Diving in, hope this works out

Listen you did what many wouldn’t do here. I know your feelings as I put the horse before the cart, hell I put the horse shoes before the horse before the cart.

So if you need help here it is.


Pm me and I will let you know a insurance agent who does first time drivers.


I will also tell you that even with less then three months authority you can get loads. Not going to be the best ones but you will get them.

Simple rules to follow.

Great broker, ask him how his day is going, small talk. Ask about the load don’t mention rates yet, ask questions like, what’s the commodity, weight, any special requirements on the trailer like food grade, plated, qty of straps needed, is it a lumper load, when does detention start, how much is detention?

Then ask him the rate and try to be confident when speaking. Don’t let him on that you are a new authority. Even if he realizes you are a new authority don’t let him talk down on you.


Try to get loads with TQL, coyote, and small time brokers.

Sign up with a factoring company like Triumph, get credit checks on the brokers before hauling. This is a important step because you won’t be able to afford a non payment.

Once your 6 months is up you will end up signing up with so much brokers that you literally won’t have issues finding loads.

Issue will be pay.

After 1-2 years you will have found out a few of the good brokers and on your way to being successful.


Always do pre and post trips. Always stay below speed limit on your first few months. Always get out and look many many times when backing.

Start your day very early so you can find empty truck stops to practice backing when your day is over. Usually 12pm stops are always empty. 2-3pm is when they start filling up.

Never hesitate to ask for help and don’t blame the guy helping you as you are responsible for your rig at all times. So getting out and looking is key.

Don’t worry if a rig is waiting for you to back into a slot, some people me as well got nervous when this was happening. I realized that drivers will wait and are not peeved when it takes you 5-10 min to back in, they will how ever get pissed when it takes 20-50 min and 5 guys helping you back in. So if the alley dock procedure looks like a job for a pro let the spot go and find another place.

 

I LIKE the fact you are willing to listen to sound advice.

Sure, there are quite a few drivers that got into this BUSINESS by buying a truck and figuring it out as they went. It's definitely not the recommended path to take. Those that succeed on the "jump right in" path have skill sets AND contacts that can get them out of a jam. They already know how to do major work on their used truck, savings thousands of dollars in shop time. Or they already have been around the business and are networking into a few select brokers or customers and have a steady stream of high paying freight.

The BEST path for a new driver is to FIRST learn to drive. Make your mistakes in someone else's truck. Learn how to be a DRIVER first. Once you absolutely KNOW you can drive, anywhere at any time, AND have at LEAST one winter under your belt, THEN consider becoming an owner operator.

Buy your truck as a tool to get your job done. If you buy the wrong tool, you can do the job, but the tool can get damaged or you won't be able to do the job as well as you want. For example, let's suppose you want to be an owner operator in the oil field. It's brutal on trucks, with all the dirt roads with potholes so big they have names. A regular old OTR Cascadia is going to fall apart, yet you will see many an O/O suffering out there, holding his truck together with zip ties, duct tape, and bungee cords. He's got the wrong tool.

Figure out this BUSINESS by learning to be a good driver FIRST. THEN start figuring out WHAT KIND OF FREIGHT YOU WANT TO HAUL. AFTER THAT, THEN FIGURE OUT WHAT KIND OF TRUCK IS BEST TO GET THE JOB DONE.

 

Got to give it to ya... You must have balls of brass... BIG ONES!

I would love to have my own truck. But everytime I think about it I just look at all the lightly used trucks for sale and try to imagine thier stories... Some poor bloke probably went broke trying to keep the wheels turning.

Hope you make it work, best of luck.

 

I think the OP is hiding under the kitchen table right now,,,

 

Where is your location?
We'll try to help you find a decent job to start gaining experience.
Do you have endorsements?
On home time you can crank up the truck and keep the engine oil circulated, batteries charged & keep it clean. It'll be waiting for you at the right time.
In the meantime, become a member of www.OOIDA to learn the business end of being an owner operator.

 

I can only imagine an insurance agent's face when OP applies for insurance..
I am one of the few who thinks that 6-12 months experience is enough to go o/o as long as one has good business sense, but getting a truck right away is a pure madness.
It does not mean, that you necessarily gonna fail, it's just gonna be a crazy ride. Go work somewhere for at least 3 months after getting your license

 

If you care about your family who is depending on you, become a company driver and sell the truck.

 

@DUNE-T

Last year new driver progressive quote for me was 20k a year.

 

I don't mean to thwart any initiative, and you came to the right place. I would have killed for a site like this years ago. It would have saved me a lot of grief, when it was trial and error, with disastrous results. But years ago, it wasn't such a financial disaster, like it can be today. A bad decision can ruin you for years. I was an O/O in the 90's and did ok, but did most my own work, and can't imagine paying those bills today. Let the boss go broke, you go home free and clear. BTW, what kind of truck is it? Semi, straight truck, Volvo? Sitting isn't good either.