Be O/O first time

How long have you been driving? First you need a business plan.

 

Yep, a business plan and license. And what you plan on doing will determine the truck and trailer you need. If you can't afford to buy a used truck and trailer in cash, and have at least 3 months but preferably 6-12 months in operating expenses, then you're not fully prepared, at least in my opinion.

 

Business plan that I stated a truck paid for or low payments and 30k or so as go to money for any and everything that can go wrong. Not a credit card that just hurts worse.

 

Good luck, I just got out of being O/O. Have you looked at the price of a new truck. Then the rates per mile and the repairs on the new emission engine. It's crazy today.

 

Why would you buy a new truck anyways? Dealing with all of that emissions crap and extra maintenance costs. Bet the salesman turned you into a sucker.

 

I did not buy a new truck. Unless you buy a 2002 or older truck you will have emission. When you have a 14 year old truck they also need lots of repairs. My first truck was 2000 with the S60 Detroit that I bought in like 2003 and at 1.4 million I got ride of that then tried an newer truck.

I just heard the EPA is basically going to stop the glider kit trucks from being make in a about 2018. So if you goal is to run a new Glider kit truck no emission engine you have about 2 years to get the last ones being built. They are $120,000 or you could buy older glider kit truck today for around $50,000. In the end your next truck will probably be an emissions truck or you keep runner older and older trucks. I don't see people replacing cabs and all the wiring and frame rails just to keep the older trucks going. Just like my old 2000 truck. It was rusting out the frame rails those are not cheap to replace. If someone can make it, then go for it ! I'm glad to be out, I don't think the freight pays enough and freight is still very slow today and has been for a while now.

 

You can get pre emission specs in much newer trucks, and there are plenty of successful operators on here with old trucks. If you think you need a fancy sleeper and touchscreen controls to make money, you sound like a sucker and should stick to company driving.

 

You can only get pre emission engine in a glider kit truck. The EPA is going to stop the factory from selling them. Guys like Fitzgerald won't be able to sell their glider kit trucks anymore. How you going get around that ?

 

You can get a pre emission truck and overhaul it for the half the costs you are talking about for a new truck.