Thinking About Buying A Used Stinger With My Own Authority

First truck buyers need a minimum of 30% down generally. Ones own authority sounds great on the surface. After all the smoke clears you won’t net more than leased to a carrier with long term contracts and it’s a lot more work. Your insurance the first year will treat you like you have never driven a rig before and some major carhaul companies won’t broker to you for your first 6 months to a year. The truck price is way too high and I really like the Baileys, I bought my brand new 80’ quickloader from them. Being a carhaul owner op can be a great thing, but with only 3 years to do it you may not see a profit. I have several friends who did their own authority and the only ones still doing it are in California where leased on owner ops was outlawed. Even they wouldn’t have got their authority if they weren’t forced to get it. As a leased on owner op in carhaul you are generally treated like an employee for dispatch and getting work first. As someone with your own authority when the work slows down for company and leased trucks they don’t broker freight out. Becoming a first time owner op is hard enough without the extra challenges that one’s own authority will bring.
I would only get my own authority if I was absolutely forced to. The weeks I work hard now I gross $10,000-$11,000 to the truck after the company cut. I don’t have to file IFTA, collect from the customer, find loads, get my own fuel discount card, hotel discount card, tire discount or do safety related things that someone with their own authority does. Being leased to a large carrier really is the way to go in carhaul. @brian991219 can probably give you detailed information on the extra back office work you will encounter with your own authority. Often times the rate posted on the brokered loads is less than what we get and some companies don’t pay fuel surcharge on brokered loads like contract freight does.

My carrier absolutely does not own me or my rig and they don’t get to dictate what loads go on it! We generally have very good freight, but we do have some cheap freight and I deadhead right past it to my normal good paying freight. No questions asked.

 

My opinion as a long time company driver:

I wouldn't do it. Especially if you are wanting to retire in a few years. Are you sold on car hauling? How about maybe trying a flatbed outfit or something if you can't find a good car hauling gig?

While I see the allure of being your own boss, the part I really like about being a company driver is, whenever I have a lousy day, no matter how bad it is at the end of the day I can park the truck, slam the door, and walk away from it. (Oh, I'm also a local driver so that helps)

I don't have to worry about any paperwork, I don't have to pay any bills, I can dump $500 into the fuel tank and laugh about it.

I remember one day last year my dispatcher did something really stupid (I don't even remember what he did, but it made my blood boil), and management wouldn't do anything to help the situation, so I said hell with it and emailed my supervisor that I was taking the rest of the week off to look for a new job. He said ok, I went home and had a nice little break, and by Monday I was cooled off and ready to get back in the seat.

You can't do that as an owner op.

Idk man, you seem like you are in a good spot in life, I'd hate to see you lose your arse this close to retirement!

 

Yes you can and I do routinely take the rest of the week off just because I want to.
I agree with you that he is too close to retirement to switch up now.

 

I took a little over a month off after dad died before going back out.
My company and truck and trailers. Yes I still had payments.
And yes i just put $670 in fuel

 

If United Road has a terminal near you it might be a good move.. heard that they've changed things and picked up a lot of freight..

 

67
House ain’t paid off
Gonna start a business to make quick enough money to retire


From the outside- If you had a high likelihood of success, you probably should’ve done it 40 years ago.

No judgment- if you’re 67 and you still owe six figures on a house. You’ve been living beyond your means for a long time. Starting a business won’t change your behavior- just how many zeroes in the red you are.