Please help me understand!!!

I was a company driver for most of my career, but got tired on company attitudes ( what took you so long stuff) and ill-spec'd equipment, and it seemed the logical thing to do, for me. I was not prepared for what being an O/O entailed, and wondered if I did the right thing for the 1st 6 months. However, I learned quickly, and it was a very rewarding venture, it was "my baby", and I had the final say-so on what I was doing. To be honest, I can't for the life of me understand how someone can make it nowadays being an O/O. With skyrocketing costs, parts, fuel, and above all, insurance, to me, a company job would be a lot better now, as a company with many trucks can absorb the costs of a mishap or mega repair better than a 1 truck operation. In the late '90's, I saw where prices and costs were going, and got out of it and went back to a company job. I don't drive anymore, but still miss my O/O days. For me, I couldn't run hard enough today for it to pay for the operation, and a tip of the hat to people who make it work these days. Except in some cases, I feel the day of the single O/O is doomed, as large companies will under bid their contracts and shippers will use them to save money.

 

know thyself being an OO for me is I am too much of an ####### to work under company guidelines. I luv reading the bad company threads reminds me how good life is on the outside.

 

A former O/O explained to me the company at the time was paying O/Os $1/mile, and as a company driver of vast experience and tenure he made .45, and there was no way in hell he could run his own rig for .55, and if he could it still wouldn't be worth it.

 

Freedom isn't really free, as the old saying goes! You are right, we don't really clear much more then a company driver makes! What is the attraction you ask? As Frank Sinatra sang, "I did it my way". I am responsible each and every day for the money I make. I can't get fired! I can be home when I want and work when I want. Freight has been slow so far this year. I worked the first week of January and then the first 2 weeks of February so far this year. I can afford to do this because I saved up the money to be able to do this. Being leased to Landstar, no one is calling the house "Wondering" when I am coming back to work! When the freight starts moving better in March, I will be back to work hard at it. My truck is maintained MY way, I rarely break down out on the road! I equip my trucks the way "I" want them equipped, not the way some company orders them! I pull the freight and run the areas "I" want to run, not the areas someone tells me I have to run. I own my own trailer and equip it with what "I" feel I need to safely pick up and deliver loads, unlike being a company driver and only working with what I am given. In the end, When my days of driving are done, I will be honestly able to say that I did it, I overcame a system meant to keep people down and provided my own job to pay for everything I have, I did it my way!

 

Wow, those o/o's who say you don't clear anymore then a company driver after expenses are hauling cheap……..

 

Not cheap, just don't want to work that hard anymore!

 

I took Nov and Dec off. Went to work, now I am home again for a couple weeks. It's called freedom. Worked hard when I was younger, now not so much. An OO can have a lot of stress, payments and breakdowns. I would rather be an OO and deal with the stress, than be told how high to jump by the boss man.

 

I did not clear any more than a good company driver last year, but I did take four months off. I have hauled three loads since Christmas because I can. Got offered a good paying load to Boston last week, be there just in time for the storm.... Thanks but no thanks... Don't call me I'll call you. Just my 2 cents worth... Hope it helps you to understand why some of us do this... Good luck.