owner operator wage questions

The most successful O/O's I know put their money into their trailers. Trailers are assets. They don't burn fuel or need lots of maintenance and repairs. Many types of trailers hold their value quite well, certainly better than a truck. These big companies aren't stupid. that's why they have huge trailer fleets for you to pay for on their behalf.

Trucks are liabilities. Spend what you have to on an efficient truck that will do the job. The problem for most of us simple minded types is that trailers have little ego appeal like a big 'ol Pete or KW like mine. I fell into the trap too. And I'm leaving at least 10 grand a year at the fuel pumps and that's only gonna go up. Fuel here in Florida is 3.13 today. Just 1 MPG reduction is nearly $1,000 per month going up in smoke. But I look cool. That's whats important.

 

Yup,
There's lots to consider when taking the big leap.. Driving the truck is the easy part.. Driving it efficiently and proffitably is the key to success, that equalls proffit.. proffit = survival.. without these you don't survive, you go bankrupt.. simple hu??

You've got to treat it as a business, nothing personal.. "Doing favors" ... please take this cheap load, I just gotta cover it" doesn't help you 1 bit.. (In my book).. OR Hmmm I just don't don't care to run the New England states.. the traffic is just soo bad, then there are the tolls, no truck stops, blah, blah, blah,... but IF you can make a decent profit even after all the tolls, higher fuel, (and maybe a motel room for a few days.. gotta factor in a few more unseen possabilities..) Say someone offered you $3 a mi for a simple legal 15K load??? 1 drop 1 pic... Say Houston, TX to Boston, MA.. 1800mi... pays $5400.00.... Would you do it???? (aproximated miles not actual.. just making a point)

There are guys out there that say I DON'T DO this , this this, and this... as a O/O you have to be willing to go where the $$ takes you. Yes, you have to be smart about it.. demand a premium rate going into somewhere like Fargo, ND with a flatbed in Jan... but yes, if there is $$ to be made.. you go... Anyone disssagree with this philosophy??

 

No thats why i've done good for myself the last 16 years i do alot of the loads and go places most won't and its got me alot of repeat costomers.

 

same here, been at it as an O/O for about 20 years and run where the money is

 

do you guys get trip permits to run all over the us or do you just IRP for all forty-eight?

 

do you guys get trip permits to run all over the us or do you just IRP for all forty-eight?

 

I just register for the states i mostly run in 1 truck ME to FL 2 others new england,NY ,PA and NJ if a load comes up going where i'am not registered i'll get a trip permit but i try not to leave my frieght lanes to much.

 

The company I'm leased to has a refer div. that pays .64 a mile but they pay all fuel,insurance,plates,tolls, road tax,lumpers etc. In other words bring a tractor and you and haul freight. In my case I pull a flat with paid for equipment, don't pay liability or cargo ins. but everything else.Bottom line wages, fund for new equip, maintence wages taxes etc is 1.25 which doesn't include roi, health ins or retirement. From the folks that have been around a while seem to have the same costs.

 

I hear it all, or have heard it all. I wouldn't trust anyone online to tell you the truth. So many of these companies post a lot of nonsense because they don't want people out their renegading the trucking industry. They want the freight all to themselves. So how does one find out the truth? TAlK TO THE OWNER OPERATORS!!!!! It's plain commen sense. They'll tell you the real scoop. I've talked to many o/o and the figure that I've come up with is that the average owner will take home about 60k a year. That's just an average. True there are some rip-off companies and there are some liars. Some guys will make only 30k because they left there brain in high school and didn't do there homework. The smart guys, the ones that do the research, make the phone calls, and make trucking their life will probably take home 100k a year. I've talked to some guys that are making good money trucking. Just gotta use common sense and talk to people, do the research, and really get the spoof on it before you end up in debt and ruin your credit.
But with that said, 98 cents per mile is a rip-off unless they're paying your fuel. I would stay as far away from that company as I could.

 

i was thinking the same thing, spend someone ell's money and keep yours for a rainy day just in case i mean you were going to spend it anyway right .. so put yours away in a safe place and let the ball roll for the first few years and see how it go's then after you have it all dialed in buy a second truck ,, just a thought ,,