Illinois Intermodal Owner Operator is terrible!!

Just finished my first full year as a O/O in this intermodal business in Chicago. Let me tell you that this line of work completely sucks!!! I was told that $2500-2800 a week was an average after deductions ...that was a lie. I was told 'if you go regional instead of local you'll make more money' that was a lie. I was averaging $1700-1900 a week after 60 plus hour weeks. Yeah that's company driver money and no truck ownership responsibility. These companies completely rob o/o of any real money. $100 for a 54 mile trip, $120 for a 60 mile trip and the best one $175 for a 100 mile trip. Yeah I know what some of you are thinking 'you stuck around for a year??!!!' Yeah I did had to get out of my system. I did sign a full year contract and I stuck it out. Hey I learned my lesson. I made some money but for anyone thinking of trying this DO NOT DO IT. Well not as a OWNER OPERATOR ...a driver yes but do not do this business with your own truck.

 

Unfortunately that is the truth, there are alot of O/O that think that they will have better fortune then others and that's when companies take advantage of them. It's a joke, rates are a joke, waiting times at the rail yards are ridiculous and I know for a fact that companies get paid for the detention time BUT will not pay the O/O for that same detention time. It's this cycle will never end

 

Don't do it brother, you will hate yourself for it. I had the luck you being able to drive a dump truck for a friend of mine on and off during the year and it got me a substantial amount of money to compensate for my losses during my intermodal mistake.

 

I'm going to do some local/regional flatbed work thru this lady here in Chicago. It's like max 200 miles out and back. The rates are really good in my estimation. I already did a week with her, the Christmas week was 3 days and I took home $2300 after my expenses (insurances, diesel etc). My buddy has been working with her for 8 months and he been averaging $3800-4000 before expenses a week

 

Here in Chicago XPO is a joke! First a $5000 sign on bonus then a $10000 sign on bonus and they still cannot keep or recruit O/O drivers. I went to the interview and they guy made it seem like I was going to be making top dollar there!! But numbers do not lie, $1.39 a mile loaded and .90 a mile empty with basically $.18 per mile fuel surcharge ...yeah ...no thank you