Good or Bad Idea? Jumping into O/O program at school

I don't know what 'valise' means.

If you expect to run OTR for 2 months and come home with 10K, you are sadly mistaken.

 

Bad idea! Very, very, very bad idea! I would highly recommend you drive for at least a year before even thinking about leasing or being an Owner Operator. You will make far more money as a company driver to start off then an O/O. You are going to buy a truck not even knowing if you like driving out there and that's just for starters. There are many other factors that could go wrong besides that one.

Take it one step at a time man....

Would you buy a jet before you got your pilots license?

 

because he's not using the word properly....

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/valise

 

A lot of pilots never buy their own aircraft, but the analogy works well. Leasing a truck as a new driver would be kind of like substituting several $100 bills for toilet paper every month. You'd be much better off doing what I plan on doing: hiring on as a company driver for a year or two, setting some money aside, and seeing how things go. If I like driving well enough, and think I can hack it as an owner-operator, I'll buy a W900 or a 379, or maybe a Western Star 4900. If not, I'll find another line of work, continue as a company driver, or possibly go local. Going local would be another option if home time is a super-high priority, but it comes with its own set of drawbacks.

 

a suggestion... wanna start with a w900, 379, or western?? do some research into maintenance on those particular trucks... I wanted one way back when, because they were the "cool" trucks that everyone wants. It's gonna cost you through the nose just to get your hands on one, and when somethin needs fixin, its gonna cost you again because of the PACCAR name (western excluded)... One day, when my company is well established, and i've got enough money in the bank, maybe i'll go out and get one "just because"... But after my research into keeping costs low, I settled on a Classic XL with a detroit.... same style as the other hood trucks, same craptastic turning radius, half the cost...

 

I don't worry too much about labor, as I can do most of the work myself. Might have to add to my tool collection, though! Parts are another matter. But I do have a couple of years to plan it all out. Thanks for the heads-up.

 

yeah, i didnt specify, but i wasnt referring to labor cost... parts are ridiculous... its like the difference between owning a mercedes, and a chevrolet....

 

I went to National Training in Orange Park, FL. They divide the training into 2 parts. Part 1 is a home study program. You do all the book work at home online. It covers more then enough to get your CDL. Its not just studying the CDL manual. Very informational and educational. Part 2 is resident training in Green Cove Springs, FL. You spend 3 weeks in Green Cove driving and backing. Awesome school, worth every penny and then some.

On the home study portion they have the option to do just the "basic" for your CDL. Or they have another option to do the O/O home study course. The O/O course contains everything in the "basic course" plus chapters specific to O/O. The resident training is the same for both courses.

If your school has something like this, then i'd say sure go for the o/o, why not. But as far as getting your CDL and jumping straight to being an O/O then no. I would go company driver and get some experience first, then check into becoming and o/o.

Thanks
JR

 

Someone once told me that slow is stedy, and stedy was fast.