Owner Operator vs. Driver

If you are a fitness pro go with sni dollar store account it should work for you!!!!!!!!!

 

Get some company time before you go O/O.

 

I am in a similar situation Shadow. I own and operate a contracting business in MD. Looking for a new career. It looks as if going company for a year is the way to go, just to learn the business. Being my own boss and the posibility of more money is a draw to O/O. The possibility of getting a good reg or dedicated job after a few months or so also seems like a strong possibility. Most of the threads I read are firmly against being an O/O. Keep the good, helpful info coming. We appreciate your time and experience.

 

What do you mean no O/O's love what they do?? I love it, or I wouldnt be doing it. It has its stressful moments, as does anything, even company driving. However, my stress is greatly reduced, because I dont have a truck, or trailer payment. Having the titles to my equipment is a great piece of mind that allows me to be somewhat more selective in what I do, and when I do it. NEVER get suckered into a lease purchase, you may think that you are an O/O, but answer me this... Can you take the truck and go to a different company if you dont like the way things are going?? NO??? Guess what, you're not an O/O...

 

You can earn a very good living as a company driver. I have owned trucks for many years. I prefer owning than being a company driver. Even with all the hassles of this industry I still enjoy it. I do much better as an owner than I would driving a company truck. Not everyone will do better as an owner operator as they would staying a company driver. One reason is that there are too many who buy trucks who don't understand the business side of this industry. They manage to buy or lease a truck but have no idea what it takes to be successful. They are inexperienced and under capitalized. Before they can build up their money they have a major breakdown and are out of business. Some fail to put money aside for major breakdowns or replacement of their equipment. All too often these owner operators will take load too cheap and not realize that they are losing money because they have cash flow. Staying on top of your expenses and knowing your break even point is critical to your success as an owner operator. Some will get into leasing a truck from a carrier because they have no money and poor credit and don't have the discipline to save their money and clean up their credit. Payments are high and haul rates are usually low. Few make a lease work. This industry has a very high failure rate for owner operators. There is much more to owning a truck than driving. I have run my own authority for a number of years. It works for me.

 

I could make a decent living as a company driver, but I HATE being a sheep. I prefer working for myself and will put up with the extra paperwork, costs, and headaches in order to have the freedom to go where I want, haul what I want, and be home when I want without having a dispatcher riding herd over my shoulder. My success is directly proportional to the amount of work I choose to put in.

 

I was an owner op in my late 20's to late 30's and loved it. The money was great. I was home nearly everyday. Ran illegal all the time but I made sure I got back to the barn. The money was great. Insurance is expensive though. It's nice if your spouse has good health insurance with her job that you can have. I had weekends off. Only worked when I wanted to. I felt like I was retired. I had a big Pete with a 5½ cat most of those years that was very reliable and I don't believe it ever put me on the side of the road. My Volvo did 2 or 3 times. Just common problems. Injector went out in my Cummins 2 times and had a bolt bounce up under the truck and break the cheap plastic fan blade that ruptured my radiator. Other than that, my owner operating years was a big success. The best part I liked about it other than the money was being able to take vacation whenever I wanted. I liked the time off I had also.
Our company lost some good accounts when the fuel prices climbed to $2 a gallon and my dispatcher sent me on a couple of loads that had no backhauls, where I got nothing for my return. I thought $2 a gallon was crazy after paying under a dollar in the late 90's and just a pinch over a buck in the early 2000's. I got into an argument with my dispatcher and walked outside, pulled my placards, asked someone if they wanted a truck a Pete for cheap. I couldn't get my stuff out of it fast enough. He really wanted it. I went home and cried like a baby. I took a week or so off then landed this mail hauling job near the house that paid ok. About a grand a week only working 7 hours a night on a scheduled route. I still had to pay out of pocket for benefits so I took this job a big E that pays very well and good benefits. I miss the owner operating days but I keep hearing the rates have dropped and with nearly $4 a gallon for fuel, I'm content where I'm at but I'm sure many owners have a good gig and are doing well. I got a lot of bills paid and don't need it anymore. I'm soon to be working 9_5 with big E on a little daytime run.