Spec'ING a truck

Get a bare minimum of 1 year preferably 2 for insurance purposes before you own your own unit
Figure out what work you will do and your source of revenue
Draw up business plan with expected revenue and expenses
Buying the truck is just a part of that business plan
You have to have all your ducks in a row otherwise you will likely make more by driving someone else's truck
There is no one combination of any make or model that is suitable for more than one sector of the industry - a truck designed for tankers will be light weight ideally to increase payload where a van puller it is much more comfortable with a larger sleeper maybe some extra wheelbase, tanker yanker do better with flat top van puller high rise, things of this nature. Heavy haul is a whole different animal
Never borrow money for a truck from the carrier you intend to sign it on to
In the beginning a truck is a truck is a truck, if you buy more than you can handle you are more likely to lose, keep your overhead low until you have more than enough good paying work available to you
The biggest reason for failure is under capitalization

Welcome to the forum

 

Good advise ^^^^^^

 

Get a truck with a longer wheel base than a regular run otr truck. That way if you ever want to mount a wet kit or head ache rack you have the space. Not super long that'll kill your mpg, but long enough.

 

You need to run a few years as a company driver. Learn, learn and learn some more. You can never stop learning. Because once you buy too much truck or too little truck you have problems. And if you cannot meet your customers demands on the spot right now then you do not have a trucking business anymore. Essentailly a failure.

Most People fail because they fail to build savings, a capital reserve for the business. And also taxes. 1099. Something like 30% of your income goes to Uncle Sam and then some every quarter. And there is that classic blown up engine. 30,000 dollars please. Oh don't have that money? No engine. So solly.

 

The failure rate for new O/O who have driven less than five years is high. I would at least take four years on the road working toward it, not just expect to jump in it the next year.

Trucking seems to be easy for those who are not too bright, just get in the truck and the loads will jump in to take a ride but it is actually difficult because even if you can run cheaply, there is always someone to take the work from you cheaper and this is in all segments of the industry, bar none.

 

Remember also if the truck is set up for tanker then the fifth wheel is to tall to pull a box trailer..
Agree with the other guys...get some company driver experience and save some money.

 

Looks like to me, you need to decide what freight you wanna live or die with.