So you want to "own " your own company

Thanks for the info I'd also like to thank night wind too anyway I'm a starry eyed newbie that would like to jump off the cliff of being a o/o I was thinking that flat bed was the way too go I always liked flat beds except tarping some contraption that has 800 different angles to it I've been reseaching and talking to company and o/o's about "owning" a business I was going too get my contracter lic. Till everything went bust now im thinking of doing the same for truck driving this has been very helpful as far as info gathering

 

Ok so for s"it's and giggles lets say I get lucky and buy a nice used truck and a flat bed tralier out right and get the insurance and all I plan to just run the 9 western and maybe Texas I don't want to go too California ever again and if I can help it is like to avoid Oregon too if need be I'm willing to live in the truck eat top Ramon and use a five gallen bucket with a rope to wash my clothes with if I have to my question is should I lease on to a company or get my own authority what about a dedicated run I even thought about tanker too I dOnt want to run reefer or dry van everybody seems to do hat so I want to go either flat bed or tanker a lot of people don't like those so I figure that will put me more in demand I got the jest of taxes and operation costs so I'm more interested in what you guys think and also what might be more profitable too thanks a lot I know I opened a hell of a can of worms but what the hell also I know my work eithic I'm not into hanging out at trucks tops and drinking coffee and shooting the bull thanks again

 

If it were me I would lease onto a company, get to learn the ropes of owning a truck, then if the time comes and you want to go out and get your own authority, go for it. As far as what to pull? Ask drivers that are pulling the type's of trailers you are considering, find out the good and bad, and pick which ever one you think will make you happy.

 

Thanks I've talked to a lot of drivers that how I got to the flat or tanker conclusion I thought that leasing on to a company was the way to go too what about experiance i have a class A but not a lot of experiance I know it's dumb just diving into the world of o/o with out more time behind the wheel but the time I did spend I'm hooked (bad) lol and Ive also see people with no sense of business let alone commen sense and are doing just fine and he just started with no experiance at all

 

Hello, I am considering getting my Class A license out of California. What is your recommendation for a starting position? Company driver with knight or swift or pride or ???? Or lease on to a company as a leasing o/o? second question: What kind of money can I look forward to in any of those positions?

Thanks for your advice in advance.

 

To: MNdriver

You seem very knowledgable on the in's and out's. I want to maximize home time (southern California) but yet make the most money. I was hoping to get some insight for an absolute newbie....I am considering getting my Class A license out of California. What is your recommendation for a starting position? Company driver with a big company (knight or swift or pride or ????) Or lease on to a company as a leasing o/o?

second question: What kind of money can I look forward to in any of those positions?

Thanks for your advice in advance.

 

As a new O/O if you go that route you won't be able to lease your own truck onto a company. I have yet to come across any major carrier that lets a new O/O lease onto there company. I thought about doing that as well but those big companies just won't take new O/O until you have some experience.

Of course if you know about some that will take new O/O please feel free to share!!

 

You are going to have a tough time finding a company that runs 9 Western without CA. Most companies with contracts with CA freight have the contracts ending before CARB or clauses that allow for renegotiation on rates. It is expected that rates in and out of CA will jump and the rest of the region will drop. So a regional company like that will require CA.

 

This is what I am trying to research....I dont know enough about it yet. As I mentioned earlier, I want to find out if this is even worth my time. Living in Southern California, a specific wage is a requirement...so I am trying to learn as much as I can.

 

Your first year earnings as a company driver should be between $30-35,000. If you lease a truck from a carrier, it may not be that much. If you want to buy your own truck and lease it to a carrier you will need to first get some experience as a company driver. Most require from 6 months to 2 years experience before they will lease you onto their authority. You can get your own authority without experience, but I would not recommend going that route. The learning curve is very expensive. If you want to get into trucking you need to plan on paying your dues for a year or two. Your second year earnings should be around $35-40,000 as a company driver.