business plan

I turned Bill onto the post in private - don't want to start a war over there.

I'm quite fond of Brett & Mike, and they are entitled to their opinions - even if they are NOT BASED ON PERSONAL EXPERIENCE as an Owner Operator.

Kinda told you over there, the kind of response you would get.

But based on your reasoning both there and here - the decision is up to you.

OTOH - telling you to be a welder, plumber or electrician - when you want to be a TRUCKER is kinda - well...

Whatever...

Rick

 

I did spend some time reading and didn't make comments. From what I saw it was typical advice from CB experts. You know there is even a difference between leasing to a company and being independent. So being a company driver vs. O/O is even a bigger gape.

What you got there was not advice but "facts" based on zero experience. No "I have never done this and let me tell you what I learned that stopped me." You get some of that here but mostly it is folks with good intentions and understand the difference between having an ICC number 15 years ago and MC number today.

Passion will often provide that extra degree that is the difference between failure and success.

 

I'm 30 years in IT. I could make WAY MORE - just "re-dedicating" myself to what I've BEEN DOING (and I'm really not doing bad at all either - in fact, trucking - even as a SUCCESSFUL OWNER, will be a PAY CUT from what I could make if I still had a passion for what I'm doing now).

Rather put a shotgun in my mouth..

I love the road - I'm a BUSINESSMAN, who looks at this like a BUSINESS - not a "company driver", that "dreams about" owning a nice shiney new truck (not that there's anything wrong with being a company driver). This is a BUSINESS VENTURE to me - just like any other. That requires studying the industry, understanding the markets, understanding how to comply with a totally over-regulated industry, and making a decision whether to make the capital investment in order to do a startup. I have no wife/kids/mortgage/car payments - I'm FREE AS A BIRD (well, except one major consulting client that would likely KILL ME if I tried to just permanently relocate - and that's ok too, it'll provide a second income stream that I can do, even on the road). I READ, I STUDY, I SAVE my $$ (which makes me hustle even harder at my current gig). Like any business - you'll get OUT OF IT, what you PUT INTO IT.

The driving is the FUN PART for me - LOVE THE ROAD (like Bill said - PASSION). But anyone that has a notion that they just have to "buy a truck", and everything else will just fall into their lap, is seriously DELUDING THEMSELVES.

Like I said - love Brett & Mike, known them for years - no, neither of them have NEVER OWNED A TRUCK - either leased on, or their own authority - so they have NO BUSINESS venturing forth "opinions", as if they were FACTS.

I'm not gonna stir the pot over there publicly - I've sent Brett an email in response to that thread over there. That board serves a VERY GOOD PURPOSE - towards a VERY SPECIFIC SEGMENT. The newb, with no CDL, that hasn't been to school yet - and is looking for entry into the industry. Talk about company lease, and it's HELL NO. Talk about O/O, and you get - well, the very response you've gotten there.

Which is why I bite my tongue - continue to lend advice over there, where I am qualified to do so, and basically leave them to play in their own little sandbox...

Rick

 

DOT is not going to "lighten up on us". The only thing the pencil-pushers could do, that would be helpful - is to recognize the delays that shipper/receivers create, and figure out a way to put a foot in their butts, or make sure there's some compensation for us, so that we're not forced to break the rules in order to make a living or get loads to destinations in a time-frame that is plainly impossible to do legally (given the delays for which carriers have no control over).

As far as paperwork involved in compliance goes - it's not all that unreasonable. If you can get past the new entrant audit (assuming you go under your own MC) without getting pinged to badly, and you keep your CSA scores clean - you likely won't be hearing from DOT very often. File your IFTA's on time, and develop good recording keeping practices - and it's really not that much more difficult than ANY business where you have dumbsheet civil service hacks looking over your shoulder.

If your capitalization is that bad, that "living out there to make that payment" is your biggest worry - than wait and put away more money - so it's less of a stress-factor.

Or you could just become a plumber, welder, or computer geek (AAAAAAIIIIIIEEEEE) or other "trade", like those guys "over there" suggested...

Rick

 

probably the most important thing to keep in mind when starting is you will need money for fuel and expenses for a couple months before the checks start rolling in. (it can take over 30 days to get paid on a load) unless you want to do factoring, which is a whole nother story. I burn up to $2000/wk fuel myself, so that's 8,000 plus food, cell phone, whatever mortgage or car payments you may have, etc... It's a shock for everyone getting off that weekly paycheck.

You mentioned that you will be able to go where you want when you want. I guess if you have ample capitol you may be able to book 'vacation' loads from time to time. For me, I'd love to go to Colorado, but I dont go there. I'd love to go west of the Rockies, but I don't go there. I stay where I can get good freight. I'm probably more a slave to area than I was as a company driver frankly, I try to get back to Chicago, IN, OH, PA for the most part. And when I'm not fooling around on this forum I'm crunching numbers, building spreadsheets, and talking with contacts. If that sounds like something you might enjoy, then go for it !