considering leasing

It's a really bad idea to lease straight out of training. You're much better off to run the company side for a couple of years, and learn the business before you commit your financial future to a truck lease. You'll need at least $3000 in the bank to keep you're business afloat during the first year, more if you get a truck with emissions problems.

I ran across a guy a few weeks ago who allowed himself to be talked into this mistake right out of TnT. The trainer and FM are nowhere around now... he's averaging $400 per week before taxes because he doesn't know how to run the business properly, and he's pissed because his friends from TnT who went company clear well over $800.

Does this sound like a good deal? You can always jump to the lease side with one QC message once you're ready, but you don't have a track record with a company-side FM to jump back when you run into trouble. No one is going to be there to bail you out, and when you get too deep in the hole they'll yank your lease.

Be smart. Learn the business first on the company side where your mistakes don't have the financial consequences that follow when you're a business owner in a leased truck.

 

Don't listen to your greed. He's TRAINING, and using you as cheap labor to get to that big money per week. What do you really know about this business or driving a truck that you could possibly pass on to a student? Have you driven through a winter yet? You're not ready for that, and you certainly aren't going to get to that $2000 per week for a long time and especially without a student. It's not fair to the student for someone with no experience to be holding themselves out as someone who has the experience and knowledge to be a trainer when they are in fact a rookie. I averaged well over $800 per week during the three years I spent on the company side, and the rate they're getting is much higher now.

What do you know about running a business? Can you tell me what a profit/loss sheet is? How can you possibly expect to make decisions that have a major financial affect on your trucking business when you don't have the experience to know what to do to make that money. Remember the guy making $400 a week in his lease truck? He was loosing money buying fuel incorrectly... macro 27 is a tool for company drivers to keep PRIME out of trouble, not for a business owner to profitably run his business. This guy couldn't even give me routings to avoid paying unnecessary tolls... that will cost you hundreds of dollars every week. Those are the kind of things you have to learn BEFORE you can expect to be minimally successful on the lease side- and what your trainer is making is well beyond anything you can expect for a number of years.

The knowledge you gain on the company side is critical to being a successful lease operator... the profit margin in trucking is razor-thin, and that is what will break you. Be smart. Go company for a couple of years and LEARN what you need to know before you jump in the deep end.

 

How smart is this kiddo. Who thinks he is going to make 2,000 a week solo like his trainer who has 2 people running the miles in his truck. Come on dude you have to smarten up. Just a tad bit. Did he also say those truck payments can make or break you. Did he also say those slow weeks can make or break you. Did he also say sitting in the shop can make or break you?

 

Honestly from what I have heard from successful TNT lease trainers if your trainer is only making $2,000 a week with two people in the truck then he is doing something wrong. Also his settlement may have been $2,000 but he still has to pay taxes on that money so he really didn't net $2,000.

 

That's cash flow into the business, not a paycheck. You have to pay all the expenses necessary to keep the truck running out of that. As an independent contractor YOU are responsible for making your tax payments... there is no withholding like an employee deals with. Taxes have to come out of that too. You can pay yourself with what's left over, but you have to put part of that remaining cash back to keep the business running.

You're first warning sign here... you aren't being told the entire truth. Be smart... go company for awhile until you get this trucking stuff figured out.

 

You should listen to these veteran drivers who are trying to help you. They've been there, and know what they are talking about. I certainly hope you heed the helpful advice they are sharing with you.

 

If your past business ventures were successful,

try appling a similar business plan to leasing.