How do Owner Operators make annually before and after expenses?

On the $1 per mile pay, leasing a truck. Nothing after expenses and uncle Sam will want you to pay a few thousand into his piggy bank.

 

I was watching bj and the bear on YouTube the other day and he was getting 1.00 a mile.think it was around 1980.that's TV though. Don't know how accurate they were being.

 

It also depends on what type of trucking you're doing. Van freight is lowest paid and flatbed is the highest. I took home $4065.00 just in one week after expenses doing flatbed. That was doing long hauls like Ft. Worth up to Pennsylvania though. It was lease purchase program. Didn't last long because one, I wasn't ready and two, the truck stayed broke down due electrical problems (wiring harness). I never got a good run at from the beginning except that one week. Plus company wouldn't work with me on replacing the wire harness and take payments out of my settlement. So I turned the keys in and gave them the finger since it had a "company" warranty on it. Next guy who got the truck (with wire harness already replaced :-/) played it off in 5 months and still has it today. Truck was $38,500.

I will say this though, if owner operators only make $35-50k annually what is the point in being one??? Company drivers make that themselves. If you think about it, if that's all they make then so does the company after expenses. Where is their profits coming from? Especially since their expenses would be much higher than a owner operator's since the costs of an office, office employees, and everything else they pay for that you wouldn't. So the figures are wrong as of $35-50k. If they were right who the he'll would want to own a trucking company since the driver would take all the profits???

No, there is more to make than that I guarantee it. You have to remember one thing, trucking companies and owner operators are your competition so getting the REAL heads up can be.... well let's say, squirrelly. Just look more into it and know the "do and don't" when getting your own truck and especially leasing. Guys make a lot more than they'll tell you.

 

One more thing, a lot of truckers are like oilfield workers. They see that big money and finance EVERYTHING they can. New vehicle, New house, boat, etc.. Have 4-6 kids and are being driven by a money hungry woman. Just like when oilfield dries up, the truck breaks and they loose everything. Including their woman and even the dog. Don't be that person.

Look at trucking as an option other than college. Spend 4-6 years hitting hard and keep home debt LOW. Save everything you can and always keep $10-15k in separate bank account (that's the first thing you should save for) for the truck. Buy everything out right and when your finished getting what you want, get out and go be a local.

 

I say go for it man, drive for a few years, save some money and go for it. I have been running a flatbed with my own authority for 3 1/2 years now. Like any job, it has its good days and its bad days. There are weeks where your average per mile is a negative number, but there are also weeks where you will net 2.00 a mile or more. Last year I netted about 75k on around 100,000 miles. I am hoping for six figures this year. If you are smart, and realize that you are a business man first, truck driver second, and sometimes a mechanic as well you will be all right. Best part of the job in my opinion is that I have no boss, and I get to decide where I go and what I do. Good luck to you.

 

I make quite a bit of money... But here is a tip to keep more in your pocket... Buy an old truck, one without an EGR/DPF/DOC/SCR system. I could have already retired if not for that.

 

Tony1980 posted that back in 2011 man, I think “Go for it and good luck Tony” has come and gone. Doesn’t sound like Tony peddled any freight since Obama’s first term in office.

 

I mean I just started and net 3-4K a week?
My truck payment is a joke less than $200
Trailer is $250 a week cause I rent
Insurance is rediiculous at $1400 only being 22. all that said my expenses are $2600 a month. Or about 2 days of running.
Add In fuel and that’s about 2k a week or so.
I’d say if I ran everyday like this I’d average 140k or so. But realistically it’s looking around 96k

 

Or buy one and delete that bull ####. Buy a cat that doesn’t have an egr then delete the dpf.

 

Also you have to be a mechanic. Keep your hand out of your own wallet. And buy a spare truck or two. That way when ur #### storm brakes hop in ole faithful. I’ve got around 5 trucks all of them can be ran. 2 semis and 3 hotshots. About to get one more semi. Plan on hiring drivers slowly. Don’t want to jump the gun. Owner operator with a team driver. Talk about 4K every other day lol.