How do I own my own truck and make it?

Maybe you should look into renting a truck. Even if you don't want to be a mechanic, you're still going to have to do things. And you need to know how a truck works or else you will get screwed by mechanics.

I have to say that I think your attitude is poorly suited for success. It seems to me you think you can just drive. Uh-uh. Sorry. You need to know how everything works and you need to be able to fix the hundreds of little things that prevent you from making that delivery.

Did a teamster throw his hands up on the cimmarron trail and wait for a ferrier to fix a horse shoe?

First thing you need is a mechanic course

 

Sorry dude, this may hurt.

If you don't have any mechanical skills, you don't need to be an owner.

YOU need those skills to at least negotiate the service end of things, knowing what is what, and if someone is ripping you off. Your idea of a warranties is OK but you still need to understand how it works, how to tell a mechanic what the problems are (you can't just say it's broke) and then understand how they can rip you off.

I don't know what your other strengths are, one should be a willingness to learn because mechanics is about 20% of the job on the road.

 

+1 @Ridgeline. Don't know why people ask questions to which they already know answers.

 

I recommend you stay a company driver. The benefits of becoming an owner op are mostly picking up a part time job as a mechanic.

If your just dead set on getting your own truck, your still better off getting an older pre emissions truck. A dyno tune, oil sample, and a couple hours looking over every seal, hose, and wire will put you money ahead.

Another essential link in the chain I'd lock in would be a mechanic you can trust. I'd find said mechanic before buying the truck. And make sure he works in a small friendly shop with a few good ol boys, so you can still get service when he's not available.

Good luck, I'd strongly recommend finding a company driver position that pays well. The extra 10-20% you "may" make with the headache of increased liability in trucking as an owner isn't worth the risk, when so much of this business is completely out of your control, but still costs you.

 

One disagreement on the things you mentioned. Doing work yourself instead of paying a shop is not about saving money. That's just a nice side effect. The main reason is to get it done right the first time, i can call up pratt and Whitney and say sorry this engine is going to be a couple days late cause i got to take the truck back to freightliner for the third time over a missing injector. I do that and i don't have a customer. And it's also about getting the truck back rolling quicker, i can sit in a drivers lounge with the truck all day waiting on them and get the truck back at 5 pm, or i can just do the work myself and be going after a load by noon.