What to do next?

I had my own truck leased onto various carriers over the years. For the most part it wasn't for the money, it was for having more options. I could take as much time off as I could afford. Company guys only got two or three weeks off a year, that was it.
Economically speaking I would have been better off as a company driver where I last worked.
I could clear $100 k for myself, company guy I knew made $86k. But he could just toss the mechanic the keys and go home for the weekend, I had to spend most Saturday's maintaining my truck. Factor in all of the unpaid maintenance and repair time I did myself I probably made less per hour than the company guy.
Although at only $23 an hour it would be very tempting to look at other options.

 

MB hiring right now starting at $31 a hr you could try there . As for buying a truck and running for Amazon If you’re only wanting to do it because you think you will make more money then don’t . If you actually want to build something from the ground up to maybe give to your kids one day then go for it . Being an owner operator with your Numbers and insurance is going to be $$$ and stressful. Especially when that truck breaks down and the repair bill is thousands . A o/o at my company is selling his truck at the end of the year saying it’s stressful always worrying about a break down and has told me about months where he spent 7k fixing this or 11k fixing that .With trucking it’s money in and money out and at the end of the day you hope you get to keep some of that . This is an experience guy too with well over 20 years in and we have or had lots of ex owner ops who sold their trucks because it’s not worth it . Seeing some of the beat up junk trucks running for Amazon, i often wonder are they even making enough to maintain the equipment doesn’t look like it . Me personally no way in hell i would buy a truck especially with how bad freight is even for the mega carriers right now . my companies real slow but most of us don’t run for Amazon , only you do and can make that decision is it worth it . Talk to your coworker and find out about the good and the bad and not just how make gross he makes a month because it’s not all gravy being a company owner


I tried starting a dump truck company up with my dad back in 2020 /21 . we bought two trucks from his friend working under his insurance and contracts $85k each interest free loan and my dad put up the money with me having to pay him back . We started having $$$ things going wrong only a few months in and the money wasn’t all that great so we got out and i’m much happier now letting someone else have to worry fixing the equipment and doing everything else it takes to run a company

 

https://ca.indeed.com/q-class-1-dri...VZBKtBh3pcAYmEAAYASAAEgKF3fD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Seems like things are pretty busy out here still.

 

In 2 years you'd be making over $44/hour.

 

Chances are, you've already missed the good times. More will want in, too many people drives down the amount earned, and I'll bet that guy with 7 trucks will be down to 3 in a year.

 

I went from driver to O/o in 2022. However, after now 30 years of driving my timing was off. Covid did mess up the Supply & Demand factors of the Freight Market. And in Canada its extremely over capacity with the amount of O/o who jumped on board from 2020 to 2023. To much bought trucks and now the freight is less throughout North American. I'm not saying "don't do it" but saying research the business and freight you will be carrying. Amazon is good but on the Canadian side of things Major Companies like UPS, FedEx etc. Carried for them a decade ago and gave it up because of the lack of profit. As a O/o you need a plan "B" thats a Direct Customer on contract.

 

Definitely good $$ if you can put up with the life style. How heavy are those carts they look really heavy

 

If you only want to be an owner op because you think you’re going to make tons of money that’s the wrong thinking . In trucking it’s money in and out again and with having your own company you’re responsible for everything unlike a company man .Yes you will have a little more freedom but not much more because you’re either going to be doing back office stuff or getting maintenance/repairs done to the truck . I didn’t want to be tied down to a truck or want to build a company up , i was just looking to make more money which wasn’t really there after all the expenses and what not .so i bailed and my father did 1 more year then sold his truck too because he realized it wasn’t worth it


If you do apply for MB do it on their website before indeed , also i found that they don’t leave messages when they call and martin brower doesn’t come up on your phone either. I had to search the phone number on google to find out who it was .

It’s very good money from what i’ve read but it’s going to be real tough for the first 2-5 years atleast before you get any normalcy in your life . ie being on call 24/7 not knowing when your shifts start , working all kinds of hours and all weekends . If you can deal with that go for it , me i need some kind of work schedule and work life balance and being on call 24/7 with no real idea when i’m working doesn’t appeal to me no matter how much a company pays

After searching for a better paying gig in the $28-30 a hr , i’m close to applying to tim hortons and trying them out and seeing how it goes . $31.25 to start in 3 years goes up to $36.50 . 3 weeks vacation to start benefits retirement plan and you know your work schedule in advance unlike MB . only down side is getting the sh$t stores and dealing with tim’s hortons micro management which is pretty bad from everything i read . It’s pretty bad here though too even though it’s foreward only facing camera they watch you by from your reflection in the hood mirrors or reflection on the windshield

What’s holding me back is if it doesn’t work out where the hell do i go . I have it good where i’m at treated well for the most part but the money sucks and we’re always slow and they just hired a third driver