Is trucking profitable?

I know that shock well too. Every time I see some ridiculous basically insulting rate posted on the board because I know somebody will take it not knowing any better while some scumbag broker or shipper gets über paid.

 

Right, like this load the broker offered our company ... Watkins Glen, NY to Grapevine, TX...it wasn't terrible but $ 2800 wasn't going to get one of our trucks to haul it, especially since it was heavy and almost 100 mile deadhead. Surprisingly we ended up getting a better rate taking recyclables to Georgia

 

I don't get some people. If someone Co owns a bar, I assume there's an income from that and I assume everything is in order established in place and whatever your duties are or whatever it's all in order and established. Why would you attempt to start something with colossal Capital expense that you really know just about nothing about?

Don't you have work you have to do with this bar that you co-own? Maybe no one ever explained it to you, but being an owner operator is a lot like being a farmer. It's about long days and sometimes just doing it because that's what you do, not because of the money or fame or women or benefits. It isn't that no one makes money, but you really have to want to do this and know what the hell you're doing because at every Bend of the road there is some colossal expense or there is something that takes over your time that you are not paid for or someone is trying to take money out of your pockets.

If I was the co-owner of a bar, I would go become the co owner of other bars and just enjoy myself. Depending on the bar, you can make #### good money. Why would you not go buy real estate? I'm not being facetious, but why on Earth would you want to be saddled with a truck and all the maintenance, expense, repairs, regulation, DOT, and being on the road and everything else?

If it were me, I would go co-own a go-go joint, go buy real estate, and I would smile all day and all night even through my sleep. They would call me happy or lucky because I would certainly be both.

But I would not be thinking about owning a commercial truck for hire. I would be too busy planning all of the Exotic destinations I'm going to travel to, and which lovely ladies will be accompanying me

Work smarter not harder.

 

My thing is I don't understand why people think it's a walk in the park to succeed in this industry. One has to do a lot of research....the OP needs to learn the ins and outs of this line of work. He needs to drive himself or surround himself with drivers for good long while. Most mom and pops look for experience in drivers. They don't want to have to babysit newbies.

 

You assume wrong.

You don't even understand what's going on if you believe this and setting yourself up to fail.

Find somewhere else to make money, hell Subway franchise offers a better chance of success.

 

Subway and BEER!!!!! WOOOO

 

That's what I did, after 3 months stint doing seasonal work.

I believe "paying your dues" is overrated ... And also, putting a driver in your 1-truck operation is recipe for frustrations/disaster.

 

Well it's not about paying your dues. It's about having money saved and knowing what your doing. Good credit can buy a rig, but good smarts will run a company. To really make it you need 3 trucks.

 

The "paying your dues" was in respect to suggestions of doing company gig (Swift, Werner etc) for 1-3yrs, before going O/O

 

Gdog66223 Why would you need 3 trucks to really make it? If you can book your own loads and are a decent business man you should do okay. Why would you want the headache of 2 other trucks and drivers?? I know a 1 man operation that seems to be doing just fine.