Recommended Amount of Experience

All on my own and never had any help. If securement is the problem then maybe you are not ready to go on your own. I run dry van so not an issue with that for me.

 

I’ve done flatbed/Hopper/Tanker/Van back to hopper.

I use TruckingOffice Official | Trucking Management Solutions | Free Trial and a yearly journal to keep up with my loads, that lets me do Invoices quick and mark which loads have been paid without digging through my folders
on home time.
Plus Pay drivers from right there to on settlement tab.

 

I'm glad to hear you are concerned, but really after 1 year of driving van and now being concerned, is quite...curious why you waited so long. Do you have any training where you work, or do you just open the doors, back the trailer, drop and leave waiting to be told to get the trailer and go? Every driver, of every type of vehicle is supposed to learn from the DOT regulations, and other material to secure their load, or at the least, know if the shipper is doing it right. Try getting this at a truck stop, and reading while you wait for your trailer to be loaded:

This handbook describes all types of securement for truck drivers, van and flatbed. In addition, get this one, too, so you can see where the regulations that the first book tells you about..comes from. All securement regulations is in the Green/White book, if you know how to read legalese.

 

To answer your question… 0 years in my experience. I started with only about 500 miles on my CDL permit before buying a truck and becoming an OO. Driving experience is just a part of the OO game. Load securement is the smallest of those worries if you’re hauling van. Carry several straps and strap the load in a sensible manner to keep it from either tipping in turns or shifting forward during heavy braking.

Definitely a bad time to get in, but others have touched on that plenty.

 

if ur determined to become an o/o in these times i would look for an older truck,06 or older as the price will be entry level and short of an inframe u wont be on the hook. an older truck will keep going down the road while having nickle and dime repairs compared to a big emissions repair on an newer truck that will most likely put u out of business. if youre handy with a wrench or know someone that is u will be fine in that sense. paying cash for an older truck will make each month easier. although some people get their authority early its just about always recomended to sign on with someone first and then learn the business side of trucking and use their trailer so one more thing not to have to buy from the start.

 

Why in Gods name would you willingly buy a truck? You have a years experience. Not a clue on what can go wrong with a truck or how to fix it based on you not even knowing how to put a strap in the box. Are you running your own authority or leasing on to someone? Or do you even know the difference?

Personally, I had 30 years experience before I did it. I had the knowledge, the experience, and the money to make it work. And I still had some things to learn when I bought my first truck.

Like lesson number 1, never - ever - EVER for any reason buy a used truck... You cant work on them yourself in this day and age because of all the computerized crap in them. I had a turn signal go out on me and it cost $600 because with the LEDs you have to replace the whole module not just a bulb. Just as an example. And a lot of companies wont let you bring in an older truck, so unless you plan to get your own DOT number, that option should be left outside also...

 

I’m currently doing it now, my authority will hit the 6 month mark on the 23rd. I just went for it, no experience I just got my cdl at a two week course. Just be prepared to pay high insurance mine runs $2,700 a month, but I’m making that in less than 2 days. My advice is stay motivated you have to be able to deal with problems on the fly, there will be problems 100%. Another thing I wish I would have done differently is not buying a $150,000 truck. I’d say get a good truck in the $50-70k range and you’ll make plenty of money. My truck payment is 3k a month. Also know where you’re going to run primarily and watch the rates, which is paying best vans or flatbeds. I’m in Texas so flatbed all the way. STAY AWAY from factoring companies all the big brokers have quick pay anyway if you need the money now and There’s no contract. Be prepared to haul the cheaper loads for awhile the first three months you’re going to hear a bunch that your authority is still not old enough but that will pass. I used TQL a lot in the beginning and I know everyone says they suck, but not all the time. I’m hauling a load for them tomorrow 312 miles for $1500. Which brings my next/final comment, if you agree to pick up a load do everything on time with the proper documentation: name( printed), time in/out, and date on every Bol. As your authority ages and handle business in the proper manner you’ll get good paying loads even from the big brokers.

 

I got into trucking knowing I wanted to own my own truck. I did one year otr flatbed with a company, then purchased a used Cascadia. Leased on to landstar and it’s been great ever since! I did tons of research before making the jump. Also, I’m pretty mechanically inclined, so I do all minor stuff on my truck myself.

Some people try to make it sound like rocket science. It’s not. If you feel like you’re ready. Buy a truck and give it a shot. You’ll fail or you won’t fail. Some things might be out of your control.

 

In addition, you don't need that shiny PACCAR product at a price premium. An old FLD with a Series 60 or N14 will be a fuel-sippin' money-maker, and the parts are cheaper and more plentiful than even newer stuff (plenty of good used parts on the market).