No experience but getting Authority

This guy is new, one post and has not returned or replied. Must be a joke.

 

he's prolly enterviewing all the driver apps.

 

I sent him my resume but he turned me down, I didn't qualify for some reason.

 

I don't think he had the first clue about how the math would stack up.

 

I appreciate your and a few others' responses, as I am about to do something similar. I am just about there and finally am coming out of lurk mode and registered on the forum. Aside from the funny answers, the serious ones pretty much confirm what I already knew. Thank you for taking the time.

My reason for doing this business is reason B. I'm getting into business to support a family member. Unlike the OP, he ain't getting 50¢/mi and fat benefits. And what truck to buy is the least of my worries. Cash flow, on the other hand, is top priority.

I've had a CDL in the past (before the national requirements started) and plan to get a DOT physical with my upcoming FAA exam, and find a school nearby to get refreshed and reinstated. If nothing else, to ride/evaluate new drivers some day if we decide to add trucks, or step in and drive if I want or need to.

Bottom line is I'm willing to gamble a little to take care of family. If it doesn't work out, no regrets and I've gotten into it eyes open. If it succeeds, it will lead to bigger and better.

 

If you are doing this to provide a job to a family member, there are plenty of driving jobs. Your family member should not have a problem finding a driving job for a carrier if they have a CDL, clean mvr and work history. Carriers continue to hire drivers. You are putting a lot on the line just to provide a job for someone. It that is all you want to do you could save your money and let them find a job with one of the major carriers.

 

Good point. I oversimplified. The family member is an adult son who has a nice ding (due to a bad judgement call in a 4-wheeler) on his less than mature commercial driving record. Initially, that will take a chunk out of any profitability due to higher insurance cost. On the other hand, he's a conscientious driver that I would certainly take the gamble on putting behind the wheel of my truck. He's a good man and a hard worker that had one screw up. It's not a career breaker, so I'm willing to take a bet on him. He's single, loves to drive, and won't mind getting run all over the nation weeks on end when the loads are going somewhere besides home. He's recently worked for another non-driving owner who is doing ok despite doing a lot of simple things wrong. I've heard his experience along with my wife and I am certain I can do at least that and break even, with the upside coming from my own background and the three of us doing things right.

The other motivation is that my wife and I are working toward getting our eggs out of two baskets. That is, we've been fortunate to remain employed in professional jobs during the latest economic downturn, but really aren't planning to depend on that forever. Getting off of other people's payroll is the route to do that. We have never been in a rush to start a business or other venture. In fact we've probably been over-cautious to choose a venture that we're comfortable with and have a clear line of sight with the risks involved. This strategy has already worked out with another family member on a different venture a few years ago.

We're looking to the long term benefits, both for us and family members that for one reason or another can benefit too. We've got no illusions of getting rich off of a trucking business, nor do I think it will be easy. In the worst case, we lose a few bucks and sell out or it turns into a jobs program for a family member. In the ideal case, we grow it over time and make a little money.

 

Good luck to you. I hope things work out the way you want.

 

Red.......If I lived in the states and had the opportunity to start a company,I would do it. Big companies cry about rates and such but most are mismanaged,a little company can make money with the right guy running the show.

I wouldn't run tractor trailers. In your area, I would go for a straight trucks with bunks on them and peddle LTL freight around GA and the Carolinas. I've never had an issue with getting loaded for home in those states,there seems to be plenty of freight and enough big cities that have transportation needs. Find some small regular customers and supplement the rest with brokered freight(loadboard freight). I don't know how the carpet industry is doing in Georgia but you could get some in house transfer work from them. I used to haul into Beaulieu(Dalton) regularly. There seemed to be carpet plants everywhere in GA.

Whatever you do,I hope you succeed. It's good to see people taking care of their family members.

 

Wow Red, that sounds like a plan. Just remember there are alot of costs associated with starting a trucking business. Read through the "finally an O/O" thread. Check out OOIDA, they have a wealth of information there too. Also, look at insurance rates and agents. I heard (no firsthand knowledge on it) that they have a 500 air mile radius for new drivers, although Swift/Werner/and others seem to have found a way around that.

I wish you luck, heck, I wish I was your son! Would take a lot of the pain out of the job search!