New Driver with own authority

Hi everyone, I am 58 and will probably be forced to leave my employer due to vaccine requirement In the near future. I would like to work at least 5-8 more years as a owner operator. I’m done working for someone else. I would not consider myself wealthy but I do have a substantial savings to buy my own equipment and pay the bills till I get my feet wet. Not looking to grow a company or become wealthy, just like driving and make a decent living the next 8 years.

just looking for any advice from experienced truckers who started their own authority as to what traps to look for the first couple of years.

Thanks!

 

Have you been a company driver or are you coming from a different profession?
It is different when you know that trucking is something you can handle vs coming from a stationary job and directly becoming an owner operator.

 

Get you the newest used glider you can afford or and affordable new truck with the max extended warranty

 

No experience at all other than towing a 42 foot toyhauler around the country. I had a father in law and son In law who drives and get two different perspectives but each tell me I should have no issues with a semi. I will still reserve judgement until I have actually driven one. I do intend to drive with my son in law some when starting out. I’ve worked in the power industry so no stranger to hard work and I work a lot harder than my SIL (I hope he doesn’t see this).

 

www.OOIDA.com is a business website for the owner-operator

 

Mister... your savings at your age are too precious and this is extremely high risk business. If you plan to buy equipment now, you'll be overpaying big time and unfortunately only used equipment is available. I would drive at least 6 months to a year to see how that works on my body and mind before committing any substantial money to it.

 

This.

 

The risk of getting the vaccine to stay at your currnent job until retirement is quite small compared to the risk you're taking by spending your savings to jump into the trucking business feet first with no real experience. I agree you won't have any problem with actually driving a truck, but the driving is the easiest part of the job.

 

Thank you for the feedback and I understand completely what you are saying. I have enough for retirement so that will not be an issue and believe me I’m not into throwing money away. I have to do something, it’s the way I’m wired.

I think at this point my biggest fear is backing into a crowded truck stop. Those spaces look tight.

 

You need experience!!! A lot more to bring an O/O then most think. I’ve been out here 3.5 years, I recently thought very seriously Of driving for myself but when I ran all the numbers and the cost of a good used truck having doubled in the last year and other factors I decided just to stay on as a company driver.