Can a Owner Operator be home Every Night and make it?

I do own my truck, and I have it contracted to run under a company's authority. If there is nothing needing attention on the truck, I park it until I'm ready to roll out again. If I want/need a day/week/month off, I simply tell the company not to put anything on me during that time. They find the loads, I run 'em and turn in the paperwork, they do the billing and pay me within a week of receiving the paperwork whether they've been paid yet or not. When I park the truck, as long as no maintenance is due or repairs needed, I don't think about the truck again until it's time to roll out again.

Owning a truck doesn't have to be a 24/7 job if you do it right.

 

"any contract trucking job out here getting drivers home nightly working 5 days a week 48-50 weeks out of a 52 week year (F that!)."

My sentiments exactly. Id rather eat a bullet than live that life. I spent over six months at home last year and netted more than any of those container haulers working day in and day out. for one stretch the truck never left the driveway for 89 days. If it means I gotta stay out for two weeks in order for that to happen, so be it.

 

To expand on something Rollin Coal said- you make money in this industry by doing things that others
1 don't
2 won't
3 can't

Find a niche.

 

Your best bet is to do tanker, flatbed or maybe specialized. You'd work for peanuts if you do containers, dry or reefer in TX and surrounding states.

 

I would get a septic pumper truck and haul ..it.

 

While I get the point you are making, things just seem to work differently for me. When I park the truck, it still needs cleaned, greased, and gone over looking for potential issues. And then there is bookkeeping. And when I get all caught up in what needs to be done, it's research time. I spend thousands of hours a year reading, and thinking. Always trying to figure out a smarter, more efficient way to do the job.

 

I pay $25-35 once per month (if it needs it and I can get through a truck wash) to give the old dog a bath. Grease the chassis myself every week or two or three (depending upon weather and what all else is going on...still more often than most any "company" truck) and give 'er a good look. Probably spend 2-3 hours doing the minor little things during that time. Don't really need to research much of anything...did that before I bought it and I bought what I wanted. I have the Mack dealer where I get 99% of what I need for the truck (they actually beat the truck parts store, Napa, etc. on most things anyway), and have a local tire shop that gives good prices. Most anything "extra" that I'd need, I might spend a couple months working out the details in my head as to what I'd like to do...then when I'm getting close to a design, create a parts list and start gathering what I'll need, and then I just make it myself over a weekend when I don't have anything else going on.

I drive professionally because it pays me pretty good to do so. I own my own truck so I can set it up EXACTLY how I want it without seeking anybody's permission to do whatever modifications I deem necessary for more efficient usefulness of the truck. All of that, though, is so that I can have a life. Trucking is NOT my life. My life is laying there in the bed still sleeping as I'm getting ready to roll out the door this morning, and will have dinner ready for me when I get home tonight. If trucking IS your life, then I can understand it being a 24/7 thing...but for me, well, my priorities are a little different. Not saying I'm right or you are wrong...just different. Whatever makes you happy...right to pursue happiness and all. After all, if you aren't happy doing what you're doing, why do it?

 

Thats pretty much what I do.

I've been an O/O for just over 1 yr now. I spent 3 yrs prior as a company driver to get to the point where I was ready to pull the trigger. Now that I have,.. I never take anything for granted. I am constantly inspecting and going over my truck.

I bought my truck for $20k, besides maintenance and repairs,.. I have put another $15k of personal money into it just to get it more efficient, running stronger, more reliable, and personal creature comforts. In all,.. I'd say I have spent the better part of $35k on top of what I have paid for the truck. I'd say at least 50% of my home time is spent on or about my truck.

Then while out on the road and while at home,.. I research, read, and try to learn what and where my next move will be.

I believe those in this industry who constantly work at it and stay on top things are the ones who survive and do very well. Those who just want to drive and treat things like a company driver would, working part time or just making short cheap hauls are those who struggle and eventually just fail.

I personally want to do more than just survive in this business,.. I want to thrive and eventually retire comfortably.

Its like how my wife describes people on the road. You have drivers, and you have commuters. Which one are you?

Hurst

 

I understand where you're coming from. When I made the final payment on my truck 4+ years ago, I started getting asked the question, "So, when ya gonna trade up?"

My response is usually "After X years, I'm still working on getting THIS truck set up the way I want it! Why would I want to have to start over?"

As the years go by, unless you have plans to replace the truck with something newer (I don't...coming up on 1 million miles, will overhaul and keep running it), what is there to research? Had this truck for 7 years now...you get to know it, and if you're paying attention with maintenance, you've been keeping an eye on what's wearing and how fast so you have a general idea what needs to be done. You don't HAVE to spend 20 hours every weekend turning a wrench after putting in a 70 hour week M-F...unless you are driving a truck that is literally falling apart or you are taking it through Hell and back doing some serious work. For a road truck, a couple hours 1 day every couple weeks SHOULD be all it needs, and every once in a while, a maintenance/repair job will eat up an entire weekend...but those shouldn't be happening every week once you get settled in and have it set up the way you need it.