To go owner operator or not. I need input!

I’m in the Belleville area and am looking at the same idea, I’ve been considering hauling containers from Dupo/East St Louis but haven’t found a good plan yet. And I’m in the same salary/benefits as you in LTL home every late night. But I do like the hours and the low barrier of cost to entry. Uh-oh, I just mentioned containers on truckers forum excuse me while I duck for cover.

 

I hauled containers out of Chicago for almost 5 years, and I did ok. Was home almost every day, and many chassis I hear, are running tubeless tires now, one of the biggest problems when I did it. Be advised, some ball-busters come in on containers, so get a truck with some power, and watch them scales.

 

Warranty dont pay the truck note. If you get a 08 or newer delete the emissions an EGR.
Been a o, o for long time. Some years good, some bad.

 

Just my two cents for the o.p.

I think you need to ask yourself why you would like to be an owner operator. I think the why is the first question before contemplating doing it.

I will say that there are guys that have really good jobs driving and have good benefits and I think that's great because they can work a regular job they can work regular hours they can make great money and have benefits and go home to their families. And some even have pensions.

It could be said the owner operator business May be better Suited for single people that like to work a lot.

However all of the different types of trucking and all of the different types of companies and businesses, there is a mixture of really good Freight I suppose and a terrible Freight and lousy companies and good companies.

So what I'm saying is that there can be one person who is an employee somewhere that does better than an owner operator. They're also can be owner operators that are leased on that do better than owner operators that have their own authority.

The reason I'm saying this is because what you are asking is entirely possible. If you work for a company that likes you and owns all the quarries and has been around for over 100 years, that could be a good place to be an owner operator. If an owner operator leases is on with the right place he can really do well for himself.

So why would you want to be an owner operator? That's the big question.

If it is purely about money I am doubtful you could succeed.

If you desire more Independence and freedom, then maybe you are on the right track. Other reasons?

Why would you actually want to be an owner operator?

 

My question to them would be why can't they currently let you run 10,000 miles per month as an employee? If your situation is going to be worse off as an O/O then your best staying put less hassles apart from dispatchers.

 

I'm a new o/o and looking for good flatbed brokers. Any suggestions?

 

Hey Retlow, Did you make the leap into O/O? This thread just reappeared into my feed. I was following your post because I live in the same relative area. I have bounced back and forth with the idea for the last year or so. If so, what’s your learnings and impressions, successes and advice.