Wanting to go o/o. Help b

I truly hope this thread hasn't been covered, but I'm pretty sure it has. That said, I couldn't find it. Sorry.

I begin by saying...

I'm not a new driver, but after 12 years I am still a rookie. I've owned a truck before, for 13 months. Paid cash, leased to a decent company, loved it. The problem was... The company I leased to went belly up and my wife's dad passed on just weeks after while hauling a load of lumber to South Carolina. I sold the truck in order to come off the road and spend time with her through her grieving process. 10 years ago...

Fast forward to now.
I'm wanting to get back to owning my own truck again. I have a decent job, but it's LTL team and honestly it's killing me. We do 5 live loads and a drop and hook every day while running 1150 miles a day, up I-77 through VA, WV etc. I make good money, but want more control of my future.
I have pulled stepdecks a very little. Less than 10k miles total, loved every second of it. I live in KY off of I-75 near Williamsburg (exit 11).
I'm looking at a low mileage '01 Pete that I can get for $600 month. It's already equipped with a headache rack and comes with chains and binders. My question is... Is it possible to be home MOST weekends in my area with a stepdeck, maybe with Mercer or L/S, and still make enough to properly take care of my equipment while paying myself $950/wk after taxes?
The recruiters at at Mercer said to expect $1.70/ mile average but I know that's very optimistic.
I have a good friend leased to L/S and he survives, but he's very picky. He doesn't run anywhere except north and south.
I know things aren't great and I don't plan on making any kind of moves until March or so.
Any input would bemore than welcomed. Thanks all, great forums.

 

Thanks Krooser. Are you with them now? Getting started scares me. Buying a rig that's unknown to you, worrying that the crank may implode as soon as I get my first dispatch. You know how it is. I just get no exercise here, or running box either. I've gained 100 lbs running team and that's being careful. I'm just ready to make a lifestyle decision.
And I do of course realize that the money is going to fluctuate wildly but I'd like to be able to set enough aside to keep my payroll on a salary type deal. I'm saving everything I can getting prepared for this deal but I'm a numbers cruncher. My old Pete... I was off 4 weeks with a cracked ankle, got released to work, got my first dispatch, hooked the trailer, and a bolt came out of the flywheel. It got wedged just right so the clutch wouldn't disengage. Hi ho hi ho to the shop we go. Lol. I took good care of it... My dad and his dad were drivers, dad still is, so I learned to grease and tighten, wash and polish. But my old truck was abused before I got it. It was clean, but internally neglected. When I sold it I explained that to the guy that bought it. He had it 3 months and it went toes up. He had several other trucks and this was a spare, but it made me feel terrible. He fixed it and I still see it occasionally. Anyway. Thanks again.

 

Thanks Redd. Definitely noted.

 

Thanks. I'll check them out!!