can i make it???

[Seelster]

hi all,

newbie here to to the forums and have a couple of questions regarding starting my own runs on my own truck.

a little background first. i had originally gotten my cdl-a in 1993 when i was 20, and because of my age, i went into class b driving and have been ever since. in 2002 because of a personal reason (without going into to much detail i witnessed the murder of a close family member) and it really took a toll on me and i have been on disability since 2004. im currently back to my old self, and decided to retrain my cdl-a and start my career path over.

this is where the problem started. while i was still in school training, i began to apply to the bigger carriers (swift, us xpress, werner, etc...) and they are all refusing to offer me employment. i have an absolutely clean mvr,criminal background, and s forth, but they are still refusing and it has to be because i am on disability (i take no medications nor was i required to at any time and i have no physical or limitations)

so the instructors at my retraining have advised me that i might be better off with my own truck and im leaning toward doing that.

so i guess my 2 big questions are; 1. has anyone else ran into this problem trying to come off disability? 2. if i decide to get my own truck, should i just work for myself? will i have problems working as a lease driver as an o/o for a company as im having now trying to be a company driver? should i get my own trailer tags as well or just go with the tractor only tags?

a big thank you in advance as any info/insight will be greatly appreciated

[rank]

I wonder if they are experiencing a downturn in freight and are using that as an excuse. If things were booming, it may be different.

[GMAN]

My guess is that they are concerned about a disability or workers comp claim. If you are on disability then you are unable to work. Whether it is physical or mental, there is a great liability for the company. You may see if you can get a letter from a doctor who will release you from the disability. Unless you have plenty of money set aside I suggest you wait. This isn't the best time for someone without experience to jump into running their own truck. If you have plenty of money set aside to run your business then you may make it work, but running your own truck is MUCH different than driving a truck for someone else. If you do decide to buy your own truck and get your authority, you need to go ahead and buy a trailer. Insurance can be rather expensive for those coming into the business without experience. Most expect to see at lease 2 years experience in the last 3 years to get a break on the insurance. In fact, most won't even consider covering you until you get a couple of years behind you.

The requirements for becoming an owner operator is the same as a company driver, with most carriers. I would stay away from the lease purchase programs. I think CRST only requires 6 months driving experience before they will lease you on, but most will require a year or more experience. You may want to check the company listings on this forum for current hiring requirements for drivers and owner operators. Most of the larger carriers are listed.

I would go back to some of these companies and ask them what you need to do to be eligible for hire. There are several recruiters who frequent this forum who might be able to better answer your questions. Twilight Flyer usually hangs out around here and he recruits for Heartland Express.

[Seelster]

thank you for the replies . i have been cleared to return to work from disability, as well as passing the dot physical and d/a screenings. im really concerned that ill end up getting a truck and then having no one allowing me to pull there loads with the lack of experience. unfortunately a trailer to start out isnt really an option for me. a couple of the trainers at the school said they would help me out getting started with some good contacts and such, but i guess i really need to do more digging to see about exp. requirements. hopefully a few recruiters will chime in here.

i wont mention the companys name (unless you wnt me to) but i filled out an app online and left my past 3 years work history blank. when they called me back, i told them i was on disability and explained the situation to them, they put me on hold for 20 sec, and said "we cannot offer you employment at this tim, thank you for applying *Click* i could not believe that they just said that and hung up the phone immediately. i called them back and they said they wouldnt tell me why they couldnt offer me employment. all i want to do is get back to work and earn a living, i was always a solid employee before this, and i have no intentions of not being one now. if its gonna take me getting my own truck and squeak out a living for 2 yrs till my exp is good enough for the big boys, i guesss thats what ill have to do.

[GMAN]

I don't know why you would get your authority for a couple of years and then go to work for another carrier. If you can make it for a couple of years on your own you may as well continue. If you want to get your authority, I suggest checking on insurance before proceeding. Without a CDL and a couple of years experience, rates will be high.

Unless you can afford to buy your own trailer or have the resources to rent one, it will be difficult to make it on your own. There are some opportunities for power only, but without driving experience you will likely have a limited driving range which will greatly limit your ability to find freight. Shippers and brokers could care less about your experience. All they are interested in is whether you have current authority and valid insurance. There may be a few exceptions, but for the most part it is a non issue.

Starting out on your own is not cheap. Buying the truck and trailer is only the beginning. You will need base plates and permits (which will costs from about $1,100-2,200), 2290 $550, Insurance (?) and operating capital. My guess is that you have limited resources, since you state that you cannot afford to buy a trailer.

I suggest you put this idea on hold until you can afford to do it right. Keep knocking on doors and one will likely open for you. Unless there is something else in your background which raises a flag, it is probably the disability claim that is causing the problem. As long as you are on disability you will probably find it difficult to find a position in this industry. You may even consider finding a job doing something else for a while. It could prove to potential employers that you are physically able to do the job.

[Paul McGraw]

Sorry to hear about the bind you are in, it is a tough one.

If you try to start out on your own like Steve Booth (who posts on this forum) it can be done but your insurance will be VERY expensive, and there are a bunch of pitfalls.

You might want to try to find a very small carrier, perhaps even a one truck independent, who will work with you. You will have to take less than average pay for it to make sense for a small carrier to go through the hassle of getting insurance to cover you and teaching you the ropes, but after 1 year with a clean MVR, all of the big guys will want you.

[GMAN]

A couple of potential obstacles I see are the insurance costs and mileage restriction they could place on you. One other is the running money. It takes money to start a trucking company. At the very least you should have a couple of months expenses to run your business.

[Seelster]

im still up in the air as to what i might do, but i guess it seems to keep pounding apps. is the way to go for the time being. thanks for all the insight and help its really appreciated.

[allan5oh]

Just an idea, try applying to trucking places as a forklift driver/dock worker. It will get you in the door at least, and prove to them you can work and are reliable.

After a few months of that, tell them you want to hit the road.

[Seelster]

thanks, but i think id rather repeatedly jab myself over and over with a sharp object before that