Happier as a O/O or company driver

Here is something that those company folks don't know. OO don't chase miles we chase $$$. As said we takes $2+ a mile usually it's $3 or higher for like a 300 mile run. Company goes 600 miles in a day to make not even that. When you do a few short runs for actually pay load and not mile cost paycheck triples and quadruples from company driver.

Sure we pay out more but we can handle it. Our trucks are setup to run right so we get good fuel mileage. We can drive what ever route we want no planned route by company. Most of us don't work winter's either and still net and gross more than company driver. Remember we worked for highest paying non union company. Now OO so this is no Bull.

 

Your idea of what an owner op does seems pretty far removed from reality.

 

i ran a garage business, long before i got into trucking. same principles running both businesses.

i ran the gamut of working long hours, during good times/seasons and slow times/seasons.

no matter what, i missed out on a few things at the home, VERY MUCH LIKE, what an o/o would.

and having VERY IMPORTANT machinery kept up to date, or buying new to keep current.

you want a 100% perfect 4 wheel alignment? the Hunter Corporation charges for those updates.

i need not be told i have no clue how to run a business.

 

Not doing hhg now. Not for the last 5 years. I do special commodities high value products. Mostly medical equipment for hospitals. Still with the van line just not in the hhg decision.

 

Tb0n3 your understanding of what a successful owner operator does is even more limited ..my rates are an avg outbound of almost 5.00 a mile I run back empty and do it again then go home work smarter not harder ..
Winters off always I 2nd the above stated goals 100%

 

my tax take out from state/feds comes out to 35%. thankfully, we are not union, that's costly each week as well, i know, i worked union.....ONCE

 

Exactly and all my rate quotes are based on how much it cost me to run the load/s (variable+fixed operating expenses) in addition to HOURLY considerations. Basically, I don't build my rates on mileage. Instead I bill everything on an hourly basis. RPM is only a piece of the much larger billing puzzle.

 

Indeed. They're leeches. Just like the government.

 

yeah, blood suckkers, no mater who's in charge....

 

I'm glad you have a job that your happy with. But to think that all O/O are the same is not fair. True some can't afford repairs, down time, vacations etc but those are the ones that really shouldn't be independent. Just because some one can drive a truck dose not mean they should own one. It is a business like any other, and must be run like one.

As an O/O do I have head aches? Sure do, but I am ok with that. You state you make $60+ a year. That's great! I netted $163k last year AFTER all my expenses. I also only ran 104K miles.

Do I work long hours? Yep sure do. But I also take time off and do go on vacations with the family.

We could go around and around on this topic, but let's just say to each their own. This profession is not for every one.