Two types of owner-ops

Well you go boy. Sounds like you got it all figured out.

We shall watch with great interest as your story unfolds.

 

Well said man, great write up! We’ll be able to copy/paste this for many future threads to come.

 

The quick and the dead?

 

Listen @Dave_in_AZ gave you the best advice your ever going to get.

@TallJoe explained exceedingly clearly the way that it works.

I commend you for coming here trying to get information but the problem is that no offense but you're kind of so green that you don't know what it is that you don't know.

You have much to learn grasshopper!

And as a side note between @TallJoe and @ScooterJones you MFers are making me hungry!

 

On top of that how much money do you have saved? You've gotten some great advice. All I can add is that you can't stress enough to people that they need capital to make it starting out.

Oh, and we know you aren't a troll. Around here you have to have some thick skin. Just get used to that. It's like politics around here. You make one statement and everyone assumes you are a hardcore this or that.

I've been off playing in the mountains with my son for about 10 days so I haven't caught much of this thread. I'm an independent O/O. That is why. I didn't ask anyone, just parked the truck, loaded my 4x4 and headed for Colorado. The load board freight I run will be there when I get back. It's a good market right now but one 2-day run completely funded this trip and then some.

Here's my course:
25 years as a company driver (only the last 10 in a semi)
1 year driving under someone's authority (my truck, this was expedite not a semi)
About 6 months driving a friend's truck under his authority

Then I knew. Why did I know? Because I read a #### ton on here and asked a lot of the questions you have and took heed of the answers. I didn't jump too young. Kids are teenagers and marriage is stable (if that exists). I couldn't have been gone this much when kids were little. I would not have done it for any price.

So, sorry for the novel. This ought to sum up my contribution: As soon as you have a big enough chunk of change and good enough credit to buy your own rig and be able to repair about anything on it without breaking out a credit card (for me that number was $30k in the bank) and as soon as you don't want to ever have to think twice about drilling a hole in something for any #### reason you see fit then you are ready.

 

I couldn't make it on my own. I know that going in

 

Give it time, driver. You can learn and you can change. If you want. Nothing wrong with either path.
For me, I changed a lot in my 40's. All of my values have changed. Kids grow up, face your own limitations or just flat out decide you want something different out of life....or not.

 

Im sure i’m not as experienced as lots of guys on here. But i’ll give my 2 cents. And much of the knowledge the posters on here gave you are priceless little gems you will just understand once you do it. Ive been an independent owner op for about 4 years, bought my truck n trailer, got a friend of mines to book me loads, after about 2 years, booked my own loads. And there really is no straight answer on how much you’ll make, or how easy or hard it is. Theres freedom, money, hometime and a social life. You choose what you want.