Owner operator worth it

Yea and no. Base your weeks on 48 and not 52. Find out what lanes the company run and what they're O/O gross on a weekly basis. Basically if I was in your shoes I'd do more homework on the "work" your getting. Ask the company all those questions then come back here with the info because if their drivers are only grossing $4000 a week then you're in for a uphill climb.

 

I lost about $20,000 my first year. #### happens.

 

4000 miles a week. It can be done. You'd need a hardcore driver, a solid truck, preloaded trailers and dedicated 2500 mile trips from Bellingham,WA to Jacksonville Florida.

But wait...he wants to be home on the weekend. Impossible. To punch in 4000 miles, you wouldn't even have enough time to take 10 at home.

If it were me, and I had the capital to get this underway, and family was important to me, I'd give my brother the money to do a down payment on a truck from those BuyHerePayHere places, and tell him to pay me back in 12 months. No profit...just break even. And I wouldn't expect to ever see my money again. Forget about profit, consider yourself lucky to just get your investment back.

'But brother runs 4000 miles.'

And home on weekend? That's bad business, amigo. If someone wanted me to sign my name and put my money on an operation whose plan is to run like that, I'd pass. It's not smart business. If being home is important to you, you plan on running 2500 miles or less. That puts you leaving out on Monday and home early Thursday best case. If you can't make the numbers work at 2500 miles, you don't do it.

If your brother is any kind of driver, and he's been behind the wheel for a few years, why can't he get his own business going? Why is he a worker when he should be a boss? Wait. Don't answer that.

 

Wait a min. They told you it's possible to bank the kinda money you've projected but they don't have the money to put your brother in a truck?? Who's idea was this in the first place? Yours or your brother? If it was your brother and he came to you with the numbers and etc then walk away. He'll be upset at first but he needs more researching to do. If it's your idea then I'm afraid that you may be biting off more than you can chew

 

You gotta base them off the revenue the company your leasing too does. Talk to about 10 of their drivers and ask them what can they gross on avg annually and monthly

 

Why is your brother expecting family to buy him a truck anyways? I'd be ashamed asking family for money.

 

That's kind of what your post above read like. But hey wtf do I know I've only been doing this a few years myself and helping out guys on here with advice when I could!? What I find amusing is guys like you cherry picking rosy scenarios for yourselves and get mad at anyone who's been there and done that pouring cold water on your idea. Then you act surprised when the house of cards comes down. You better be prepared to lose a lot of money and you better have an exit strategy in mind too. Good luck with it!