Can a Owner Operator be home Every Night and make it?

Discussion in 'Ask An Owner Operator' started by Luke628, Jun 7, 2015.

  1. Luke628

    Luke628 Light Load Member

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    Old man and Brian ....


    Thanks for the insight
     
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  3. Freightlinerbob

    Freightlinerbob Road Train Member

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    I'd never buy a truck without a sleeper. My approach has always been to stay flexible and above all- profitable. I once quit flatdecking to pull a reefer regionally. I got home most nights and did OK but I still worked harder for less than long haul flatdeck. I'd rather burn rubber for a 3 weeks on end and then take a few weeks off. Two day weekends are overrated.
     
  4. special-k

    special-k Road Train Member

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    All depends on what kind of industry is around you. Where I live there is enough local steel work available where you can be home every night and still make a decent living.
     
  5. Ruthless

    Ruthless Road Train Member

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    Can it be done? Yeah. I do it. Gotta have a good plan and be pretty good at what you do.
     
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  6. Diesel Dave

    Diesel Dave Last Few of the OUTLAWS

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    ^^^^^Times 2 on what Ruthless said.^^^^^^
     
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  7. rollin coal

    rollin coal Road Train Member

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    Probably depends also on what kind of freight you haul. Working spot freight you just have to go with the flow. I pull a 53' van trailer. There have been times when I made great money on solid rates running mostly local and home at least every other night. But nothing ever lasts in the business.

    It will always move for cheaper than you at some point. Anymore I mostly do out from home and right back. Might be gone for a couple or 3 days or might be gone for 5 to 6 days. I do make it a point to always get hone every weekend no matter what. And I work hard to make sure that i'm doing it profitably also.

    Like someone was saying do not buy a truck without a sleeper. You need that flexibility. And don't waste your time with containers. The rates are terrible. So many guys will work for nothing and are easily sold on it because it gets them home nightly.

    If you worked smarter you could twice the revenue or more than container guys on half the miles. But some people are not business minded and so when they lease on they get what they are worth, nothing basically, because trucks and drivers are a dime a dozen.

    You don't deserve anything out here just because. You have to learn how to earn it. Specialize. Do what others won't do. It's not going to be easy. If you think because you live in a big city like Houston that you can go buy a day cab, make great money, sleep in your own bed every night from here on into the forsee able future... well, you're in for a rude awakening.
     
  8. spyder7723

    spyder7723 Road Train Member

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    Listen to rc. He knows as much as anyone about the spot market.
     
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  9. Pedigreed Bulldog

    Pedigreed Bulldog Road Train Member

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    I'm the opposite. I would never buy a truck WITH a sleeper! I prefer to sleep in my own bed at night, and any load worth doing that will keep me out overnight is going to pay well enough to stay at a decent motel. At the end of the day, when I park that rig, I want to be able to kick my boots out, sit down, and relax a while...stretch out a bit, and I just can't do that in a closet. I'm too ###### old to be uncomfortable when I'm off duty.
     
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  10. spyder7723

    spyder7723 Road Train Member

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    When you own the truck, the job comes home with you. there is no such thing as off duty for a business owner
     
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  11. rollin coal

    rollin coal Road Train Member

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    Somebody starting out needs the flexibility of a sleeper cab. I'll take my 3 or 4 day weekends, or even in a busy week when rates are good a day and a half weekend, with weeks and even months off at a time - over any contract trucking job out here getting drivers home nightly working 5 days a week 48-50 weeks out of a 52 week year (F that!).

    You want what everyone else wants you're gonna get paid what everyone else gets paid, peanuts. No-one offering you a job like that is going to pay worth squat. If you want that you're going to have to do the leg work and make it happen if it's going to be worthwhile.

    I can't wait til July gets here I'm taking off, and maybe August too. You'll never meet any container haulers taking time off like that without losing everything. There's lots of regional and OTR guys on this forum who enjoy quality time at home like that.
     
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