So I bought a truck. Now what?

Oklahoma has a lot of opportunities and isn't near as crowded. They also have some trees and grass which is a plus for me.

 

I second the sandbox suggestion. Or, if you have the cash and want to do sand or oil, buy the pump or blower and go for it. The cab may not hold up as well as a pete or kw, but the rest of the truck will. Take care of it and let it pay you back your investment. Money management is key.

Even on weeks where you gross 8 or 10 grand, just keep a few hundred for personal money and stack the rest in a seperate account for the truck. You may need it. Once you have a significant amount stacked up, then you can pay yourself a wage equal to other drivers. I know you can do it... you wouldnt have been able to pay cash for a truck if you didnt know how to save money.

 

And.. thinking about your original post. What's next?

My opinion, the very first thing you should do as an owner operator is set up a seperate checking account at the bank... better yet... talk to your accountant and let them guide you through the financial preparations. Getting the management side started correctly is as important as air in the tires and fuel in the tank.

 

You also got ice and lots of wind, LOL! Better than West TX any day.

 

Sandbox would be a good idea if you don't want to invest in the wet kit or blower or pay the OUTRAGEOUS monthly lease on a crude trailer. Plenty of work down here in South TX. I'm sure the rates are lower than West TX but so is the cost of living and traffic is going to be much lighter.

Maybe someone who works for Sandbox can clarify something- don't you need your own authority? I heard something about that and a huge bond/insurance you have to purchase to cover the load.

 

Nah.. its part of business. That's why you don't spend all that settlement check on lights and chrome.

If you're speaking of the carrier's percentage, you gotta understand it ain't free for them to be in business either. They are paying insurance too.. on top of the bobtail ins you provide. They're doing all the billing, collections, dot compliance... not to mention the sales and marketing skills to get the contract in the first place. And... yep... they gonna want some profit too.

You can go completely on your own, but you'll need TX intrastate authority and and a contract with one of the larger companies. I suggest crawling before walking. Lease it to a good company and get your start there.

 

I'm not working with sandbox, but that may well be true to work directly for sandbox.. you would have your own contract with them. Most are likely leasing on with someone else who has the contract with sandbox. Would be my guess anyways.