I have $7000.00 and i want to become a owner operator out of ga., what do i do next ?

Look man you can do it if you want, I had my own truck for a while I bought it through a small container hauling outfit, made weekly payments of only 70 a week it was a good truck and I was able to pick my loads and work when I want. When fuel went up to 4$ I decided to turn my truck in, but it was a good deal they took care of plates and insurance, I guess it was like a fleece but it wasn't expensive I fixed any problems with the truck in his shop with his tools and the one time I couldn't fix it his mechanic did and he gavew me a good price and a truck to drive at company pay while it was in the shop so I was able to still make some money. I found out the company I work for now is closing its doors today and it has been 2 years since I had worked at the container co but gave him a call today and will be working tomorrow. Never burn your bridges because it is all about who you know. When I was here before with my truck I brought home around1500 a week after expenses as a company driver I should make around 800 and I will be home most every night and off weekends so I guess it ain't too bad if it all looks good in the future I may get another truck but for now I'm just gonna drive. But if you want to go at it ask some friends or local drivers I know a lot of container co make runs to atlanta you should be able to start out there they take most any truck and many times you run one way empty. But if you get a good plan and watch your fuel and expenses you can do it. Many people bust on the container co but there is money to make and home time, you won't make as much as hauling tankers as an o/o but it is a way to start with lower over head.

 

I've been driving big trucks for 17 years and I've owned six trucks in that time. I would say to you my friend ( will the 7,000 make you or break you) If you find a good old truck for 5 or 6 thousand and can do a little work on it yourself , then why not buy it? If it runs for a month then you got your money back right!!! So buy buy buy lol. I bought a 1977 pete with 1,2000 miles on it a year ago for 7,600 bucks, it had a resent Inframe done and had been well keep. The truck is still running strong and it paid for it's self in the first two months I had it. Look at it like this, If you need that 7,000 and you don't have a job then you shouldn't buy a truck right now,but if you have a job and the 7,000 is just sitting there then why not, if the truck blows up the day after you buy it, then you still have your job and you want be any worse off than you are now. It would suck if that happened and you might get mad and take a shotgun with you to the guy who sold it to you but youwill get over it, and save up 7 more and try again. JUST DO IT! Whats 7,000 thousand bucks anyway.

 

i agree what he said, whats 7grand shop around there is some bargains out there.

 

I've found myself in the same boat recently.Iin the last few years, I have proven that it is possible to survive a company lease purchase and be profitable after the truck is yours. *HOWEVER* I lived in that truck 3-4 months before a week or so visiting my parents, held no real estate and had no bills outside of keeping myself fed, my phone, and of course the truck. After 4 1/2 years in the industry I am now struggling to start up on my own after my company dropped me , with double the startup money you're working with coming from my settlement after i wrecked my truck. If you're looking to lease on somewhere, I would highly reccomend going refridgerated. If you have a clean record, WSE has a yard in Atlanta and did get me the miles when I moved to them after my truck was paid off. The only reason I'm broke now is because i took twice as much time off with them helping my sick mother, and still made 2x what I was making before expenses in dry van. They do treat people well, and with csa 2010 they monitor very closely logs fuel and qualcomm, but it is possible to make decent money running 100% compliant with them. Apparently anything DOT recordable they are going to drop you fast so be careful out there. I always thought I was but I slipped, nobody hurt, I was out a truck and a job but that's the climate of today.

 

Never get sucked in to any venture by the lure of large gross figures, it's not about what you gross, it's all about what you get to hang onto
Whether it's a boiled peanut stand on the side of the highway or an oil company

 

My first truck was a 1978 w900a model that i bought for $4000.oo dollars no experience in any thing but driving. that old truck show what it takes hard work and a little ambition to get ahead 2 years later i sold the truck to a collector for $12,000.00 dollars and i went bought my 1996 classic in which i still run today 13 years later I'm still in business and the truck still strong.meaning you don't know what is in the other side of the door unless you open it.. good luck

 

I payed 1,600 for a 1978 GMC astro in 2004. no power steering and I ran local at the port I was making $800 to $1200 a week net. I saved up enough money for a down payment for a 1996 ford l9000, ran the port and local runs.

we had some sweet runs savannah to Brunswick paying $325 a round. Ran 2 a day and was net $400 a day and home at 3:00 pm. payed that truck off and got a 1999 Mack. I payed that truck off in december. now owner of a 2006
Volvo. in short if you work smarter and not Harder you can do it. with some good luck and the right company it can be done even now. my Advice would be to stay away from the large company's.

 

that has got to be the most accurate statement on this forum,,,,

 

I have the same dream of being an O/O next year.As a gambling man myself, (and it takes as much luck as skill in trucking) I would think you could leverage $7000 into a $30,000 used truck and be making at least $10,000 a month at $0.90 a mile leased. It's an honorable way to start your business even if you lose it all.

I once won $20,000 in Tahoe on the $100 a pull machines - went back a week later and lost it all back on the same machine. What a waste! I say go for it brother it's the stuff life is made of.

 

Actually being an owner operator isnt all that bad, the first thing to do is check into a good company good luck there and actually your best bet as far as i am concerned is a small company.
But what I did was worked as a company driver for a company to feel them out then I bought my truck then I saved as much as I could just in case things go bad for instance I had $45000 in the bank and had 3 bad companies this year and I am down to $5000.00 with the current company oweing me $6500