How do I find work if I buy a cheap used truck?

How can I find work if I buy myself a tractor with sleeper?
Is it best to get a contract with a company?
Or can I just look on load board on interenet and be set that way?
How does this all work?
Or should I stay away from buying a used tractor?
And just go for 5 ton more local work?

I have 7 years experience driving for a company doing local deliveries 1/2 hour to hour away, to grocery stores, day cab, tractor trailer, 53 foot and 48', with reefer, with many different tractors driven and different transmissions.

 

Thanks.
I agree. local is different for sure.

 

That would be good. Im on an island and its limited here, costs lots to get off the island too, ferry is expensive, so some big downsides for trucking if im trying to go long haul.
Maybe if I want long haul experience, maybe Im best off working for big company first and get experience.

 

Thanks, I agree. I guess I got to figure out what my over head will be. Can you guys give me a heads up? Or I can start another post on that too.
I think I am good at the buisness man part of it. I do my own mechanical work too.

 

Well I did go look at the "cheap" truck today. 98 volvo, sleeper, with cummins celect plus, 10 speed,
The good: 5000$, Good tires and alloy rims, engine apparently runs but one injector bad. Looks good from 100 feet away.

The bad: Rusty hangers, rusty nuts and bolts, frame rusty flaking in areas, rusty shocks crumbled to peices on cab mounts, rust cab mount hangers, flaking crumbling, No rust proofing or oil sprayed on, no tlc given to this truck over the years, cracked windshield, dead batteries, air tank straps rusted off, air tanks not on it, tires flat, one dis mounted off seat, interior a mess, door panel missing, door dont shut, It was a parts truck, but cheap, just thought i would go look. Better trucks probably on ebay or elsewhere. I will keep looking.
I dont mind fixing something up and putting work into it a bit, but this one needed everything, everywhere you looked. Maybe volvos are cheapish? Or are they all the same? Older ones better?
I like freighliner columbia if I could find one. 13 or 18 speed I like best. Or get ahold of a old peter built