What made you finally get your own truck?

Discussion in 'Ask An Owner Operator' started by EZX1100, Mar 3, 2014.

  1. Jokingypsy

    Jokingypsy Medium Load Member

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    Jan 4, 2013
    Baltimore, MD
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    I'm hoping in the next year or two I can either buy my own truck, or get the hell out of this business. I love driving a truck, but with all the over regulation, getting stuck in 62mph trucks while states are raising their speed limits to 70, sleep apnea crap, etc. it just seems like it is getting less and less worth it. I'm tired of hearing the burger flippers cry about they deserve $15.00 an hour and people are rallying behind this BS but nobody cares that burger flippers will be making more money per hour than a lot of OTR drivers. I don't have the proper capital saved right now to pull the trigger on buying a rig, kinda the reason I got on this web sight to learn as much as I can before doing so.

    Adam
     
    blairandgretchen Thanks this.
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  3. Emulsified

    Emulsified Road Train Member

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    May 6, 2010
    Dallas, TX
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    Starry eyes, too much testosterone and the constant 'encouragement' of my closest friend (who later drove for me).
     
  4. maxwelltie

    maxwelltie Medium Load Member

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    Mar 13, 2010
    Brookings, OR
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    I seem to recall we BOTH wanted to buy a truck, but only had enough cash between us for one down payment...and your credit was better!
     
  5. fortycalglock

    fortycalglock Road Train Member

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    Jun 25, 2011
    Tourist Town, FL
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    I worked for a small regional carrier after doing my year with a mega. The year was 2001. Fuel was $1.12 a gallon. Tolls were 1/5th their current prices. I was making 36ish cpm with bonuses. A woman upgraded from her FLB to a FLD and had that good looking condo cabover for sale for $4,000 with 100k on an inframe. I ran the numbers, and I could clear almost double what I made running as a company driver and if all else failed I could part that truck out and get my money back. I made $125,000 on 100,000 miles that year averaging 5.5 mpg. I was also through the house almost daily and off every weekend. I sold that truck for $4k a year later and bought another lease driver there's FLD he was about to trade in for $8k.
    These days and rates, it's hard to have any encouragement unless you have a clear cut strategy beyond lease purchasing from some mega making $1.50 a mile.
     
  6. ironpony

    ironpony Road Train Member

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    Sep 23, 2007
    Ask my GPS...
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    Working for "the man" feels like an 800lb gorilla on my back. Can't stand it. T-16 months and counting.
     
  7. marmonman

    marmonman Road Train Member

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    Dec 14, 2009
    central illinois
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    Sonny Pruitt made me do it !!! Who could watch movin on and not want to own a truck ???? I was one of the weird kids all I wanted to be was a Marine and to own my own semi truck . I have been lucky enough to have done both .
     
  8. truckereddy

    truckereddy Bobtail Member

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    Feb 28, 2014
    highway usa
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    I got my own truck because I hated my dispatch. I still dislike dispatch but I can refuse more loads now with less problems.
     
  9. exhausted379

    exhausted379 Road Train Member

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    Dec 1, 2013
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    I have never driven for a company so I dont know if I'm qualified to answer your question. Bought my first truck in 1979 and after reading post after post of the crap company drivers put up with I think I made the right decsion.
     
    EZX1100 Thanks this.
  10. h11way

    h11way Light Load Member

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    Jun 3, 2012
    midwest
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    That's funny,
     
  11. paul 1052

    paul 1052 Heavy Load Member

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    Oct 9, 2010
    Sand Springs, Ok.
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    I got the right opportunity at the right time, I was working for a very micromanaging company (Combined Transport) that drove me crazy.
    After getting in on a payment plan with my company in 05 I haven't looked back at all and have run a very profitable paid off truck since 2010 w/o being forced to do anything I don't want to.
     
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