mentoring in canada on the west coast

Not to kill your dreams or anything but i’m guessing you don’t have any experience since you have stated you’re completing your class 1 Training right now . Insurance and your age are going to be the big factors for you as a new o/o . If you’re young with no experience most trucking firms will not even hire you for a company gig never mind as an owner Op . Most new drivers start off with companies like Bison,Challenger or Kriska where you’re lucky to make $1900 every two weeks after taxes . In trucking you have to take baby steps first get hired by a company as a company driver which isn’t easy right now it seems by the amount of newbies asking for help on this forum . then you get a couple years experience as a company driver and figure out how the industry works and if you even like being a truck driver before making a big commitment in buying your own truck . if you’re smart you track what your company truck is costing the company down to every penny . Ie fuel ,tire replacement ,every time the truck goes into the shop see if you can get the cost of repairs then after a few years decide if you want to take on the responsibility and stress of owning your own rig .


It’s not all sunshine and roses either , I tried owning my own dump truck and decided after a short time it wasn’t for me and I had the advantage of a no interest loan and had worked for my dads friends established company where he had spent years and years of hard work getting contracts and the work was handed to us with no effort on our parts . We had help with repairs and want not on every step on the way and We both gave it up because the money wasn’t there for all the fuel , repairs and time spent we were making . It’s not easy trying to make a good living as a o/o with the high fuel prices,inflation on everything and all these new start up carriers cutting rates down to nothing. Very few make it as a new owner op with what you’re trying to do as someone who’s new in the trucking industry unless you have a ton of money backing you

 

I’d strongly suggest you reconsider leading a truck. Get on as a driver, get experience and learn the business from the inside out… before leasing.

 

So what are you going to do to make yourself stand out above all the other existing O/Os and /or small,medium or large fleets who are ALL looking for contracts worth working for?

Just curious


Pete

 

The INFO, you got above IS QUALITY!
Right now, and for the foreseeable future, is not the time for someone to become an owner operator. Little less a rookie driver. As the above posted little steps.
Right now EVERYBODY is looking for that profitable hole to find to get thru this, so leads to good paying work are kept quiet, they are few and far between at the best of times with the big megas battling for them and driving rates down, what do you think is happening now?
But never mind, why listen to somebody who's been doing it for decades, and has witnessed SEVERAL economic downturns, you know best right?
Good luck. Wish you the best.

 

With no experience and an older truck about the best work you can expect to find would be hauling sea cans around the Vancouver area unless you are willing to go out and start knocking on doors looking for something better.Nobody is going to lead you towards a good contract, that is something you will have to do on your own.

 

Good contracts aren't good just because the customer hasn't had someone else offer to move it for a lower price. They're built over time, trust, dependability, etc. The key to success, as a small company, I've found, is to find those customers who value dependability, stability, basicly take care of all their transportation worries for whatever you are hauling for them. The customers who don't have 50 loads a day to move. Get in where you fit in. Keep the rate steady, they should keep the chequebook steady. There are times when someone will offer you a more attractive load, and there are times others will offer your customer a more attractive deal. Then you have to decide, both parties, what is more valuable. The current setup, or a 1-off "great deal."

Vancouver is oversaturated with carriers. Lots of it is owned by new Canadians, as are the businesses requiring trucking services. Guess who gets the work.

You need to determine what services you will offer. Power only? Flatbed? Dry? Reefer? Then, who will your target customers be? Direct? Brokers? Other carriers overflow? How are you going to get in touch with these people to let them know you're out here? Also, if you start by getting the work through price alone, they will want to pay you your cheap rate forever. You will lose if you go that route. I learned what lanes pay what rates through being signed on under someone else's authority before setting out on my own. I didn't see value giving up 20%, but the knowledge was key.

You know, I'd love another golden opportunity where someone went out bought a shiny new pete thinking it's a money printing machine, when the finance company takes it back I pick it up for a great price. I realize you are going to buy older but the point is the same, I'd rather someone know what they're getting into so they can make the best informed decision with realistic expectations. Too many dump piles of money in and lose it all. I'd rather not see that happen, some even lose the house or retirement savings. This industry chews up people and spits em out every day. All this isn't to spell doom and gloom, it's more of a, fair warning, I suppose.

Godspeed

 

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only problem is I read the port of Vancouver wants to band anything older then 10 years old , although i just read the start date has been pushed back for a third time so who knows when that will actually kick in . Depending on how old of a truck the op plans to buy that could be a very good way to start his business but I hear there’s not much money in hauling cans . Either way insurance will be the killer for him as a new o/o with no driving experience

 

I am going to give you advice on mentorship. I won't go into the trucking part because everyone already ripped you apart.

If you are looking for a mentor (not just in trucking but anything), the first step is to provide value to that mentor which you did not. If I am a mentor and I am looking for people to take under my wing, why would I pick you over the hundreds of other people who need help. Are you willing to pay me? Are you willing to work for me for free? What do you offer/provide for the guidance? I can tell from your age and naivete that you have no experience in this which is completely fine and understandable but if you truly want to be an owner/operator which is essentially a business owner/entrepreneur, you will need to learn quickly how to run a business. It is easy to say, I don't want to work for $25-30 for a company but you will need to pay the bills somehow. People aren't going to hand you the best contract straight out the door cold without zero networking and reputation.

You are way in over your head and I don't even think you remotely realize it. I'm not discouraging you but merely asking you to be more realistic. Realize you will have to work harder than you ever had to in order to become a successful O/O.