O/O with new authority: looking for freight companies that will accept my carrier packets ASAP.

thank you all for your input. I keep thinking about getting my own numbers and going out on my own. I started driving in the 80's. drove for one company for 17 years till they closed our terminal. the company im with now I have been a owner operator for them for 7 years. I keep thinking about taking it to the next level but some of this sounds a little overwhelming. I have a couple friends that have their own authority an have been after me to get mine .they say it's the best thing they have ever done. every thing i own is paid for even my truck. iam just worried about doing it a loosing it all. one thing I will not do is going into debt to do it. my biggest fear is getting every thing an not be able get the loads. thank you all again for your input.

 

These are completely two different cases. DoubleYellow wrote a textbook style thread of what needs to be done to get going with own authority. Many threads here ,such as this one, are about people asking basic simple questions all over again.

I consider his story unfinished because he had a change of heart due to poor 2016 and first half of 2017, so to say that it was not worth it, could only be true in his case, as he could do other more worthy things outside trucking. Not an option for many with lesser set of skills.

I don't think there is a such a long road from a dry can to an open deck either. So to blame it on the equipment type is a little navie IMO. In other words, if you can't make it with a dry van, don't think that you will necessarily make it with a reefer, car hauler, bull hauler or open deck.


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........mmmm kinda.. idk how much made it onto the forum; but essentially the business model was excel at limiting costs while trying to compete at low rates. That’s a tough row to hoe when the economy of scale is 1 asset.

I have done some dry van work- overall the rates on contract work for van vs open deck are not as close as the load board averages suggest. I can’t speak to every market, for sure. I can speak for my market; and the van contract rates are 40-45% lower than open deck rates on the same lane.


Supply/demand. More people are willing to pull a van than a flat/step, for a variety of reasons depending on who you ask.


I certainly won’t say it can’t be done: @Oscar the KW knows plenty about making things work regardless of equipment. Some markets don’t favor certain equipment: whether you are direct or getting it from a broker.


Running a dry van own authority vs open deck leased to a carrier (double yellow/Blair) isn’t apples to apples.
Meanwhile; plenty of people lease to an open deck carrier and nose dive into the shallow end.

Who you know, what you know make a lot more difference than exactly which equipment you’re hooked to imo

 

Yet I see the 38 to 58 year old gray haired,Husky (250-300lb) Comfy Drivers pulling them Loading Lumber for a couple bucks.

Conestoga is a Lazy mans Flatbed- Wants the Same $$$ for Flat Work- But runs like a Van, I even see them just flop their chains and Boomers on the Floor like a messy kids bedroom, Sitting on the Bed with the Slide open playing with Boomers and their ### Crack Showing-

I Give More Credit to Door slammers than I do most Conny Heads .

You wanna be a Flatbedder- Keep your Ticker Strong- CLIMB- SPREAD OUT-LIFT-SWEAT-SMILE in the sun- Next Time I see a 359-379-orW-9 Pulling a stoga With Needle point lug nut covers and Big Bearing axle trailers....I'm gonna come up to ytou and start questioning your operations and your health.

Ok that said.......Ruthless,Yeah that Rock Hill to Wherever 40 mile Trip for $850 SHOULD BE STANDARDS TO EVERYONE- But we both know its not- Brokers Really Baggin?? Or just a lucky Good Shipper???
Did your Homework,Worked Hard for your Direct business??

Rember you Coined the Phrase..."I KNOW BUSINESS" Remember that?

In the Real World ,No third Party is paying $850 on a 4 hour run on Legal,general freight.

But,Its a Good Number,$850 is a Good number on Intrastate 40-50 mile trips.

 

Good to hear. Looks like you guys are doing your homework from watching your videos. I forgot about the w-9 form.

 

Ch and Jb hunt should keep you busy for a while .

 

I’ll have to read his thread. Sounds like he decided to quit at exactly the worst time EVER!

 

I don't think anybody expected at the time that all of sudden from a measly $1.65 per mile we were going to start getting $3.5 and more on the same lanes from September and forward. Heck when is it going to happen again?