a good site to do a lot of research. And a lot of good hands with tons of experience and insight.

Good luck, Blair.

 

My first year O/O I netted 90k. It’s possible to get straight to a good year if you’ve got a good village behind you. I had no less than 5 very mechanically inclined O/O that were leased on with me (that always answered my calls), had two O/O that showed me how to run efficiently, basically every step of the way I had help that cared.

but I also own my equipment fully. So that always helps with net.

also due to my family’s 20 years with their current insurance, I only had to pay $800 a month for insurance.

 

New and used trucks are priced at all-time highs. It looks like the economy is getting ready to head into recession, which always reduces amount of freight and usually freight rates. You can't get a new truck now, you'll have to wait a year even if you have golden credit and $200,000 in your pocket. Trailers are in short supply also. If you have a truck, insurance, a little operating cash you could start doing Power-Only, and pick your loads. I feel like you need about 60-90 days of intensive study to learn just enough not to sign a suicidal lease contract with some awful carrier.
I would take the best company driver job you can find and study while you save more money. On YouTube I would recommend Steady Trucker, he's been O-O for a while and he switched from flatbed to Power-Only. He posts his numbers weekly and often shows his thought process on picking loads from load boards. Don't just wait for him to post a new video that answers one of your questions. Start watching all of his videos at least since Christmas forward, if not last 18 months. I also recommend the YouTube channel of Jeffrey Like called Trucker Education Network. He has tons more experience and information about all things in the industry, but I stopped watching his videos because he spends more time than I want skipping from the topic to chatting with friends on the video about their subject. Some call Jeffrey Like The Godfather of YT truck drivers. I think he was formerly an engineer.

 

If you live near the ports in LA, you might try tanker work. There is a ton of it along the Gulf Coast. It's less frantic and cut throat than reefer or dry van and pays better, even to company drivers. Tanker will almost feel like a mini-vacation compared to reefer or dry van trucking, even as a company driver. Safety is a real thing in tanker, instead of the magic word some people mention when DOT is near by, like reefer and dry van. I made $70-75,with cheap benefits my first year in tanker and it was much less stressful than bumping docks. Customers treat you much,much better. I started at Quality Carriers, now part of CSX. They are all over, including the Gulf Coast. No tanker experience required for most tanker companies if you have 1-2 years trucking experience.

 

Check out a company like Blue Ribbon Logistis. They will hire you as a company driver and train you to run as an O/O or BCO in a few years. Don't know if it is true but they claim that all of their current drivers are making close to $100k in this market. They have a U tube channel if you are interested and recently stated they need about 4 more drivers within the next few weeks. They are a W2 company with benefits.
I don't know the company myself but I watch their channel.