How long should I drive before getting my own truck.

Everyone else is going time wise but I'm going to go another way and say until you have enough money. Have enough to either buy your truck outright or have enough to buy your trailer and a years insurance outright. That's if youre getting your authority.

 

Jump right in........

 

After you have got a sound business plan and enough money to both cover any potential repairs and be in the red for the first year.

 

till you get tired of being told wear to go about a year

 

Thanks for the reply and advice!! I wouldn’t say I am a driving ace that’s why I want to get at least a year experience on the road but luckily for me I worked moving trailers for several years that one of the jobs I had was being a yard spotter so backing up is kind of like my specialty I know the yard trucks are easier to maneuver but when the truck has been in shop I used the three axle trucks to back up trailers and had the same success so that will be the least of my worries I am concerned about ascending and descendings grades thatS what I want some experience in.

 

Backing up at the dock is one of my biggest fears. You already got that nailed. Driving you'll get. It's the business model and capital you have to be worried about.

 

You may have most of the skills needed to drive a truck.

How are you doing on the business side of things?

When you are an owner operator you are running a business. If you can't follow/work the money chain it will be difficult to be successful.

 

Well I did work as a trailer inspector and did some minor work on trailers but no Diesel engine work but I have some mechanical knowledge I do work on my own cars brakes and oil and stuff like that so I will try to do the most I can on the truck myself when I do get it. But most of the time i will have to take it to a mechanic to have it fixed I’m sure but I have been around trucks so long and have had to do pre trips and stuff so i am at least somewhat confident that mechanic won’t be able to take advantage of me and I have some friends who are o/o and can lead me in the right direction when it comes to getting repairs done

 

So I haven’t always been the best at money but I am getting better and my wife will probably be the book keeper she is good at that stuff. But I do understand there will be a lot of expenses and I have been working in all those factors and networking a lot with people and getting advice from them. Some of these drivers out there seems to be lying a little bit haha but the honest ones tell me how it really will be. I am looking as starting an s Corp and paying me a small salary from the business and the business account pays the truck insurance and fuel etc.

 

So I have worked for a few different companies and positions but none of them as a a broker but I have established a lot of good relationships with small carriers who have a lot loads power loads as well and I have actaully got my friend who has a truck a lot of loads with these companies because that past couple years I have been working with a trailer rental company so all I deal with is different truck companies and owner operators. My first 8 years around transportation I moved trailerd worked around them did some loading did operations last two years I have been Mainly in office but still move trailers a lot when guys are on lunch or call In sick I cover.
But I have got a lot of phone numbers in my phone with people who have extra loads or advice for me so I think I’ll be a step aheaD of the next guy just starting out.