One Truck Operation?

It's worth it to me NOT to have my own authority. Think about this; you are required to keep and maintain a log system...accurately. Too many fouls and your authority gets shut down. I don't have to broker loads. I don't have to qualify fuel cards, pay those bills, and I still get the discounts from the major fuel stops. I don't need to get my own insurance and the company I'm leased on with knows exactly what insurance I need for what I haul. The only records I really keep are the trip info and all my receipts; which I scan and keep on my computer (backed-up of course) and ready for my CPA. I don't have to worry about getting the permits for the 48 states, I don't have to worry about IFTA, OR my 1099's at the end of the year. Now for all that, and trust me there's lots more, like I get special deals on tires because my company is that big...but for all that, I have to pay them $40.00 every other week. I've got better things to do than all that extra paperwork so it's well worth the money NOT to have the authority in my name. That said, if I ever do get another truck and can keep her running I just might try it.

 

Having your own authority works better for some and not for others. There are some who do better leased to a carrier. There is a little more paperwork involved running your own authority. But, there are also more opportunities. Even if you only used brokered freight you can often do as well or better than leasing to a carrier, providing you are a good negotiator. One major advantage to running your own authority is that you are not limited to the freight that a carrier can generate. You can find different brokers or shippers so you are not limited to a single source for freight. I have done well leasing to other carriers, but have always done better running my own authority. It is the opposite for some people.

 

Having your own authority where your success depends on YOU, makes the difference. I would be less lazy at times if it All depended on ME to make it. with risk comes opportunity. some like security more. more security, less risk, less opportunity. I seek opportunity & take risk elsewhere. in trucking I am a leased o/o Ilike it that way. at least I think I like it better. if I ever tried to go on my own, my only regret may be wishing I had done it sooner. we all do better if we have to. I have always worked harder & longer when I owned a business rather than when I worked for someone. but I did better in more aspects of my life, not just on the financial side. you teach yourself & learn a lot more being in charge of your own destiny than when some one else makes decisions for you. if I started my own authority, I WOULD make it! I would demand it of myself.

 

I'm a one truck operation with my own authority. I like it that way. I determine if the load works for me. I work now with one of those multi stop company's to get me out. It's not bad but I wouldn't want to be leased to them. Just wasting a whole day making pick ups is aggravating enough!!! I like the fact that I book my own back hauls and no one gets a percentage. There are a lot of pros to having your own "paper" as it is called. The cons are figuring out your billing. And just keeping up with certain things. I would highly reccomend it as long as you have someone at home that is able to do some paperwork for you.

 

Some people lease to a carrier thinking that they won't be hauling brokered freight. Nearly all carriers broker freight. Even when I leased to Landstar a number of years ago, I hauled brokered freight. I recall hauling loads from JB Hunt, Schneider and CH Robinson. Landstar does have a lot of their own freight, but some agents will broker through other brokers. I know of other major carriers who do the same thing. Most carriers prefer having their own accounts. There is usually more profit by having your own shippers, but not always. I also leased to CRST Malone and hauled some brokered freight. Just because you haul a brokered load doesn't necessarily mean the load is cheap. I have gotten some very good paying loads from brokers over the years. This week I have had offers from about $1.20 to $3.79/mile from brokers.

People have different reasons for leasing to carriers rather than running their own authority. Money is only part of the reason. One reason that I initially leased my truck to Landstar many years ago was because of an owner that I met who had about 16 trucks leased to them. When I was leased to CRST Malone I knew an agent who had 5 trucks leased to them. Both had different reasons for leasing to a carrier rather than running their own authority.

I prefer the flexibility of running my own authority. There are several carriers that would offer me a certain amount of flexibility if I leased to them. It would be easier to get my base plates through them and not have to come up with all of that money at one time. All would handle my fuel taxes without me having to worry about it. I can think of several carriers where I could lease one or more trucks and make money. I don't think that I would do better than on my own, but some would do better by not having to worry about anything other than driving. Landstar, CRST Malone, Mercer, Besl and Universal AM CAN are a few carriers that either I or friends have leased trucks and done well. I have also met some who leased to all of these carriers and not done well at all. I don't think that it was the carriers fault that they failed. They would not have done well on their own running under their authority. It takes a little more initiative running your own authority as opposed to leasing to any carrier. It also requires more of a capital investment running your own authority. Being in business is different than being a company driver.

If you have never owned a truck it would probably be an easier transition if you leased your equipment to a carrier for a year or two before deciding whether you want to go out and get your authority or stay leased to a carrier. In both cases you are still in business for yourself. You still own the equipment.

 

Just wondering, what is considered a good percentage? best i found was 75 percent, i pay plates and bobtail.collision insurance

 

The percentage really doen't matter, the rates the percentage is based off of does.

 

I have my own authority and haul loads for Mercer, Landstar, TQL and a few of my own connections and I don't move for less than 2.00 a mile (including deadhead miles) Negotiations are the Key

 

What is the ave (i know everybody will be different) cost per mile for plates, insurance, hut, tolls, etc. And what price do you put on having tO do all the book work for that suff your self? I make $1.50 a mile my company pays all plates tolls insurance ifta all I have is truck fuel maintenance. Wonder which works out better. If the costs for all that are .50 per mile any load below $2 a mile is a losing proposition? I would love to have my own authority and pick and chose my loads. I contacted Landstar last year but the recruter in Canada did all he could to talk me out of it saying there is no loads out of the east and I would have to stay out weeks and weeks at a time. He certainly did his best to dissuade me from persuing it, so I didn't. Tho I see lots of Landstar flats and vans down here every day??