Start up truck/trailer advice

OOIDA can answer your questions from a strictly business standpoint. Check their website.

 

Follow rates somewhat here.
http://fleetowner.com/spot-rates-warm

Dry van, reefer, flat? what game do you want to play? I started with a dry van in July 12 and went to reefer in Feb 13. It was a planned move for me. Rates are up about 30-40 cpm over dry vans with the reefer. For my area, local stuff that allows me to work what I need and still be home all I want, I had to get a reefer.

As to a truck, Initial cash layout will vary, Pete's and KW's demand a premium price to begin with. Freightliner's not so much. Mack and Volvo's are a good option too. Whatever you get, considering the price of fuel, aerodynamics can't be ruled out. There's so many choices here, it's up to the buyer.


I went with a Freightliner for my first truck, lower initial investment. I bought the driveline I wanted and still would have HAD I found it in another brand of truck. You'll tend to find more cat's in a KW or Pete and the detroits in Freightliners. Cummins are kind of everywhere.

10 speeds seem to be more of a fleet tranny compared to the 13 speeds. Seems like people aren't learning engine speed management anymore and the mega's are buying on price points more so. The 9 speed is (was) at some point considered the most fuel efficient tranny at one time and that's been replaced by the 10 speed. Why, I don't know. Just something I noticed from the early 90's compared to now.

The difference in a 2010 and a 2011 or newer is emission levels more so for California right now. EPA07 vs EPA10 emissions. Engines are typically one year older in Model year (MY) than the chassis. So you buy a 2010 MY truck, you get a 2009 MY (EPA07) engine. Buy a 2011, you get a 2010 (EPA10) MY engine.

You would be better off getting an EPA04 engine or even older or else going straight to an EPA10 engine.

As to the rest of it. Manage your expenses. There are lots of good things out there. It's figuring out what the snake oil is that makes it fun at times.

All have good articles from time to time.
http://fleetowner.com/
http://www.landlinemag.com/
http://www.overdriveonline.com/

 

A few months from now someone will get a good deal on a truck and trailer.

 

I love how people think its rocket science. If you are have the ability to read a little and not be impulsive then like any other business it can be done successfully. I drive and to this day do not understand why drivers for the most part have the biggest superiority complexes i have gever seen.

 

It may not be rocket science, but it's not like buying yourself a different used car, and it sure takes some thought and planning. Have you looked at the funds you will need to get the truck? The trailer? The fuel until the money starts coming in? Your insurance? Do you know what it takes to get through your New Entrant Audit? There's a lot more to it than just getting a truck and trailer and hitting the load boards. Those with the years of experience should know more than someone with only a year or so of experience. It's not a "superiority complex" it's knowledge and having seen it too many times before. There is a wealth of knowledge on this forum that will cover what you really need to know to get started. You need to run some numbers and realize that with one truck, you are not going to be making enough to put another driver in it. How do I know this? I've run those numbers based on real, working knowledge of rates, fuel costs, repair costs, maintenance costs, etc.

There's an old joke that goes something like this: "Know how to make a million dollars in trucking? Start with $2 million." Not necessarily funny, but not that dang far from the truth.

 

Some other things for you to keep in mind for your thought here: employment taxes (matching the social security and medicare withholding), unemployment taxes (those don't come out of the employee's pay, the company pays those), worker's comp insurance (also paid by the company), IFTA, and jumping through the hoops on must jump through when hiring employees. Your profits just got smaller.

 

Coming from a 0-1 year trucker who's never run under his own authority. No its not rocket science but if your such a smart business man let's see you go out buy a truck, trailer, load board and see how it goes. It ain't as easy as you make it out to be read a little huh? Try spending hours on the phone, days on the internet, and months combining the two. Here's what the op doesn't understand they're not going to be getting direct freight anywhere they've hauled for a broker for at least a year. Says right in the contract the brokers entitled to 10-20% of the rate for a year if they back solicite. Its surprisingly funny how easy you company drivers think it is to be an o/o under your own authority. It ain't easy being leased to a company let alone being under your own authority. Get out here and try it before you go making comments that you have no knowledge to support. But I have to realize you don't have to worry about fuel, tires, insurance, maintinace, revenue, taxes or anything of that sort. Just have to worry about getting in your truck and driving. Go out buy a truck, trailer, insurance, etc etc and start hauling. Then when you wind up damaging a load for a customer and they withhold 20 grand from you and you have payments coming up well see how impulsive you get. Or have your oil sample come back that you need an overhaul right after you start and well see how impulsive you get. I agree with the guy that said somebody's going to get a hell of a deal on a truck and trailer in a few months. Coming into this industry with no knowledge is a setup for failure. I researched this since I was 18 and we still struggled.

 

Its a nightmare, and NO money to be made. Been there done that with my own authority, MC294877, of course I drove though, and didn't put a driver in the truck knowing that I wouldn't be able to pay them.

The money just isn't there, more so BROKERING ALL of your LOADS. And a one truck operation generally cannot find a shipper, because one truck cannot service the account. There are exceptions to that rule, obviously, but far and few between.

Brokers are in the business to make money, shippers are looking to get their freight moved for as little $ as possible, this ceates that competition factor, and the competition is fierce. While some brokers had to put it into the wind because they couldn't afford the new cost of the surety bond, the original creators (CH Robinson and the like) are still out and making a bigger killing than ever, and they prey upon every asset based operation.

Equipment: buy a used truck with a half a miillion miles or upwards, and you will be dumping any profits that you MAY make into repairs and operating expenses, buy a new truck and trailer, and you will spend any and all money paying the notes and operating expenses.

And if you happen to be financing the entire venture, you are sure to lose!

I hope that helped!

 

Very well put, Princess!