depressed owner op needs help going back to flatbed

I am with Mercer and we have good paying loads out of Blytheville. You live in a very good area to be leased on here.

 

go read the mercer thread

 

Getting your own authority isn't that scary, plus you'd open ALOT more opportunities for yourself and alot more take home.

I have my own authority and started out as power only, made good money , got home every 10-11 days, THEN I bought my 1st trailer and went to the load boards,, man was it so much greater this way.
I got to pick when and were I ran,, made Great money and was home every week, got my truck completely paid off.
Now I haven't even looked at a load board in over 7 months,, 2 brokers call me consistently with round trip loads @ over $2. a mile (all my miles from home and back), mainly due to I guess cause I'm there for them.

I now can't understand WHY O/O's cry cause they can't get $5,000.00 gross a week,, I get that and more and am only out 4-5 days per week and NEVER driver much over 450 miles from home.

 

CRST Malone also rents trailers for $185/week. Some are Reitnenour side kits. They have an agent that gets a lot of freight out of Blytheville. You can rent a trailer from CRST Malone, Landstar or Mercer. You just need to decide which carrier works best for you. Landstar does require that all owner operators and drivers have hazmat on their CDL. I believe that CRST Malone and Mercer may have sign on bonuses. That could help you purchase your securement equipment. If you want to pull a flatbed you will be required to buy tarps, binders, chains, etc., which should cost around $2,500. Any of the three carriers should be able to tell you the availability of freight and rates in your area. Getting home often is good, but often it comes down to getting good rates or going home.

 

I've heard good things from bigbadbill. see if you can msg him for more info. he does flatbeds.

 

BigBadBill aka Farm2Fleet Trucking is a possibility. I'm leased on to his company but pull a dry van. 15 trucks right now about half and half dry van and flats. I have no idea how or what the flatbed guys are doing rates wise. Everyone so far seems to be happy with the control they have over their operation. You can book loads on your own or get help from the office finding loads.

 

I have heard the name but don't recall anything about them. I get calls from them from time to time.