Newbie Here

First, THANK YOU for your service to our country, second WELCOME to the forum!

WOW you have some big plans, and I know our members once they get the chance will have some good advice for you BUT as a drivers wife I would suggest that you get your CDL, and get to know the industry BEFORE you try to become an O/O.....this business can be tricky and you really need OTR experience and to know the ins/outs before you put all your money into it.......jmo

GOOD LUCK and enjoy the board

 

Welcome to the forum, Terminator! I'm not a trucker, so what I know is pretty much what I've learned from friends who are drivers and folks here on the boards. But what luvmyhubby said is pretty much the consensus -- that prior to becoming an O/O, you should probably get a year or two experience to just get first-hand knowledge of the industry... and use that time to set up your game plan for your own business based on what you learn while you are working.

One of my dearest friends drives a Volvo... automatic... but the Kenworth T2000's are his favorites, too!

Good luck, Terminator! We look forward to getting to know you here on the boards. And thanks for serving in the Navy. Our military folks are important to us here!

 

DO NOT buy a truck as your first gig.
You know less than nothing about driving a truck, let alone how to run a trucking biz.
As an O/O you are a business owner first and a driver second.
How can you run a business you know nothing about? Trucking is nothing but customer service. You are not a producer of a product, you have nothing any other trucking company does not have.
Do you know what your cost will be daily? Weekly? monthly?
If you plan on going under your own authority, who will insure you? No one.
If you want to be successful, what decent company will lease you on with NO experience? very few!

Minimum of 3 years behind the wheel, ideally 5.
I would recomend working for an O/O or small fleet owner. keep a track of all expenses that the truck incurs. Downtime, mechanical, Ins, etc.

Everyone thinks they can come out here and make a go of it, it is not regulated like it was a long time ago. The rates are, at best, low.
What type of freight will you haul? Toilet paper? Food? tires? LOL. Good luck with that! Swift, JB, England, and the rest of the "cheap freight haulers" have that tied up. Oh, you want to do platform work, RGN, Step, double drop, flat... riiiigggght! Good luck with that too. (yes, that is what I have done for the last 12-13 years).
I hauled produce my first 3 years OTR (90-93), we used to get 4500- 5500 bux coming out of Shakey to the East, know what it pays today (on the avg.)??? The same, LOL, 13 years of inflation and still pays the same. We had .75 cent a gallon fuel then too.

My best and most honest advice, like I said above, learn to drive first!
Good luck and make sure you learn the "Code of ethics" of being a truck driver, or be a steering wheel holder and be like most out here.

 

Sounds like a great truck just one problem you should get a manual transmition then a automatic cause the auto downshift's by them selfs in the winter but if you are planning on sticking with the southern states that perfect then

Take Care and good luck

 

My advice is this and its only advice so dont sue me.
This is the way we ran our business.
1 Find out the cost of the truck and trailer.
2 Divide it by 4 years.
3 Fuel is at least $2.50/ gal now. Figure at least @ 30 more.
4 Figure oil, grease, tires all around 100,000 mi. plus a spare and 2 steering tires xtra just in case, wash once a week @75-100, wax, polish, a auxilllary unit & maintenence Interest on 2 credit card with up to $20,000 on them for fuel etc. Tolls, the list goes on and on. You can deduct anything you use , pants shirts shoes and meals any day you are over a certain distance from the house.
5 Insurance will be around $1500.00 or more /mo.
6 Write the truck and trlr off in four year s and buy another, before the warranty runs out
7 get a Cat w/3 speed overdrive. better warranty Run, run run!!!

 

That was get a CAT 500 w/13 speed Rockwell, Eaton 3.70 w/ 40000 lb rating (46000) max Get it set on 2100 RPM and it will do 91 MPH, will lope at 75 and I figure it this way. You can run 55 mph, go 100,000 a year and it will take a lot more that 2000 hrs of driving. Go at least 5 mph over the limit and never get a ticket, run 80mph out west, get a run at those hills and run 130000 miles a year. You make another $30,000.00 gross and it cost you about $15000. more for fuel. We did it, Lets see, $15000 almost makes it profitable.

 

Good to have You here!!!

 

Invest that money otherwise (like stocks or something that you cant spend away)...listen to your dad.... and work first for someone else.
just my 2c.

 

I'd say re-up with the Navy if possible.. otherwise run with the old man to learn the ropes... learn to drive a manual and leave the auto's for the company drivers.