Taking the plunge. My journey as an O/O.

Well, good news for me. The accounting company is actively processing my tax return now. Finally.

I expect to be done with taxes and free to move to another company within a month or so. Yes, I could do it sooner, but I try to stick to plans when I can.

I am hearing more and more bad things about Schneider ripping off o/o's by yanking good loads out from under them.

Landstar is also an option, but I would like to hear from other o/o's to see what's out there where people can actually tell me from experience how a company is treating them.

So. What I have is a standard highway 80k lb gvw three axle tractor. 2016 Freightliner. Adjustable 5th wheel. Manual transmission. DPF system is intact, not cheated.

I have been an o/o @ 2.5 years, and a driver for @5.5 years. Truck is paid off. I have not been bothered by Crete about my MVR or HOS issues, so I am clean there. The only accidents that should be on my MVR are no-fault accidents. One where I was rear-ended in my personal vehicle @ 6 years ago, and one where I was struck by an inattentive driver last year. No moving violations, DUI, or any convictions of any type.

What I am looking for.

1. A fleet of over 50 o/o trucks, with no company drivers.
2. Ability to pull from major load boards.
3. The company handles billing of customers, and turns my settlements into income in a week or less. Two weeks might be acceptable if I like the rest of the company's offerings.
4. Strong % pay with the ability to request contract data be electronically delivered to me within a day or two of my request.
5. Direct deposit of my settlements.
6. Significant fuel and service discounts.
7. OTR operations. I don't want to be limited to a regional load board.
8. No required mileage. If I decide to take a month off, I don't want to be pestered about it.
9. I must be able to submit finished loads electronically.


So, anyone got any companies they want to tell me to look into? I will be looking for myself, but I am sure I won't be able to find everything.

 

I am recommending @Midwest Trucker
You guys can PayPal me the finders fee

 

All I know is company and Landstar. Been at Landstar a year now. Talked to a lot of Landstar guys before making the jump, both current and former. Could find no one that told me it was a bad place to be (contrary to disgruntled internet chatter). Yes, some had complaints, but they didn’t want to be anywhere else. That includes 3 different people that had their contracts cancelled over the years, and hopped around and couldn’t wait to get back.

That’s really all I have to offer. 65% of the load sucks if you look at it just from that perspective. I’ve parked my truck for weeks at a time. Could be months at a time if I choose. Which is really my only problem here...discipline to run harder. I could actually benefit from forced dispatch.

Everyone of your markers hits, except “strong %”. But that’s a matter of perspective. Weekly settlements. TRANSFLO app. No real competition of fuel discounts. I don’t use any service discounts. I choose not to involve them when I don’t have to.

I know Dave will want to punch my dog for promoting Landstar, but I can’t help.

Love my decision to come here.

NO REGERTS!

 

If your pulling off major load boards it shouldn’t make a difference if there are company drivers in the fleet or not. Check out M.A.G Carriers in Dearing, GA if you want total freedom with a decent package. Some of the best carriers you’ll ever run for are the smaller operations. Like 20 trucks with a shop. Then again anything will be better then what you’ve been doing...

 

I thought Schneider used major load boards. Are you saying that they do not, that Schneider has a private load board that they populate in house? If so, that makes Schneider seem even worse.

 

Which Yokohama tires did you have?

Schneider, Mercer, and Landstar all use in house load boards. Mercer and Landstar day they allow you to pull from public load boards but they don't allow you to use their MC# to gain access to the load boards. I have used all 3 of those load boards and the public boards and I prefer Landstar to all of them. I haven't ran a load off the Landstar board in 3 weeks. The load board at Landstar will get you started and fill in when needed but you'll make more money as you get to know agents and pull their freight that never hits the load board.

 

I have not the slightest idea where you got that from my post. lol. I do believe it’s a in house load board for Schneider. I also believe you should opt for a smaller carrier in your area or at least open the option up. You’re a owner operator with a paid off truck. Why deal with the politics of mega carriers. You also have reefer experience.. I know this may be hard to swallow but the last year it’s been extremely easy to crush $8,000 gross weeks and even hit up to $10 or $11 thousand legally on elogs for reefer. Something I also thought was completely impossible and truck stop diner talk. Look around bro.

 

You can do the same in dry van. Just have to know how to work the boards.