Start out as an Owner operator

Do you have any good friend who drive a truck? If you do, you may want to ride with him for a couple of weeks and see what it's like to live on the road. I love it personally (other than I can't drink beer at the end of a hot day), but it is not for everyone.

Even if you are financially well off, trucks (especially new ones) are expensive investments and they depreciate quickly.

 

I wouldn't be buying a truck now, the way rates are now and with freight being so slow. I am thnking of selling mine.

You might find you will do more sitting around than driving these days

 

Would you really invest mega capital in something you know nothing about? This is'nt tv and you dont get second chances. Take baby steps. Sucessful O/O are very smart and have gotten that way by being the turtle.Slow and steady learning as much as u can as u go to keep mistakes to a minimum.This is not a career it's a lifestyle and the whole family has to be behind it not just a hey that might be cool kinda deal.Just my 2cents. 21yr O/O ridin in a paid for 06 W9 livin in a paid forhouse ridin in paid for veh. But that did'nt happen over nite. Be the turtle.

 

Storytime:

Met a kid up in Wyoming who parked next to me with a brand new rig (new 660 and curtainside trailer). He sold some property and decided to try his hand at trucking. He spent almost $200k on truck and trailer, got his CDLs and own authority and whatnot and hit the road.

When I met him, he was having trouble. He went into the fishhook to check for loads and then came out complaining about cheap freight. I asked him what did he pull out to here and how much was it paying. The shipper told him to name his price as long as it got there. I told him that for a shipper like that, I would have priced what I would need to pull the load and deadhead back to that goodpaying shipper.

He had no clue. He didnt know the freight lanes, how to spec out a truck or trailer...thats alot of money to learn how to truck.

If I were you, I would do all the learning on someone else's dime.

There is a way, however that you can make your plan work right out the gate. You need to find someone who is doing exactly the kind of trucking that you want to do. Has to be an O/O with his own authority. Partner up and learn on the fly.

 

Was reading this topic as I am pretty much thinking the same thing. I do think some things are worth taking a chance on depending on your situation.

Learking....

David.