Is becoming an O/O really worth it?

Buying your own truck is a decision only you can make. So many factors come into play how can I or anyone say yes or no? What do you want? Freedom? No stress? Just a paycheck? Home time and working on that truck? How is your credit? Are you willing to do what ever it takes? Even if that means being gone when you should be home? Can you manage driving and run the business? These are just a few of the questions you need to ask yourself.

 

NO.

 

I've been doing this since the 70's and I would never want to truck any other way!

Now! Having said that, Owning a truck is not for everyone! I've seen many O/O's pulling the same freight that I pull for the same outfits go broke and lose everything.
Some guys are just not cut out to be the owner, driver, mechanic, office manager, salesman, and every other thing that relates to running your own trucking business.

There are lean times and there are fat times and you have to be smart enough to prepare for the lean times when the money is rollin' in during the fat times! Sometimes you have to be willing to "take the load" when you'd rather be going home.
Sometimes you might think you have a nice relaxing weekend planned and then on your way to the house you hear a funny noise that turns your weekend into a two day rush to get your truck ready to go on Monday!

Owning my own has been and continues to be very rewarding for me and like I said before, I would never even consider doing this any other way....

If you are smart, You are a long ways from buying your first truck. You need to get some experience and a lot of time behind the wheel before you'll be a good enough driver to not cost yourself a ton of money in repairs and other experience related costs!

You also need to learn the ins and outs of the industry and where the freight is and isn't....A $3.50 a mile load isn't worth a #### if it unloads in a place where you have to deadhead 800 miles to find something to haul...A $1.50 a mile load is OK as long as there's a load sitting right there on the other end waiting for you to load and go.


I have just touched on a couple of things here to get you thinking about the realities of being an O/O!
It ain't all about "Rawhide'n' " up and down the boulevard in your big shiny "Large Car"...It's about makin' smart business decisions and knowing the industry well enough to make it in a very competitive environment.

It can be done and it can be lucrative and fun...But it ain't for everyone!

 

I agree with blackw900, it is a personal choice depending on YOUR situation. I don't think anyone else can answer this question for you. You will get truckers that will tell you NO!, but when you have the right experience and business sense it might be the way to go. I think more fail than suceed as an O/O because of lack of planning and the wrong expectations. There are several drivers on this board that have shared their experiences starting up as an O/O, read through these and see if you think you have what it takes to do the same. It would be better to buy/finance equipment seperate from the company that you drive for so you have no obligations other than getting the loads delivered on time. The less control a company has over you the better.

 

I have actually heard people say...

"I want to buy my own truck because I want to have a fast truck!"

"I want to buy my own truck because I want to be able to idle all the time!" (They usually say this while standing next to my truck that is not idling.)

"I want to but my own truck because I don't want to run Northeast, California" (Or wherever the hell the guy doesn't want to run!)

If these are your reasons for buying a truck...Save yourself some money and grief!
You're not gonna make it unless you are willing to "follow the money" and run wherever the freight that pays the best takes you!

You're not gonna make it unless you can efficiently operate the equipment and keep the costs down!

 

I think Blackw900 has hit the nail on the head. That's the magic combo and o/o is or should be in search of.

 

Black w900 i take it you run a skateboard?

 

FLATBEDDER FOR LIFE!

 

Very true, and he has sound advice