What am i missing here!?

You are trying to start when most are in the red. You need more capital as that is what it takes.

 

I've wanted to be a millionaire since I can remember. Hasn't happened yet. Won't either. You know what? I'm content. I'm happy. I don't stress about much. I certainly will never stress about 20 trucks. I have a couple rental properties and a wife with a killer job. That's it! I learned long ago, that I need very little to be happy and all my dreams won't come true. If you want 20 trucks. That's awesome. It really is. I'm here cheering you on. Just be content. All the best with whatever you decide to do.

 

Don't make the mistake of counting your total truck payment as an expense. Your true truck cost is what you pay for it minus what you sell it for 4 or five years down the road. Your truck payment impacts your cash flow, but you get a big chunk of that back down the road.
Sort of like a forced savings account.

 

Your expenses sound about right. It's not a good market to start. You will be paying out of your pocket right now to establish a company. What I mean is you'll pay to haul loads.

Best bet is to find a good company right now that can put money in your pocket as you work towards your business plan. When the right opportunity presents itself you'll be ready financially wise to take it. I know few guys selling their 5-6 truck fleets right now everything included, even computers and pens for $250k. They had it with the market but also they only rely on load boards.

 

As an owner operator it wouldn't make sense to clear out only that much.

As an owner operator the rule of the thumb should be to be left with 1/mile pre tax minimum after all your truck expenses.

 

If you only want to clear .15-.20 cpm, then do what JB Hunt and Schneider do. Get yourself 25,000 to 30,000 trucks and 50,000 trailers. Then you can haul $1.25/mi freight and make a profit.

Sounds like you are trying to walk before you learn to crawl.
You need capital to backup your business. You can't get that as a 30/cpm company driver, unless you have zero bills and live off PBJ sandwiches.
Get your driving experience and learn how thing's operate for about 5 years. Save up all you can. Then you might have the minimum saved up to have at least 6 months operating funds to get your company off the ground. And also by then maybe the economy might be in better shape to try to start your company.

 

I have said this in a different thread before in other words : When asking your competitors what to do, where to go, and what rate to charge, understand that you are asking them for the combination to their safe or their password to their online bank account. You will never get a straight answer unless the answer is to figure it out on your own. I, myself, have been itching to get back in, but with the current state of the economy and this business, I know from experience that it is to be avoided at all costs....for now.