Why did you become an owner operator?

First reason is control, second reason is stupidly.

 

I plan on becoming an o/o so the dispatcher won't work me all night and all day with alternating shifts. They send me to Louisiana in the summer and Michigan in the winter. They also lie and say there are no other loads avail able but then I see four other drivers from my company with great loads. The new low paid drivers get the best runs.

 

The longest I could work for someone was 4 years. I don't why but I had to have a change every 4 years. I did that 6 times for a total of slightly more than 24 years. In Feb. 1996 I bought my first truck and trailer. An $80,000 KW and a $46,000 Mac dump. I needed $3500 to cover my expenses without turning a wheel. On top of that I moved from NY to GA. Was it tough? You bet it was. Would I do it again? Probably. I am nearly anal about maintenance. So when other drivers dropped a trailer with a flat AND a flat in the rack I tended to lose it. Also the floor not swept, lights out, cammed over brake, pallets in the trailer. I tried a factory job after high school. I lasted 8 weeks. So why did I do it? I can't work for others. I can't deal with sorry lazy coworkers. I prefer to have well maintained equipment. I like to do as I please and I needed to prove to myself that I could do it.

 

It's rare to see a company truck spec'd properly. They usually buy the bare minimum and want maximum results. Wrong engine, wrong transmission, wrong rears, wrong sleeper.

I bought the truck I wanted with the drivetrain that I wanted and the wheelbase and sleeper that I wanted. And it does exactly what I want it to do. I knew that would never happen sitting around waiting for the deskjockeys.

 

When I was a kid, I wanted to drive a truck.
Joined the Army and afterward used my GI Bill to get an associates degree in aviation maintenance. We had a recession just when I graduated in 1991. No job in aviation.
Worked temp work for a year.
Then I went to another community college and got a cdl.
Gave up my rental place and lived in a truck.
I eventually went to work for Crete.
Liked the company but didn't care for Freightliners, which is what they had.
So, saved about $120k in 5.5 years.
The company ordered 25 Peterbilt 379's to sell to drivers for $84,500. So I gave 'em a check. It wasn't a Freightliner and the price was right.
I wanted a little independence as far as getting it serviced at my convenience and fueling wherever I wanted. Plus, I could pass other vehicles without getting stuck out in the left lane.
I didn't make more money, but at least I had a little more control. Plus, take off on holidays or whenever and as long as I wanted.

 

Because I like to work 7 days a week. In all seriousness. The job doesn't end when you shut off the key. I do all of my maintenance ( I am an ase certified master truck tech). In addition I do all of my own paperwork.
I am the type of person that after being self employed could never work for someone else.
I became an owner operator for the opportunity to better myself. This is a field I have made a career in. 20 + years as a tech. Owned my own shop for 8, now my own truck for 3.
I realized that with the new trucks and technology that was needed to repair them with the customer base i had.
1. I didn't want to invest in the equipment to service the newer trucks.
2. I was at the age when some of of my youthful ability was declining. And I new physically I was paying for it.
3. I gained a good bit of knowledge by being in the industry. I tried to learn as much as possible from my employers, and then my customers later on.
4. I enjoy the challenge of something new.
5. I had a friend and neighbor that has done well over the last 20+ years. And he was willing to let me work with him under his operating authority.

I wish I had done it sooner. But I didn't have the opportunity, but seized it when I did.

 

I drove flatbeds 20 years ago.....then went in to IT. Then I got sick of IT and I remembered how I enjoyed flatbeds all those years ago.

So to get back in I went local and drove dumps.

1 mouthpiece ahole mechanic at one place then 1 mouthy boss at another combined with my willingness to do whatever it takes and here I am.

My customers are nice and polite and happy to see me verses some douche bag mechanic or a rich ahole unappreciative boss who never started a thing in his life (3rd gen fat loser). No brainer....I wish I would have done it 20 years ago.

 

I will say this quoting loads for days then running for days kinda sucks! I would rather drive a little more......

But I run random freight so it goes with the territory.....just have to get used to it and do other stuff when running around quoting loads with your headset on all day! LOL.

 

I did it because I like pain and suffering!

 

It was simple for me .
I don't drive someone else's car I don't live in someone else's house so why would I drive someone else's truck.

The fact that I am a person that believes in being responsible for their own life and and pursuit of happiness it just seemed natural to be the man that owns and controls the source of my income .
I don't how anyone can be happy depending on someone else for their livelihood . I may fall and fail tomorrow but just like Elvis I did it my baby !!!!