The Good, The Bad, The Honest Truth of a New Roehl Lease Operator

What I mean when I say I have nothing to lose is that, I have zero bills. I enjoy the job and I have been treated good. I'm not saying that is making me want to go this route. I do understand all the expenses and I'm sure as heck not goin into this blindly. Once I speak with someone and find a truck and get numbers I will add them up, this has been something I've gone back and fourth with, but I feel confident that I could do well given my truck has little issues, and when that happens I'll be ready. I have a nice chunk of money saved like I said I have no bills I'm kind of sad to say that this is all I have, so my focus and determination is 100%
ill speak with Jeff tomorrow and see what info I can get, if it sounds good then I'll take a week or 2 and figure out all the numbers etc. and I'll make a decision then.

 

What too many miss is that the truck is not your business. The truck is a tool you use to perform your service. Do you want to own a small business and take on all of the responsibility that comes with business ownership? If you want to own a small business, then the key to success is keeping your costs as low as possible while maximizing your business revenue. To that end, if you are able, the object would be a truck as mechanically sound as possible that can be paid off in the shortest time possible. There are a lot of trucks for sale in the $30-$40 thousand range that you could pay off within 2 years at the payments a company sponsored lease/purchase will cost. If you kept the truck for another 2 years after that you could have $50 thousand in the bank. If I had had that option 4 years ago it is the direction I would have headed in. Check out the trucks available in Truck Paper if you either have cash saved up, or can get your own financing. This lease has served its' purpose for me, but if I expand in the future that is the direction I will go in.

 

I am a company driver for Roehl and was thinking about leasing with Roehl…. After getting some really good advice from other Roehl lease operators, I decided to shop around before leasing with Roehl. For the record, I am very happy with Roehl overall. Schneider just approved me today along with JCT. The choice plan with SNI really looks good so far. Any advice would be appreciated….

 

Every driver I've met from JCT was unhappy. To be totally fair, none of those drivers last long at my company either so it easily could have been a personnel problem. I've never met a former Schneider driver that went out of their way to complain about how bad they sucked, so in my book (it's not a good read, and doesn't flow well) Schneider is better that JCT.

 

Well I got the numbers today doesn't look bad, but not great either. For the risk and responsibility I'm not thinking the extra 400 is worth it a week. I will get more figured out but I am going to think about it a lot more

 

I have been looking into John Christner Trucking and speaking with JCT drivers I meet on the road. Everyone I have spoken with (6 so far) say they are pleased with JCT. What interests me about JCT is they pull an awful lot of produce out of California which means long runs to the midwest and back to the coast. I too am very pleased with Roehl, so I have not made any decision. I will hold off until next year in the spring I believe. Schneiders I choice is also very attractive and a good majority of their drivers are very satisfied. I don't think I would be interested in a used truck though, I have done some inquiring into leasing a new truck through Paclease. They do require excellent credit, if you can qualify there is no DP and the monthly payments are fair even including a complete maintenance program. Food for thought! There are ample opportunities out there, find one that fits your situation and make the decision.

 

Keep reading a lot about Schneider's Choice Program, but what about Landstar? Just curious..

 

A former Roehl L/P driver I know has been with them for a few years now. He seems happy there.

 

I've been reading about LS from the sound of it it's hard to make good money unless your flatbed or on a van dedicated I'd go with IC before I did LS

 

Seen a few trucks id love to finance. Two I really liked was an 06 Freight for 16k and a 08 Pete snub nose condo for 34k. Might use these two in my business plan model, and actually see if a traditional bank bites.