Truck's gone. Money's gone. Spot market fiasco.

I personally don’t understand how a single truck owner operator with authority can have realistic expectations of working the Spot market as a long-term goal. The Spot market is just overages. Real work performed is done with commitments to a customer. Brokered freight is just scraps that carriers cannot cover at the time. If you’re a single truck guy, consider your competition. If you are hauling and providing a service, which is very similar to what a large carrier can do, you’re not gonna outcompete them. They can make decent revenue at smaller margins by volume and stability. Simple fix is, if you’re Carrier which an owner operator with authority is… Service, a customer that has difficulties achieving their transportation needs from large carriers. The small carrier will make more money per mile, per day, -whichever way you look at it compared to doing the same kind of work a large carrier does. Short and sweet, Don’t rely on the spot market as the majority of income in your business. People say it over and over, Stop using brokers as your business plan! It’s fine to use them to fill in the blanks but it is a fiasco to be lazy and use them all the time.

 

At least he still has 10k. Real talk, you make more money driving someone else's truck these days.

 

I would rather have more say in the way I operate then drive for somebody else. But if that means using the Spot market as my main means of income and going out of business later on. I’d rather do as you say. It would make more financial sense just to drive for somebody who already has their own customers. What good is a false sense of freedom when you go out of business?

 

Friendly reminder that brokers don't want to have to sell freight cheap, either. 15% of 4000 is more than 15% of 3000.

 

He didn’t have to take the cheap load.

 

I would rather give up that sense of freedom of it means my other sense of freedom(financial) is secure. I'm totally with you here. In reality, whether you're a company driver, or an owner operator, something should be telling you what to do. If you're an owner, the market and running lanes will dictate your moves. If you're a company driver, probably a pencil pusher will determine your fate. Hopefully he lands on his feet somewhere.