"Are you sure you wanna do this?", said everyone. 6 month update.

I said 10 yrs ago if you buy a truck and trailer with anything under $100,000 you’re just gambling. I’ve been laughed off threads for it but the OP seems to be telling it like it is

 

You should be "booking" at least 5k in work each week . 13k in a month wont cut it unless you're a lease driver . Check out the new owner op thread . It runs down all your expenses . Good luck

 

Most people that have 100k capital will invest their money in better returns than trucking.

Your Better off owning a Bar or restaurant . 1 out of every 2 people that buy a truck......Fail at some point,Could be 1 month- Could be 10 long stressful years...Lose it all cause of different reasons.

I started with a working capital of 10k, over 25 years ago,But Still A Huge Risk

 

The reason they fail is because they’re under capitalized. Take that risk away and you can earn what........$50,000 before taxes........for only 250 days work!

 

I don’t understand how anyone is expected to have Thousands of dollars to start with when the idea is to increase net pay by Owning a Truck. Starting with a safety net at first and then steady saving up a larger maintenance fund. If that’s not possible one has to ask if they’re really making more money with their own Truck. So many variables it’s only in retrospect that true earnings can be figured.11 mos of good times and then a major repair changes all the numbers for the year.I literally add up all the draws I take for the year as pay. Then compare the amount in Company account from beginning of year to amount at end of year. That’s what I made. The rest disappeared as a cost of doing business. Otherwise all the figuring in the world 5 different ways will give me 5 different answers.

 

All I said was if you don’t have $100k you’re gambling. Add up the cost of a truck, trailer, plates, insurance, 60 days expenses....I think you’ll see it’s true you’re an engine rebuild away from failure. that’s a gamble and that’s why most fail

 

Number 6. I've been driving for a living since 1999 and I'm still not sure if the BS is worth it

 

I recall spending at a TA no less about 1500 total for a entire new AC system. (There is a story behind that in those days...) Company was not happy but for a while I had the ability to form ice outside of the cab in certain situations in weather in the south.

I bought a tractor once long ago. that did not work out due to the seller getting discriminatory fortunately. I knew that week was a problem when you cannot find work in Maryland as a company driver and then with your own tractor sitting outside ready to go you still cannot find work. It was not time to go through all that. It would have been quite the journey with everything going into the truck. It would have been cheaper to find a wife. lol.

 

All anyone has to do is put away a little extra and try to keep costs down meanwhile. And most importantly is stay busy.With a little good luck you’ll get ahead. With bad luck it will take longer. Main thing is Work The Truck Steady.Always up and downs. Taking too much time off is easy to do and can have a snowball effect on bottom line.