Hey guys, I have a few questions. I'm not going to unfold any drastic scenarios since they would undoubtedly be blown out of the water as crazy nonsense, so I'm just going to ask one question at a time.
IF a CDL graduate with NO experience were to buy a truck, obtain thier own authority as prescribed by the "so you.." thread, and somehow miraculously find adequate insurance...
Is there ANYTHING stopping that person (aside from good common sense) from firing up the rig, firing up the laptop, getting a free trial from a load board, and leaving straight from there to pickup a load?
Please just entertain the theory! (1pod, please be kind big guy)
Instant O/O and Load boards
Discussion in 'Ask An Owner Operator' started by PharmPhail, Jan 26, 2009.
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if her/she could get insurance then no
PharmPhail Thanks this. -
Like Harbin says, the insurance is going to be your biggest road block.
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I was pointbblank told by an insurance agent that progressive is the ONLY company taking on the risk of inexperienced drivers. And they limit you to 500 miles.
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Just ask Double L...well you'll have to wait....he's in the corner. -
Getting your own authority with that limited experience will be tough because of insurance, as already mentioned.
However, a friend of mine bought a truck after just 6 months OTR experience and leased it on to a major company. After 3-4 months of that, he got his own authority and started pulling freight off the load boards. He's now on his second truck. This one is a brand new Pete 389.
Lepton1, Canada Dry, luni and 1 other person Thank this. -
Thanks guys. Apparently, economic forces protect people from themselves, because I'm being told by select trucks and others that financing is not an option without 6 months OTR even with good credit.
The problem is getting the experience. I've even been turned down by Werner at this point.
My thinking is that I certainly wouldn't get rich, at best buying myself a job, but really I don't even need to make any money for the first year at all. All I need to do is buy myself some EXPERIENCE. If I could last the year just making the truck payments, my options would open up drastically at that point.
On the other hand, I can sit here for a year, spend everything I have, and then not even be in a position to buy myself a job then. This is why I figure there's not much of a downside from here. -
Your own authority is not a contingency plan its the ultimate goal for many. You not just skiping a step you are skipping ALL the steps.
The vast majority of guys don't make it with there own authority and they generally have lots of experience -
Yes, I do fully appreciate that and have passed that on to many even here. That would be my choice if I had one.
My task is to realistically try and figure out my personal assets and hinderances to taking it on, to try and objectively figure out what - if anything - sets me apart that might give me an edge.
On the downside, I know nothing about trucking. On the worse downside, I think it was just last year that I realized metric vs. english wrenches had more differences than just the numbering system you were most comfortable with.
On the upside I've done a lot of managing, did run my own business for 6 years, was an economics minor, had a year of formal accounting, am good with money and credit, and I have a cushion and reasonable access to a support system (you guys lol). Then I look at companies like Watkins-Shepard who train you for 10 days and then let you loose and it makes me wonder how bad could it really be to learn? These questions and more all have to be answered. But one thing I #### well know for sure, there couldn't possibly be someone as inexperienced as me who has researched as thoroughly! I live here day and night til I get this worked out, reading everything, asking everything, watching youtube vids, school sites, biz sites, tax sites, anything I can get my eyes on.scottied67 Thanks this. -
It would be best to get a year in as a company driver to learn the biz first. At least you have business experience, which will give you an advantage over those without biz experience.
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