Help?

I think you need to do a lot more research man. The owner op forum is a good place to start, but I think with 20% off the load to start, you're going to be running real lean already. And you'll want to profit on top of that. The checks your driver's will pull won't be very appealing

 

Google the rule of 72. If you want to make money and not any work, just think about that.

If you have $20,000 you can double that in 7 years to 40k. Then 7 more year you double the 40k to 80k. 7 more years you double 80k to 160k. See now you making money at 21 years in. Now the rule of 72 is really making money you money. 160k will double to $320,000 at 28 years in. Want to go 7 more year to 35 year your $320,000 become $640,000. Let's go 7 more year or 42 years in the future your $640,000 will double to $1,280,000. That's how you turn $20,000 into $1,280,000. Just something to think about vs buying two used trucks a hoping you make money.

 

I recommend you keep driving and forget about it. Unless you've been saving a lot of money and you've been doing research on how this all works, you've got a long way to go.

 

Not the best time to do it now, the used trucks got to be pre-emissions trucks engine maid before 04 to be reliable, besides the truck you need drivers you have some one on the list that will be willing to get in to your used truck instead of getting in new truck with someone known as successful in the business? Will you afford to take a lost for few months and continue to pay your driver on time? 20% is way to high for the dispatch and the autority, independent dispatchers charge you 10% of the gross, plus plates and ifta, plates around 2000 ifta around 200 a quarter. With e-logs coming up, no one knows what will happen to the guy that run their own trucks not under big fleets, going under a mega carrier you hardly will make living if you drive yourself a used truck if will at all depends on your luck with the truck. Concider getting one truck find a good dispatcher (independent ) get your own trailer, get in that truck and drive to start with, learn the business and see to yourself if you will be able to put the other truck on the road and have anything left after paying the miles or time to the driver.

 

Dude, you aren't ready to run your own truck, and I say that respectfully.

You have to already have a game plan before you even think about buying a truck. You have to know you're cost of operation down to the penny, or how do you know what it takes to be profitable, let alone what you can pay a driver.
Also the trailer rental is more than a used trailer rental, IMO, unless it's a specialty trailer.

You need to do some serious research

 

This x2

Its not being mean to say, you should know right away if it will be profitable. You want to run a 5 year plan down to the penny. If you want to run just one truck, monthly note on the truck, fuel cost, (assume max miles) pm service costs, where and how offen? How much? Trailer rent cost, if your running teams, your looking at what, 50c a mile to the drivers split, thats probably low. (Im not a owner) tires? Who pays upkeep on the trailer? What if it goes down? Insurance, taxs... the list is friggin huge.

 

So many things to consider, but the thing that breaks most "truck owners" is

• "bad and/or undependable and/or thieving drivers"
• Freight [rate] downturns that last months or more
• Getting burned by bad brokers while you're developing your reputation
• Major breakdowns and towing

No way to put a cost on either of these. Maybe they happen early on, maybe they happen just when you think things are going good, but they will happen. The only question is does it break you, or does it make you wonder WTH were you thinking, I'm done, or was it just a very costly learning experience?