Leasing with Dart

If you've seen that leasing is not good for new drivers, then you've seen plenty of explanation why it's not good. The reasons today are the same as the reasons yesterday and 6 months ago. Leasing to a such carriers is nothing more than indentured servitude, with slight possibilities of "profit" if nothing goes wrong and you're available to work 50 weeks out of the year, nothing more nothing less. Yes, you can get out of a bad lease, but you will go bankrupt in doing so. So once the agreement is signed, you're ###### if you do and ###### if you don't.

Are there good lease opportunities? Yes, but at that level you're far better off owning (the equity accrued is yours) than participating in a "lease to own" program. But those better o/o opportunities are only available to experienced drivers (from both a loan and a carrier perspective). get some experience as a company driver first. I promise you'll be glad if you do, and sorry if you don't. There is a reason the worse lease plans are presented to new drivers ... because they have not been around long enough to get wise to how the lease game works (for the benefit of the carrier and not so much for the contractor (driver))

 

You'll feel like a young blue eyed blond haired dude just finishing his first shower in prison after you made your last payment if you lease to own with any outfit.

 

Yep, just what STexan said. Give yourself time to learn the industry. While 'dining' at the truckstops find owner ops and LISTEN to what they have to say. Listen to the Lockerridge Report on sirius/xm radio when he has Brady on, (his firstname escapes me). I think he is on every Wednesday. Have you ever run a business before? Do you understand the difference between profit and revenue? There is so much too learn! I came into trucking with a business background thinking that I would buy into my own truck after 5 years. I have now been at it for 7 years and, no, I'm not ready to get my own truck. The numbers arent there, unless you find yourself a nice niche market.

Keep that dream alive. Work dilligently at learning about this industry. Its not like delivering pizzas. Keep a set of 'mock' books. Learn what it takes to make a living, and ultimately a profit. The best way to go is to buy your own truck, not lease it. Even better is to have your own 'authority'. Doesnt mean that you cant lease onto a company. It means you have the means to walk away WITH your truck if things get ugly. Dont listen to all the naysayers, they would argue about the price of something free. Dont take what anybody says as gospel until you have verified it with Saint Peter yourself. Truckers are particularly known for two things, #####in and Bulls hitting. Eyes open, ears focused, and keep your CDL clean.

 

You have many steps ahead of you before becoming and owner operator. You will know exactly the moment you have enough experience to lease because once you have some experience in the industry you will know for certain that leasing is a bad idea.

If leasing was a good idea and money could be made at it these large companies wouldn't let you do it. They would keep that secret for themselves. Making a newbie pay for their trucks to haul their freight at a cut rate and assume all the liability is a hell of a no brainer for these big companies! All they have to do is dangle a bright new shiny truck in front of a driver who knows nothing about the industry and then tell them its theirs for no money down, this is pretty much a fool proof sham-a-lam for these mega-carriers. Once the poor sap realizes there is no way he can make money especially since he has no clue what he is doing, they have already lined up the next sucker to keep the seat from getting cold.