Did anyone start as an O/O?

No that wasnt me. Ive lived in nw Arkansas all my life. Glad to meet you too, Ive seen alot of your comments and it seems that were on the same page on most subjects.

Anyway, thanks for the kind words. Im looking forward to talking to you.

God bless,

 

You can find some good loads there. Most of them are ran by DAT services, witch is one of the biggest broker firms out there.

But if you wait untill your looking at that board to start looking for a load, you will be in trouble(because these boards only show regional loads). Dont get me wrong, DAT is a great way to get loads. But you will be better off to subscribe to their services. That way you can look at all of the loads that they have to offer. Or better yet build a personal relationship with a broker and let them know what your looking for and they can keep you hooked up and rolling(kinda like your personal dispatcher)!!!

God bless and good luck,

 

I started driving OTR as an owner operator, I never ever drove a company truck OTR, I only drove a daycab for a very short time before I bought my first truck and I didn't have any OTR experience at all, #### I didn't really have any experience. I basically had to learn every thing on my own since I didn't have any kind of training.

I was very young when I bought my first truck and I am sure that a lot of people thought that I would fail because I had no experience, but I didn't and I still own my own truck. I know most people on here will tell you to be a company driver first, but I was never a company driver and I did alright for myself, of course I did grow up around trucks

My very first truck was brand new, If I had to do it over again I would buy a used truck for the first time, but I could have easily lost the truck if I wasn't smart with my money, but I have always been a very hard worker, I have always succeded in everything that I put my mind to. My father taught me to be self sufficient, I learned to do a lot of things on my own, I can do a lot of my own minor repairs to my truck

I have owned several trucks already, I bought a home, I have money put away for retirement, I did alright for a farm kid with a grade 12 education who never even went to CDL school

 

Good Move

crusin

 

My father was a trucker for many years.Went with him quite often as kid.

Never thought I would follow in his footsteps.

I started in this business as an O/O, never driven as a company driver.
Never driven a tractor as a driver or O/O.
Found that both came easy to me.

Completed an accredited driving training course.

It helped that I have owned and managed my own successful small profitable business's in the past.

Also helped that I managed other small/large companies individual departments in my career.
I was a profitable manager,hated being in the office, would always find a reason to be in the field w/the men.
Then mountains of paperwork.
I was really good at bringing coffee and buying breakfast for my guy's,
and saved the receipt's for a business expense.

Business education also helped as well.

Made up my mind that this is what I want to do for a living.
My research found,
with very sound planning, and good financial decisions , the income would be higher as an O/O as well as the piece of mind running my own show.
Planning consumed about 18 months prior to to actually proceeding forward.
Gave me more time to save $.
A lot of unpaid hours,it's paying off.

Have my own authority, paid for modern truck.
Hopefully will purchase another truck in about 6-9 months,then hire 1-2 guy's.


I complete quite of bit of repairs/maintenance myself, leaving the software/electronic problems for the dealer.
I actually enjoy completing these repairs/maintenance,
gotta have the tools for these trucks though.

I have not considered leasing on with someone and have heard ( directly from other owners) some of the horror stories.

So far, things are going well, I post my business via internet for brokers/shippers to see and get offers for runs about 2-6 times a week,for good rates too.

Almost going to get contract's to haul beer consistently with 2 separate company's.
That way I'll always have a run coming back home.
But I never count my chickens before their hatched.

Mainly run just for 1 company,
but I am seeking others now,
intend to purchase 1 more truck soon, then hire a driver to run for that company on consistent runs,
home almost daily, a real large loop.

I don't move cheap freight,a broker called last week,offered $1.15 amile, I almost laughed while on the phone.

What worked well for me was I started w/ a small company that hires serious independent O/O's,leased O/O's and that company had a good amount of freight,every day, continuously that paid pretty good.

It not just driving the truck,
it's operating and managing a profitable business that you own yourself.
Keeping overhead low is also key.
I learn something new everyday.

crusin

 

"The key to making money in my opinion as an o.o is what you can do yourself. If you have to take your truck to the shop to change a headlight you'll not last long." MM you hit the nail right on head.

 

I started out as a o/o. things have worked out great for me. I had to make things work out. when I first started looking to get into the business, I took my time. being real young, but real ole fashioned, I knew what I wanted. or more what I did not want. I have applied mostly common sense & logic to my decisions. when looking I found a 1995 intl coe with 400,000 miles on it. it was in great cond. it was just off walmart lease.

Price. $15,000. looked around for a month & found other 95' hoods with 600-700 miles for more than twice the coe. being new to this, I scratched my head & wondered. I just didnt get it, still dont. the options. pay $15,000 or pay $30-32,000 but make the same money? it did not take me more than a few seconds to decide on a dependable truck, rather than a real nice looking one. that was then. at that time. early 99' freight was abundant. I paid cash & started making more money than ever before in my life.

I had so much freight, I could run 24 7 if I could run 24/7. the one thing I kept in mind was this may not last. I did not run out & buy anything else.I did not change my lifestyle at all. from making 400 a week to over 2000, take home, did not mean a thing. truck maint was a first priority. in my opinion. it is the drivers home habits that due them in more than anything. a few good weeks & they think they can afford anything. I bought 2 new couches in over 20 years that is the frugal type I am. not cheap. FRUGAL. when the bottom dropped out of it in 2000 2001 I have seen so many folks lose their trucks, lose their dreams. lose it all. since the first year, since I made a decent amount of money & did not spend except what I needed, I had a tax dilema. nothing to write off. so the first year & every year. I would buy a peice of property & use that as the tax write off I needed.

property that appreciates, was better for me than chrome that does not. to date from my trucking business I have over 24 properties & several homes. this is not possible with out a supportive wife, if you have one. I have also raised 6 kid's thru this, the eldest in college the youngest is 6. going as o/o can be done. you have to have strict discipline, know your goals & yeah some luck too.

when starting out you may have to live & look like no one else, so that later you can look & live like no one else. by the way I am still in the same truck. over 1.3 mil miles. just had inframe done.

 

Excellent post, that`s the way to do it too, kudos to you HH.

 

heavyhaulerss

Good read!!

I'm right behind you,If things go well.

And yes,I'm just as frugal as yourself.

Yes,
chrome does not make you $.

crusin

 

I started out as an o/o at 23 after driving for my father construction company for 4 yrs then ran log truck for 1.5 yrs and whent out and bought an 88 freightliner and a 42ft flat and started hauling for the lumber company that i drove for hauling lumber got my authority and started calling lumber yards and every one else that shipped flatbed freight in the area i wanted to run made some connections and never looked back there where some hard times but thats just part of it the key in my mined is to get some direct shippers and stay away from the brokers as much as possible in the last 6 yrs i can count on both hands the times i've used brokers.