Is this business really that bad??

I am new to the thread and currently serving out a 3 year contract in the Army in which a year I will be out. I am no spring chicken, I went to tech school for HVAC and worked in that industry for 9 years making good money, but service industries are very slow right now. My father has been a truck driver for going on 40 years, he has done it all in the industry, he now hauls cars for Subaru and sometimes Toyota out of Indiana. He has made a very good living, as I had a very good childhood and wanted for pretty much nothing along with my 2 brothers and 1 sister and my mom who didn't have to work.

I am throwing around some idea's, I could open an HVAC business and do what I already know and am good at, but I have always thought driving a truck would be nice and have started looking into that route. One of my many plans is to use my GI bill to go to tech school for Heavy Diesel Technology where i would have to get my CDL A anyways and work myself into owning my own truck and trailer and be an O/O while doing all major overhauls and maintenance myself, well all of it that I could do, I understand if I break down on the side of the road I will be at the mercy of the local 24 hour mobile mechanic. But my goal is to try and keep my expenses super low.

Now, I have been reading all these horror stories on this site, and it is really making me think this idea is out the window. Seems like nobody likes what they do, and is always getting screwed over royally by the companies they work for. I don't know if this is just coming from a fringe group of people that like to whine and complain because they are lazy and don't want to put in any effort and get what they deserve from the companies. Seems like that is probably the case for most. I know in anything there will be hardships and things you have to work through and sacrifice to be a success, and trucking would probably be no different. I am going to talk to my Dad more about this and see what he thinks about it, but there has to be some better stories out there and some money to be made if you are willing to put the work in.

Like I said, this is just an idea at this point, and the trucking industry is not going away anytime in the next 100 years, so I would like to know if my plan of keeping all aspects in house and done by me or my wife is doable, has anyone approached a business model like this. Is OTR more profitable than regional or local stuff for an O/O outfit? What would be a good company to start out with to get some experience with, there has to be some good companies out there right?

I have a family so I am obviously going to try and be home whenever I can, but I understand that to make good money you need to get some miles in and will probably not be home every weekend.

Would "hot shotting" be a good way to get started and build the business up from a pickup truck to a tractor? Is buying an older tractor and putting in a fresh driveline a good way to go?

 

Let me make it clearer, I am not an eloquent writer, so all my thoughts aren't expressed. I plan on going to work for a company to get my experience in and to see if this is something I would want to do, all while working and saving for a truck of my own.

 

I wouldn't necessarily have to start out doing doubles would I, because that would not go over very well with me I don't think.

Seems like the local crane stuff would be pretty seasonal, at least all the guys that I talked to when I was in the HVAC bus. Seems like those guys worked for several different companies at once, kinda switched around alot.

I plan on going to a good independent CDL school, as with heavy diesel technology, most of them anyways require you get your CDL A before you graduate, and my GI bill will pay for all of it. i will never go to one of the big companies fiasco they have going. maybe there are some that are better than others, but from what i have read on here they are to be avoided at all costs unless you absolutely have nothing else you can do and that is your only way into the trade. Fortunately, i have options.

Its a shame, I am hoping our government gets back to a small business friendly environment soon before it gets any more out of hand.

2003-2008 my work was great, worked all the hours i wanted and made alot of money, 2008-2010 were horrible, lucky to work at all, then I decided to join the Army since everything was so slow and maybe it would be back to normal when I got out, plus serving was always something I wanted to do as well. Well I am getting out in a year and I don't know if anything is better than it was in 2010, maybe a little better, but not much. But kinda nervous about going out and trying to start a business with HVAC, and there isn't much out there available in that trade where I am moving back to, SoutH West, ARK right outside of Texarkana.

The only reason i am looking into this business is because it has been so good for my Dad, sure he has had to switch to a few different companies and haul stuff he really didn't want to haul, but all and all he has stayed steady and made money and took care of us kids growing up. And I don't remember him being gone too terribly much, maybe I was just used to it as a kid, but always loved waking up in the morning and seeing his big rig parked out in the driveway, dad was home and I was happy. and plus I got to go play in the truck! he didn't always know about it either, but i never broke anything, thank God, or I might not be here today!

Like I said, i have options and absolutely will not settle for a crappy situation when there is better to be had. I think it will make it better since my Dad has been in the business for a long time and can probably give me the hook up with someone he knows. Not completely depending on that and am going to do all the work I can to search out a good Company. I am hearing good things about ACT, like the fact that they are smaller and there incentive program is awesome, pay is not based off of seniority, but off of performance, think that is great and more companies should model their business off that. But they want 9 months experience with a trucking school and 18 months without, but you never know, I might get lucky. I am in no hurry, so I will not rush into anything