Why did you become an O/O?

The 2 coolest men I ever knew were owner operators, they taught me to respect my ride treat her like family because she takes care of my family. I love the chicken lights and chrome, and the feeling of Petermobiling. That's why I became an owner operator. It's not my fault it's how I was raised.

I drove for a small family operation before I bought my own.

I run my own numbers won't have it any other way.

What I like bout it is the whole deal good days and bad. I used to love seeing the kids jumping up and down on the porch screaming Daddies home. The pride that comes with running an antique Pete everyday is indescribable.

The hard part is the 5000 mile weeks to come home and work on the ol truck 2 days and nights to get ready to roll again after my lovely bride rubs my shoulders to ease the pain a little. I never got used to leaving my kids when they were little. Now that my son is 20 and owns his own truck I finally understand why my Mama cried.

Take notice I never mentioned money cause it don't have a #### thing to do with why I am trucking. Besides there is so little of it why mention it.

 

Reason why Im resigning from the City with 20 years. Why spend 5 more years for a low income pay freeze, and every idiot my Dept Head pulls off the street becomes my boss in less than 2 years? "(New boss) So what do you do here?"

 

Hi tex, I was always a company driver. Having my own truck was always a dream of mine, like many other trucker's, but the opportunity, never presented itself, and I couldn't do an OTR thing. I had little kids and a home. I had grown tired of driving under powered trucks, and then have the boss give me that bs, "what took you so long"? Finally, in 1988, a friend of mine hauled RR cans out of Chicago, and was home pretty much, and convinced me to "go for it", and I did. The people at my co. job thought I was nuts. I bought a 1982 Western Star 4964, with a recent major, for $24,000. It was awful. I thought I had made the biggest mistake of my life. It was spring ride, and after 2 broken springs, and the rough ride, I had the back cut off, and a Pete air ride grafted on. Instantly changed the truck, well worth the extra $2,000 I spent on the repair. Then things kind of leveled off, truck ran great, I was making money, I was very happy, I finally was doing it, although, it was way more work than my company jobs ever were, but it was mine. Then I "found" the '72 Pete (below). I was in love. It had manual steering, but was the coolest truck out there (little biased, I guess). Couple months after I got it, it was clear, that kind of truck had no business going to Chicago, hauling RR cans, that coupled to a failing marriage, ( ex hated my trucks, because it took too much time away from her and the family), so I sold the ol' gal (something I regret to this day) and got another co. job. My marriage failed anyway, but by then, the ol' Pete was gone. So the old saying was true, "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times". Would I do it again, now? Well, I'm an old man, and can't pound the pavement like I used to, but if the opportunity arose, where I could be a "hobby trucker", I'd buy another old Pete (or KW), and work when I wanted to. Good luck trying to find that job.

 

O/O easier to spell than company driver.

All we O/O's have done is bought ourselves a job,complete with an understanding boss who does not like to fire his employee.

 

My Dad used to say that all the time. If you buy a truck all you have done is buy yourself a job.

 

I started my own an bought a truck because I could make more money,,I always cleared between $85,000 and $150,000 after all my expensives from 1985 until I retired in 2013,, I bought a new truck every 4 to 5 years (traded between 400,000 and 450,00 miles) and a new trailer about the same,,,,,,The year 2008 when I cleared $150K I ran only 92,000 miles,,,you can make money owning your own truck and trailer as long as you do not haul what the big fleets haul, the companies that hire rookies and what the rail road hauls,,Oh and haul dorect for the shipper all you can,,

 

BINGO ! Exactly what I did, except I always bought used trucks. Find a small shipper (s), establish a good relationship with them by solving any problems they arise, do them a great job, at a reasonable rate. Do not try to compete with the major big boy companies. Offer a personal, caring way for their freight to be moved. Dedication.
This has worked very well for me over the years. It can be done, and a very nice profit margin will result.

 

Hi j, you nailed it right there, (although you're shouting). One has to remember, it's a business, and to be successful, you have to sell yourself. I've known and worked for a couple of friend's that were O/O's and dedicated accounts, and they remained with them, because they bent over backwards for them, and it's piece of mind for the dedicated shipper, knowing they don't have to worry if their freight will be delivered. Driving the truck is the least of the duties of an O/O.