Needing advice on getting into trucking...

So you have never driven a tractor trailer, and you want to become an O/O?

Don't you think it would be wise to learn how to drive, and learn about the business first?

If you don't do things in the right order, you are doomed for failure.

There are no shortcuts.

 

Join Prime Inc, they have a company sponsored program and train you for 4 months while making $600 a week guaranteed. After Training you are sent on your own, for 20,000 more miles then are promoted from "B" driver to "A" driver. And start making 30 .cpm You can start teams and do .40 cpm even. Owner Ops... well I don't recommend that until you have driven for at least 2 years. There is just too much to know. I am offering this advice from advice I was given from experienced drivers. I am set to attend the program January 4th 2011. Wish me luck!

 

Most people with whom I have spoken about Prime and their lease have lost their shirts. If you want to lease a truck then find a leasing company and do a true lease. You will NEVER own a truck from Prime. You cannot afford to pay what they want to charge for their trucks. You can buy a truck that has a monthly payment of about what Prime or others will charge weekly for a truck that you will never own. If you don't have the money for a down payment or don't have decent credit then you need to wait until you can save money and clean your credit up.

Running a truck is not cheap. I have owned trucks for many years. Most legitimate lenders will require you to have at least a year or two of driving experience before they will finance a truck for you. It is in your best interest to learn something about this business before you jump in to any long term commitment on equipment.

 

3-5 weeks is going to be your minimum time out. I would reconsider the whole O/O thing because you will never, ever get to see home. Been there, done that! You don't want to be a company driver. I would highly recommend finding an alternative career.

 

Yes, you can control wherever you go! As an Owner operator you have to run 2000 miles a week just to break even! To make any kind of money an owner operator needs to run over 4000 miles a week. There is no way you will do this going home. While you are at home you still need to make that truck payment which is about 1000 a week including your permits and insurance. It also doesn't work like it sounds. When you are going to take home time even if its for two days, it cost you about a week of miles because of trying to get to the house and then when you leave getting going after that. My wife and I ran team and would stay out for three months at a time. It would still kill us just going home for a few days. You have a lot to learn. You need to drive as a company driver for at least a year and save every penny you can if you want the slightest chance of being a successful Owner operator. By no means is it just holding the steering wheel! You need to know how to run a business, fix your rig, and know the trucking industry to make it work. You need to know where and when the freight is and where you need to be or set yourself up to be to make the most of your time and money. You don't just toodle around the country getting paid by the mile like a company driver. Master that first then worry about being an O/O. I really wouldn' t recommend it if you have a family. You would see them more if you were fighting in Iraq right now. Plus every dime you make will have to back into the business until you have a good cushion.