Dear Mods...

Yeah sure, of course.. if one runs a 1,000 miles or less that week and is home kicked back for 3 or 4 off days that is an "ok" week, a slow one but ok. But the life of an indentured servant doing that week after week after week

now granted he is a hard worker. One thing if you like to go home alot. This isn't going to happen. He stays out a month at a time and the goes home for 4 or 5 days. He then runs his first few days just to get out of the hole he's in for going home.

There are better ways to make an honest living. Work smart, not hard. Go home for 4 or 5 days a month then have to dig out of a hole?.?...

 

I refer to it as indentured servitude

 

The problems with a lease purchase are thus,

1. Until you make your final payment the truck still belongs to the company.
2. Under a lease you can be subject to who services the vehicle.
3. With a lease you can even be subject to a max monthly mileage.
4. With a lease purchase, you are normally running on the companies authority and licenses, Of which they charge you a Hefty fee. Which along with your lease fee is deducted at source.
5. On a lease purchase, the lessee normally uses the fuel cards and insurances of the company, again these fees are subtracted at source.
6. Maintenance costs and repairs are the lessee's responsibility and if your lease state the company workshops do the maintenance, there is convenience fee added to the bill.

If you are going to use the same tools and support you use as an employee, your best staying an employee. By being a lessee, if you quit or are asked to resign you either have to give back the truck or pay it off. By being a lessee you are basically agreeing to pay the company and its bills for one of its trucks, which a benefit to the company.

However if you really want to work towards being an Owner Operator, try talking to the bank and see if you can get a truck loan. Obviously it would be more advantageous at the bank, if you could show you had a contract. So that means talking and negotiating with your company and seeing if they will take you on as a owner, just performing traction but still using their authority, licenses and fuel etc. I can see you looking at this and assuming I am out of my mind and contradicting what I have said. However, a bank loan would probably be a lesser monthly payment and if you decide to leave the company you still have a truck. You can also work towards getting your own authority while working for the company.

I have never leased a truck, my belief is the only people who really win are the leasers. I saved and bought a good used Volvo and worked my way up to a new Scania 142. And in those days the European hours were limited to 8 hrs a day although fuel was cheaper.

So my advice, drink the Diesel, and save to buy a truck, And if you say you can't save as an employee? What makes you think you can save as a lessor?

 

I certainly wouldn't run a truck for that myself.

Martin

 

a lot of us would be happy with 1500 net. after all, how much do you need for a comfortable living.

now if that were gross. then we'd all be broke.

 

you forgot to mention the low mileage them leasors get. and the HIGH weekly payments for the truck besides what you already mentioned.

and then, THE HOMETIME. or breakdown for that matter. one day off or down will kill them.

 

As much as possible, anything else is foolish IMHO.

 

no need for the humble opinion, call a spade a spade. anyone willing to work harder for less is missing some iq points.

 

Why settle for $1500 when you can do better. Do you care enough to think more and provide more for your family? I sure do!

 

Being able to bring home 6k over a 30 day period. While having a brand new truck payment is pretty good if you ask me.