Is it a good time to be an owner operator?

If you are going to be working off load boards then no.. If you have your foot in the door on some freight then it's always a good time.

 

Depends what you want to do and how you want to do it. You don't necessarily have to buy your own truck to not be micro managed. There are companies out there who will put you in a truck and give you instructions and tell you to call once a day or if you have a problem and otherwise leave you alone. Also, just because you own the truck, whoever's name is on the door the authority it runs under, THEY control what that truck does/they are liable, in the eyes of the DOT it is the same as one of their company trucks. So consider that.

Your reason for buying your own truck should not be, "I don't want to be micro managed." Your reason for buying a truck (getting into business!) should be because you can see a way to pay yourself more than someone else would for x amount of work, after you have paid all of the expenses to make that work happen. If you don't look at it like this and are only in trucking because you love to move freight in a show truck and be the fastest guy out here there is no shortage of people willing to pay you fuel money to do it. Then it's a matter of how much you really enjoy it. A pat on the back and a happy meal sound good?

 

You should not be a O/O if have to ask that question.

 

Big shoes, wedge shaped

 

NO !!!!!! To be blunt. Use the search button on the top right corner. There’re countless of threads asking the same question every day. When you joined, you should’ve read the rules. Says to use the search feature to fine your answer for your question before posting a new thread.

 

Try five years. This is the minimal for success.

You control that, you let them dictate all of this except where to go, that's your job.

Owners get micromanaged, some don't look at it that way but many have to put up with more crap than a company driver.

NOT a good time, period!

 

On the flip side: now is a FANTASTIC TIME to learn about the different kinds of problems/headaches that an o/o may indeed encounter....in the course of his/her career.

Learn about what you could face/be up against later....

Knowledge is power...as they say.

-- Lual

 

And your luck!
But make sure they will keep you if your truck or trailer gets damaged at the shipper or receiver. Once you can't operate because your equipment can't be used they replace you for lower rates. They will not take you back once they keep more for themselves. That's what happened to me. So, you can be a lord one day then a beggar next.