Would You Do It All Over Again?

[Fiddler]

If somebody put a magic crystal ball in front of you before you started out years ago, showing you exactly how your life as an owner/operator would be and the state of the business today, would you have gone ahead? Would you want your son to follow in your footsteps?
I have a good reason for asking. I'm thinking of taking the leap myself.

[Dejanh]

Sure i would, but i would have done some things differently...yeah.

[GMAN]

I would do it again. This business has been pretty good to me.

Although my story is a lot different than most I would do it all over again.

I went from a high paying high stress job to a much lower pay but much more fun and a lot less stress trucking career.

The only thing I would do different would be to first marry Paris Hilton so she could ride with me and pick the lint off the floor which really bugs me.

[tootie04]

There is alot I would do different...but yes I would do it again.

tootie

[Doghouse]

The only thing I would do different would be to first marry Paris Hilton so she could ride with me and pick the lint off the floor which really bugs me.

Steve O,.......I don't even want to know how she would pick up your lint (although flashbacks of a sticky, gummy spider on a string from a cereal box come into my brain).


Now,...back to the question,...would I do it all ov,.........hey wait a minute,...first I have to do it

[allan5oh]

Yup, went with my dad 3 months fresh out of school, then bought a truck.

What I would've changed is the truck I bought. Didn't investigate it enough, but it's a great truck now.

[jonboy]

Well, I'm in my ninth month, but I have no regrets. I think in another time in my life (when my kids were young), I don't think I would have done it, at least not OTR.

I can go home when I want in the situation I'm in, but I really feel sorry for some of the company drivers that are out 2-3 weeks at a time. My wife was talking about some add she read in one of those truckstop propaganda magazines, that read, "excellent hometime", as in, we care about your family......... It was two days every fourteen.

At this time in my life (50 years old) and my wife travelling with me, it's a great job. We really only work about five days a week, and run about 2500 miles. The only problem we have is where we get our time off. I like to joke with here about it, and I'll usually tell here, she can't say I never took here to Liberal, Kansas or Eagle Pass, Tx or wherever. or the slaughter houses I frequent these days. She prefers them, for the money, although she stays in the truck with the windows up while I do the dirty work. :wink:

PETA (Peaple Eating Tasty Animals)

jonboy

[heavyhaulerss]

i would do it again. it has rewarded me very well. however i would not reccomend it to my sons.. for one thing you have to have en extremely good & faithfull wife. that is if you plan to marry. there is a huge conflict between women & trucks.not all, but a lot. now i'm speaking on the otr deal. a local run home daily would be o.k. just my thoughts.


p.s. i bet there are are a lot of drivers who had to chose...( either keep their wives or keep the trucks. one has got to go) is what ive heard from many drivers.

[LOAD IT]

If somebody put a magic crystal ball in front of you before you started out years ago, showing you exactly how your life as an owner/operator would be and the state of the business today, would you have gone ahead? Would you want your son to follow in your footsteps?
I have a good reason for asking. I'm thinking of taking the leap myself.

Take the leap....... when you are ready to run your own authority, not lease to some company. You may end up working like a company driver with the added pressure of paying for your truck and no room to generate more revenue.

Being an owneroperator/small carrier is a great position to be in as long as you are profitable with a good business plan. Dont jump into it with no customers, broker freight will run you broke. Also specialize in something or should I say be versatile, if you have a van, have vents, straps, pads, palletjack, a ramp. If you flatbed, have all tarps, cornerboards, straps and chains, do oversize work. My point is when you are small, you have to offer more to the customer than just the truck. They will pay for your services. Brokers get a lot of customers because they offer to move several loads a day for the customer even though they may only move 3 in a week. You could move 3 in a week for local customers and make a living with one truck.

[pepe4158]

Wouldve bought a step-deck flatbed tho....not dry van dry van suxs for rates vs flatbed.

If somebody put a magic crystal ball in front of you before you started out years ago, showing you exactly how your life as an owner/operator would be and the state of the business today, would you have gone ahead? Would you want your son to follow in your footsteps?
I have a good reason for asking. I'm thinking of taking the leap myself.

OH YES !!!!!

I'd do it all again. Every single minute of it. But I might make a few changes. It's cost me 3 marriages so far ( we will see how this half chinese and half Korean handles it next year !!! ) but I would'nt miss it for anything. A lot of fun and a TON of work but nothing (except the DOT stuff) that I would'nt do again. That includes this Iraq gig too .

[GMAN]

If you have never driven a truck, I would suggest getting some driving experience before buying a truck. You will get a better idea of whether this is something for you without risking your capital or credit. There are some people who get into this business and find that it isn't their cup of tea. It is easier to walk away when you don't have any money on the line.

[Ian Williams]

Being an owneroperator/small carrier is a great position to be in as long as you are profitable with a good business plan. Dont jump into it with no customers, broker freight will run you broke. Also specialize in something or should I say be versatile, if you have a van, have vents, straps, pads, palletjack, a ramp. If you flatbed, have all tarps, cornerboards, straps and chains, do oversize work. My point is when you are small, you have to offer more to the customer than just the truck. They will pay for your services. Brokers get a lot of customers because they offer to move several loads a day for the customer even though they may only move 3 in a week. You could move 3 in a week for local customers and make a living with one truck.

Well Said

If I were to go O/O I'd get a 53' multi zone reefer with a lift gate or a set of doubles with that cool widget that lets you lock in the con-gear and back them as one unit. I'd also have a pintle hook on my 53' so I could pull a pup in the LCV states. I'd be the master of the multi stop load. With a single 28 trailer you pickup and deliver to all sorts of places that a 48' or 53' can't get to. You can also run some roads what have length restrictions.

Heck if I was going to be a local O/O I'd buy a beat up LTL tractor for $3-5k for ultra low overhead.