Life after the Military

my advice is stay, get your retirement and then start trucking. or use that bba to its advantage.

 

Thank you for your service.

Personally I'd go company for a little bit like you say during that also research some ways to control costs and start to learn about some of the freight lanes. Then I'd look and see if any insurance companies will work with your prior experience. Then you could get your own authority, schedule your pick up and delivery appointments yourself and all that. You have a leg up with your Economic and finance experience, thus why I think you could make it.

If the insurance stuff kicks then, work towards those companies/programs you state. Or if you feel your not quite ready to go on your own you can do those too. Its up to you.

 

If you're late 20s or early 30s and have a wife and kids find something else to do. Save the heartache.

 

I know that feeling. I was rif'd out after 20. Either retire or there's the door.

 

Yea, you're fine with it, but what about the wife and kids...? If it was me I wouldn't give up missin out on their "special" events, for a paycheck. Just me, though.

 

First, thank you for your service.

Seems like you have a good plan and I agree with starting as a company driver and "practicing on someone else's dime." Lot's changed out here in the last 8 years. Run the truck and track costs as if you owned it and paid them yourself. With your background and education that should be a breeze. Then you'll have real time today's numbers (that come from the reality of actually doing it practice) which you can plug into your business model and plan and your data pool will be big enough to have all the subtleties in it. Plus you'll also have a real good idea of hidden costs and seasonal freight variances so you'll be prepared for inevitable cash flow ups and downs. All this if running as a company driver can support your needs without you having to tap savings. You'll need a good chunk if you want a genuine shot at making it. Undercapitalization is a huge beginning OO/LO killer. So many of the naysayers of the OO/LO deals jumped into a "zero down, no credit check" Lease Purchase deal with not much more than a single paycheck in the bank and shaky (if any) actual business skills. Then they failed when cash flow got a little slim. Not slamming them and some made it because they had a descent enough deal, foresight and discipline.

Best of luck to you Marine.

 

animal,you always say things pretty much as i would good advice to the young marine. being forced out of the military is nothing new. my old platoon sgt. jumped on normandy with the 101st, fought in korea,and on his second tour in nam. had stars on his cib badge,gold star on his jump wings. told him he was no longer needed. its just horrible the way they treat our active and retired vets. lots of luck to you