Company Driver Becoming Owner Operator

Are you talking $3 a loaded mile, or $3 all miles from your house back to your house? Do you put a round together before you even leave out? Or do you get your outbound and roll the dice on the others? Reason I ask is because everyone is talking about low rates so it seems like a difficult proposition to be at $3 all miles without taking the chance of sitting out on the road for a few days if you don’t have your load coming back ahead of time.

I’m just curious, I don’t have a dog in this fight because I’m leased to a carrier. We’re always out and back so we can get washed out and he tried to keep us between $2.40-2.50 for all miles from our shop back to our shop.

 

Like I said it’s great to have a $3 minimum, but that doesn’t mean you’re going to find work. You sound pretty “confident” in yourself in this so maybe you found a niche that will routinely pay that. My easy loads for this week are paying $2.96/mile, but I often have to deadhead 150 miles to get another load. I’ve deadheaded 500 miles before just because there’s zilch for loads back (and you learn fast where to avoid). That all depends on time of year, and what area you’re in. North Dakota in December is a bad place when you want to head back west, so I’ve decided to just not go there. If someone calls for a load going that direction I’m telling them $4/mile so at least it covers getting out of the state. Of course I would never get paid that much since Omar Dingleberry with the flat top freightliner will do the same trip for $2.50, tarps and all. In which case I’ll either go somewhere else, or sit home waiting for him to go out of business.

What I’ve been getting a kick out of is the scrap metal guys. See these loads posted for $30/ton going 550 miles, and guys hauling them every day. I hauled that one time (it was $448 for 145 miles), and found out it is definitely not worth it when you have an aluminum open deck.

 

I’d only do it with my own authority since your asking. I do agree it’s a tough row to hoe and probably 90% ultimately fail in the first couple years but if you want to go for it then by all means.

 

To the original poster. I just read this whole thing from start to finish. And i reread a couple confusing onea twice
Mainly they are telling you one year os not enough time under your belt. So sit back for another 12 and keep saving. And. Studying trucks. Or go out and prove your self. It is really your call.
I work for a exdriver. He drove 12 years. Un till he couldn't know more. Thanks to some snow and a 6 month rookie.
The reason this is important is. He was a company driver for 11 yrs. And owner op. For 11 months. He is always telling me to be carefull. And I keep telling him I need more money.
After you become o/o. You will start getting way more tickets than us company drivers do. So in the words of my boss. Slow your roll till you know your roll. Thats all they are asking.

As far as dealing with all the people you deal with. It sounds like we have the same temper ment. I on the other hand now get to deal with what land star considers agents. The o/o get to deal with the brokers. Some are very nice. Some are one or two words away from. Being my next charge. Just mull it over

 

That feline is ready to pounce......that look says dont talk about the freightliner

 

Well.....if I am advising OP, I would say get a newer truck if possible ....its a buyer's market now. Rates aren't the best all the time. The best paying loads go to very few drivers. Its survival of the fittest for real. If your going to run OTR, with low rates, get ready to run lots of miles. You're going to have to live modestly to make it

 

I think buying a truck the way things are going in the trucking industry is throwing money away because freight is too cheap now a days

 

Huh? Why would you think an o/o gets more tickets?

 

Huh? Rates are only bad if you are comparing them to 18. What you see today and for most of 19 isn't particularly bad or good. It's basically a snapshot of the average typical trucking market.

 

I wonder
Where he gets his data from? Some people.......