Benefits of having your own authority.

I just put my truck back on the road again and had called my Ins. agent for a quote, I received a 14k plus quote when before I parked it, was only paying 8900. decided to lease on rather than reactivate.

 

Dump landstar and open your options up if it's feasible. You will be much happier in the end. I was leased to ranger for 10 years and have my own authority three years now and haven't looked back. You can pull all of landstars freight and whoever else's you want. Keep in mind if you do haul landstar freight I am sure if you have been there long you know about every rate they have, as a broker carrier landstar gets right off the top 10% the rest of the money will be negotiated between you and the agent. Many brokers offer quick pay also for 1 - 2 percent that will help until you get established. Ch Robinson will do fuel advances once loaded. Don't be a bottom feeder nobody works for free make them pay you for your service. There is some excellent broker freight out there if you can sift through all the garbage. Work regular routes and be a salesman you cannot depend on brokers for a retirement plan. You will get an audit sometime after 1st year from DOT. Keep your records in order.

 

I'll jump in here......

I've doing my own authority thing for over 10 years. I won't sit here and tell you I wouldn't go back to running under someone else numbers. I just hope I never have to!! Where to start? Heck if I know. Here's my take on the whole idea.

1) Is running your own show something you are truly passionate about?
2) Do you like to be in control of and responsible for EVERY facet of you business?
3) Do you have a plan to seek out and take care of direct ship customers?
4) How willing are you to do anything and everything possible to succeed?

I could go on and on with bullet point questions. The point I'm trying to make is this......Becoming truly independent in any business venture is a decision only you can answer. There are countless examples of folks who went about it and failed and just as many stories of people who made it a success. Weather you realize it or not you've been paying all expenses you'll encounter with your own authority already. It's been disguised and sold to you in one way or another. Usually this is done through the percent you've agreed to in your lease. Don't sweat the insurance stuff.

Business will still be business. The process will be different with your own numbers. Again you are the only one who knows what YOU want.

 

How did you go about getting your own customers?

 

it was super easy for me everyone knows me around where I'm from because of me mud racing everyone that sees me run the first thing they ask is "what you do for a living" I do 18wheeler loads...90% of those people work at a place is high up or there wife is and for some reason most people like me....did I say most? LOL besides that I did round up some work on my own I don't call or take my pickup by there if I'm empty and see a place lots of trucks go in and out I stop on in and let them know I live in town and can help them out....PS: the guys like donuts!!! It don't happen over night sometimes I'll go by a place five or six times before I get a shot but soon as I do I prove myself.

 

If you gotta ask to see where to start, just be ready to hunt like a lion. If you're asking to decide if its for you, you aint ready. Progressive has a 24 hr support line to get certificates and the like. Important if you find that call 24hrs, pay through the spleen load! They were flexible on payments a few times but not the cheapest. Invest in tow insurance and duck coverage (afflac); I slipped off the trailer once and open my leg dodging a car in Chicago! Down a week. Carry a tool box and Know how to use it. Been on the side of the road in sapulpa, ok doing a water pump. I managed to find a tire company that was dumb enough to offer me road hazard. KNOW WHO'S FREIGHT IS THE MOST CONSISTENT, KNOW WHO PAYS BEST AND HOW OFTEN. THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX WHEN IT COMES TO FINDING FREIGHT. Preference CODs first!!!!! DONT BURN BRIDGES! Most important..... KEEP THE EFFIN' LEFT DOOR CLOSED>>>>>>

 

Best part about having your own authority is you are the boss. Nobody tells you what to do. Yep, you are free to work whichever 18 hours of the day you like.

 

Followed only by having complete control over any and all expenses. Oh yeah, and pay them too. No more 24hr dispatch to call for a comchek or tow. It'll be all you. At least you won't have trouble reaching someone in the middle of the night LOL.

 

Refer to Dednutz' post. Once you have your game plan figured out start the hunt!! How well you think out of the box can't be stressed enough. Doing what others won't do, turning off and tuning out the industry pundits will serve you well. Decide what freight you want to go after, which type of trailer you want to pull and start the hunt. Write your goals down. Review them daily, multiple times daily. Mental toughness is the answer to your question.

 

Don't be scared, jump. Jump in with both feet and start.

Have yourself a small amount of start up money:

- $10K for major mechanical crisis/ $5K for Insurance start up/ $5K fuel start up if no advancing.
- Then about 2 or 3 months of house and car payments set aside.
- $1000 - $1800 for your truck tag.
- Around $900 to pay a company to get all your federal DOT & MC and state permits (Oregon, NY, NM) for trucking.
- $200 up to $800 to get incorporated.

You shouldn't need much more because you already have truck and probably a laptop computer and printer/scanner.

Get with OOIDA and they will give you a check list of everything to do to prepare for your entry audit (Drivers Qualification File & Drug Consortium).

Some brokers and other carriers and shippers will not do partnerships with you until you get past that first 90 days with a safety rating of "good" or "no rating" before the 90 days of your new authority have flown by. They want to make sure your not a fly by night company getting ready to rip off their business.

Others (shippers, brokers and carriers) will partner up with you and do deals even though your new numbers are hot off the press. They are ready to go with freight and don't care.... unless you have been nailed already as a "Conditional" rating within that first 90 days; and they won't touch you.

Its a little scary thinking about the jump, but once you do it you'll discover not only how to overcome the challenges, but how to enjoy the rewards.

If you manage your truck and paperwork right you'll fly through that first 90 days. Stay tight on all the paperwork and the maintenance and you'll be fine there with inspections and audits.

Factoring and brokers. I would stay away from factoring if possible. Brokers.... I would only use the ones that have a good credit score on RTS and/or good reputation stated to you by close friends that have been working with that broker.

Start your trucking company authority and reputation on "lanes" that are forgiving if your running late/set backs/challenges with weather, truck repair or trailer repair.

Jumping into HazMat or HeavyHaul immediately and then burning a bridge with that new customer if your running a super specialized lane and delayed by OOS with a DOT officer will possibly end that relationship with that customer if they don't forgive you about the delay.

I recommend keeping it simple with lanes for the first 90 days into the new authority.

As far as little stuff goes:

- Have a go to list of guys to call for various things. Like road side service in each region your running if you break down with a transmission or a tire problem. You want that phone number already saved in your cell phone.

- Stay away from recaps and majic fuel additives.

- Learn ways to become more fuel efficient. APU's or generators and lower rolling resistance tires on you drive axles.

If your smart with the start up capital and mentally tough, then you'll get past the scared to jump part and you'll do fine with the financial part.