Need advice on buying a truck...

It is not as easy as getting a truck and trailer and just start trucking. Do you have your own authority? What about insurance? You just can't call State Farm and ask them to insure you........VERY few if any companies will insure a rook with no verifiable experience. Proceed with caution!

Back to the trailer.....the difference in 48 or 53 footer is small. But you will lose loads having only a 48 footer, doesn't matter if the load could fit on a 28 footer. If the shipper calls for a 53 footer, you better show up with a 53 footer.

 

Mileage will depend on year and use, varies greatly. As important is when, if ever, major maintenance was done: engine, tranny, suspension. Also, the over all general condition, does it look like it was rode hard.

Go to the cat website, they have a good used truck buying check list and what to look for.

After you buy the truck and trailer will you have 6 to 12 months of reserves? Very few businesses are consistently profitable the first year, and this is a tough economy and business environment.

 

Depends. 150,000+ driver jobs gone in the last year. Big co's can operate on a profit that is measured in pennies per mile or less. Their overhead costs are higher, many are self insured, so only carry excess insurance for catastrophic losses. The reality is the average O\O makes $40K per year after costs, this year it will likely be less. This would be before taxes. Total taxes will depend on how aggressive you do your taxes and how you setup the entity. I WILL NOT advise on how to do this, you need a attorney or CPA to help and advise you.

How good a salesperson are you? How good at marketing? Or are you just going to lease on with someone? All businesses are sales and marketing, transportation of goods is just your product. Trucking is a mature business and very competitive, even in the best of times. Find an open niche or hole and you can do well.

Profitable means different things to different people.

 

Welcome !!!!!!!!!!!!

 

progressive will insure you!

 

If you lease with someone as well there very well may be requirements for the age of the truck.
Didn't mean to insult you on your experience but I am just saying there is alot more to it than just buying a truck, trailer, getting insurance and start trucking. There are all kinds of fees and crap you must do and hurdles that you never would even think of.
I think most O/O will tell you that it is not worth it for just 1 truck. Could be wrong on this but would like to hear from others.