How to make it as an owner operator

Even your post is sort of vague and general. You can't give away everything lest you lose your freight, right? Everybody starts somewhere. I tend to think the ones that at least have a grasp of what their cost is, even if they don't do everything the way I would, have a much better chance of making it than some people who can't even do simple math and ain't got a clue. I think what screws up most of the guys who are sharp enough to know the math and numbers is that they get all caught up in the hype of those number - "must make x revenue per day", etc - and lose sight of the BUSINESS. There are days when you won't make your minimum, sometimes you will not have a load, it sucks but it's a very minor setback, learn from it and move on. The only number(s) a person really needs to worry about is their cost to roll, then they need to think about the freight, REALLY think about it, outside the box... .... and that means not in terms of "must make X revenue per day" or "cents per mile"... ...that is a mileage mentality. You are spot on with your advice about studying the freight and being professional, concise - to the point over the phone with customers. Those are key things. A person always must do what they say they will is another. And there are guerilla marketing things that will make brokers remember you as well. Ever sent a hand written thank you via snail mail for the business? Ever stuffed a $50 gift card in one of those before? Nobody does that sort of thing.... and it's chump change for the money I've made off some of my go-to people.

 

My 2 cents-

You need to know your costs- variable and fixed. You need to know which is which, although there are different approaches- I count depreciation as a variable, you have to figure it out and practice your approach every day/week/month.

You have to prosecute your costs relentlessly. I worry more about costs than revenue. I can have more influence over what I spend that what I am paid.

 

Yop.

Ya put the carrier on your "'do not call" list and set them to go to an 'ignore' which puts em into voice mail immediately.

 

G444 Your comment about weekends was right on.

 

very few shippers and receivers work on the weekends. About the only ones that do are the major manufacturers that run 3-4 shifts.

So if most places are shut down, why should the driver not have it off as well?

The only individual who is concerned with your truck is you. The broker could care less about what might happen to it. Their job is to increase the bottom line to the brokers books, not yours.

You job is to increase your bottom line.

If you can get your rate and not drive the miles, then take that. But with good rates and no miles comes increased dock times.

You can claim it's "derailing" your thread all you want. It's all related.

Each person gets to figure out what is their game and what the rate is to play that game. Different brokers are for different games. There are as many brokers to work with as there are carriers.

If a certain broker isn't working for you, find a different one.