Kevin Rutherford..

Well, nobody makes money driving a calculator. First, you gotta be a good driver and a good owner, take care of your equipment, keep your customers pleased, and learn to be practical about expenses. Once you have income you can decide what to do with it, how much for taxes, how much for maintenance, how much for you, all that comes after the driving. How much those categories will take is a preference for each owner under his own conditions.

 

Driving is a task.
How well you perform the task gives the output in numbers.

Being a mechanic is a task. Sure you know how to fix a car/truck, but your supply cost, customers, prices etc. That has nothing to do with knowing how to rebuild an engine.

Before I started using a business mind a older successful guy that has nothing to do with trucking told me he could succeed at any business he wants. He doesn't need to know how to drive or how to find loads or how to fix a truck. He only needs to hire people that do know, pay them accordingly and charge what can cover all those people, and keep what's left for him.

Hardest part in this industry is starting from $0. You don't have money to hire people. You have to learn every aspect.

If starting from $0 and new to driving best scenario that I can think of is be a good driver and save money as a company driver. Learn as much as you can, load boards, freight costs, lanes, direct customers, authority or whatever may interest you. Run your numbers, cause math doesn't lie.

Too many are so into "I want my on truck!!" And they will take any truck at any cost at any company just to say "I have my own truck".. Down the road they cry cause they end up with less than a company driver.

KR is right. A person that wants to succeed can succeed within 6 months to be out on his own making great $$$$$. But that has to be a person with common sense and a good work ethic. That person also needs real guidance tho!