Is trucking profitable?

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by kslice, Aug 18, 2018.

  1. SingingWolf

    SingingWolf Heavy Load Member

    782
    9,708
    Sep 14, 2016
    Steubenville, OH
    0
    I know several one-man operations that are doing just fine.
     
    wore out, nax and Goldenfan Thank this.
  2. Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.

  3. nax

    nax Road Train Member

    1,999
    2,253
    Dec 14, 2016
    0
    I'm a 1-man operation and I'm doing GREAT.

    3 days on / 4 days off. I'm lazy.
     
  4. Cam Roberts

    Cam Roberts Road Train Member

    1,621
    1,937
    May 13, 2018
    0
    People make
     
    Last edited: Aug 20, 2018
  5. againstthewind

    againstthewind Road Train Member

    2,027
    3,161
    Oct 26, 2012
    0
  6. Gdog66223

    Gdog66223 Road Train Member

    1,871
    2,567
    Dec 30, 2017
    Coal Town
    0
    I'm a 1 man as well and I could haul 1 load and be doing great... there is 1 customer I haul for that 1 load pays $4200.00 so yea one man is great, but I would enjoy having more than 1 truck.. just my opinion
     
  7. clarkboys6

    clarkboys6 Bobtail Member

    17
    21
    Aug 16, 2014
    Central VA
    0
    Thanks for the unvarnished TRUTH. I really wish all these supposed "rich" O/O would stop plugging up the Youtube channels with their snapshots of $15K months...or, at least, give a full disclosure of what the true costs are to generate that $15K/month. Having run my own business for 14-years (not trucking), I'm always amazed at the number of hands that are in my pocket...constantly! Just when you think you have earned a little $ for yourself, it disappears...usually to some branch of government that has decided you are indebted to them. Thanks so much for a reality check!
     
    x1Heavy, DSK333 and SingingWolf Thank this.
  8. clarkboys6

    clarkboys6 Bobtail Member

    17
    21
    Aug 16, 2014
    Central VA
    0
    I'm not sure a strong stock performance is likely to translate into any real benefits for the guys actually doing the work. If the trucking industry is anything like the industry that I work in (communications), there is tons of money going to the top, but very little trickles down to the little guys that are doing the work. The company I work for as a contractor generated almost a billion $ in free cash flow last quarter, but couldn't "afford" to pay their employees a measly 2% bonus because they didn't quite meet the projected target revenue for last year. Oh...and for the past 5-years during which I was an employee, we just didn't quite make the target numbers...but we were "oh-so-close" each year. Just missed it by "that much". I'm not the brightest light in the room, but it seems like the guys setting these targets (the company), and the accounting practices used by the big-boys, guarantee that you'll never meet the target. I suspect the big boys in the trucking industry probably work on the same type of business model. As a result, assuming that because they have a strong run on the stock market will translate into lots of trickle-down money to drivers and/or O/O who actually make them the money may be wishful thinking. In a perfect world, companies would seek to reward their employees to let them benefit from the success of the company, but then there is that little vice called greed.
     
    x1Heavy Thanks this.
  9. Ridgeline

    Ridgeline Road Train Member

    20,738
    101,058
    Dec 18, 2011
    Michigan
    0
    I have to ask this, how can anyone ENJOY one more truck when the work is more than doubled to manage the truck?
     
    x1Heavy Thanks this.
  10. Gdog66223

    Gdog66223 Road Train Member

    1,871
    2,567
    Dec 30, 2017
    Coal Town
    0
    Well idk maybe I'm different than most men. I enjoy a challenge and I would enjoy having multiple trucks. It's not hard to take care of mine. Just cant drive it like a race car .
     
    x1Heavy and SingingWolf Thank this.
  11. pilot trucker

    pilot trucker Light Load Member

    93
    16
    Feb 22, 2015
    Ada MI
    0
    Yes pd off my debt in 1 yr
     
    x1Heavy Thanks this.
  • Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.