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20yr driver looking to get into my own truck/Flatbed/conastoga

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by 20yrDriver, Jul 20, 2025 at 10:37 AM.

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  1. Jul 20, 2025 at 10:37 AM #1
    20yrDriver

    20yrDriver Bobtail Member

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    Looking for people's ideas/inputs..
    20yr driver Non OTR mostly oilfield/heavy/construction end dump/side dump.. fell into some $$$ recently and thinking bout owning my own..
    This is how'd id start (I think)
    Here goes..
    2022/23 kenworth T680 or Volvo with 200,000/250,000miles..
    Conastoga either 48 or 53 step or flat..
    Insurance i kno companies will ask for 3 months upfront i kno.. (4grand)
    I can comfortably put 50k down on a truck cash and same for a trailer even tho I can find a conastoga for 35-40k..
    Id have 10-20k more as back up for any maintenance or unforseen ####..
    Question?
    Do it just open up my own Authority right off the bat or do I sign on to a dispatch outfit and purposefully spend more on insurance evey month to age my Authority for 6-9 months then go out on my own..
    I already spend 14-21 days away from the family as is so being on the road for 3 weeks will be nothing new to the family.. also I've been scraping heavy #### to flats and steps for alot of yrs so iam not lacking any experience on flatbeds...
     
    20yrDriver, Jul 20, 2025 at 10:37 AM
    20yrDriver, Jul 20, 2025 at 10:37 AM
    #1
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  3. Jul 20, 2025 at 10:56 AM #2
    Iamoverit

    Iamoverit Road Train Member

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    Do you have a customer to go with your 100k investment?

    Get some insurance quotes first. Don't even waste any more of your time until you know what that's going to run you.
     
    Iamoverit, Jul 20, 2025 at 10:56 AM
    Iamoverit, Jul 20, 2025 at 10:56 AM
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  4. Jul 20, 2025 at 11:00 AM #3
    Espressolane

    Espressolane Road Train Member

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    Keep the cash, invest wisely. Retire early. Enjoy life.

    Currently the market is not in a good shape.
    Why add the extra workload, and it is a lot of work running a trucking business.
     
    Espressolane, Jul 20, 2025 at 11:00 AM
    Espressolane, Jul 20, 2025 at 11:00 AM
    #3
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  5. Jul 20, 2025 at 11:23 AM #4
    Judge

    Judge Road Train Member

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    I’d hold on.
    Right now there a ton of companies going out of business.
    Freight is cheap, and fuel is again on the rise.
     
    Judge, Jul 20, 2025 at 11:23 AM
    Judge, Jul 20, 2025 at 11:23 AM
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  7. Jul 20, 2025 at 11:41 AM #5
    20yrDriver

    20yrDriver Bobtail Member

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    No customer just gonna run load boards and make contacts that way
     
    20yrDriver, Jul 20, 2025 at 11:41 AM
    20yrDriver, Jul 20, 2025 at 11:41 AM
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  8. Jul 20, 2025 at 11:52 AM #6
    Iamoverit

    Iamoverit Road Train Member

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    Get some insurance quotes first.
     
    Iamoverit, Jul 20, 2025 at 11:52 AM
    Iamoverit, Jul 20, 2025 at 11:52 AM
    #6
  9. Jul 20, 2025 at 11:57 AM #7
    Ridgeline

    Ridgeline Road Train Member

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    That is not ... NOT ENOUGH MONEY!
     
    Ridgeline, Jul 20, 2025 at 11:57 AM
    Ridgeline, Jul 20, 2025 at 11:57 AM
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  10. Jul 20, 2025 at 12:05 PM #8
    Espressolane

    Espressolane Road Train Member

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    not to be harsh or rain on your parade, but you will be out of business soon with that business model.
     
    Espressolane, Jul 20, 2025 at 12:05 PM
    Espressolane, Jul 20, 2025 at 12:05 PM
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  11. Jul 20, 2025 at 1:34 PM #9
    TripleSix

    TripleSix God of Roads

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    He’s right. You would make more money leasing on to a company with their own contracts and run under their authority. The problem with that is you would have to perform at their circus. You can pick and choose your loads and when and where you run…

    …BUT…

    …have to go along with their company policies, lots of them are not in favor of the drivers. That being said, it pays better at the circus than doing the load board thing. Load board is the very bottom of the barrel.

    BTW, there are regional companies that hire owner ops. The majority of trucking companies are these regional companies with dedicated freight and customers. They pay better and the drivers are home every other day and the weekend.
     
    TripleSix, Jul 20, 2025 at 1:34 PM
    TripleSix, Jul 20, 2025 at 1:34 PM
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  12. Jul 20, 2025 at 1:44 PM #10
    kemosabi49

    kemosabi49 Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

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    As a new authority, no way you are getting 3 months insurance for $4k. Especially at your age. Many new authorities are pays $20k a year and up. If you must go through with this. find a good company to lease on to and run under their insurance. But better to hang on to that nest egg and wait for freight conditions to turn around.
     
    kemosabi49, Jul 20, 2025 at 1:44 PM
    kemosabi49, Jul 20, 2025 at 1:44 PM
    #10
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