length of time?

[chromewheelz]

how long did yall (o/o) driver as company drivers before you decided to drive for yourself? what made you decide to make the switch from a company driver to o/o? ( why did u do it ie freedom, money, lees or more stress, ego etc etc) how much of a difference was the pay from company driver to o/o after you pay ur expenses?

[BanditsCousin]

Pretty much day 1.

Specialty niche hauling.

Pay was better- worth the headaches.

[Copperhead]

Company driver for about 18 years. Had good enough deal that I wasn't motivated to buy a truck. With the sale of my last carrier, that changed. I like the control over how I can actually keep more of the money I make and not bust my butt to do things right and only have the carrier reap the rewards while I get the same pay rate as the dead beats in the company. I now get any benefits from operating the truck efficiently. Sure, I have more risks, but I manage them. I didn't do it just to put a feather in my cap and strut around letting everyone know I am an owner/operator. I didn't do it so I could put my foot in the firewall and be able to blow other trucks doors off. I pretty much operate the truck the same as I have done as a company driver and trucks pass me just like they did before. I do have what you would call load selection, but if you want to make money, you still have to do some of those loads you would really rather not do. That is unless you just are getting a truck to have an expensive yard ornament. It's a business... pure and simple.

I have virtually the same benefits that I had as a company driver, even though it is out of my pocket totally. I got a blue cross / blue shield health policy that is identical to the one I had as a company driver, and at about the same cost. By managing my costs and operating the truck to maximize mpg and minimize tire and maintenance costs, I do realize a better net income than I had as a company driver. Not at first though, since I purchased a used truck and had to make a number of repairs to it the first few months until I got all the "bugs" worked out.

There really is no "freedom" to be had in owning a truck versus being a company driver. You still have customers that expect a certain level of service. As a company driver you may be tied to what the company wants, but as a owner, you still have the same obligations to customers and you have to work just as much or more if you plan on making any money. Then, of course, you don't own the truck.... it owns you and your time. Can't just call a 1-800 number and put mechanical problems off on someone else and then kick back in a hotel room until the truck is available or take another truck until yours is fixed without any work slowdown. You don't just up and quit if you own a truck without severe financial ramifications.

But, it holds true..... no pain, no gain. no risk, no reward. The only freedom you have by owning a truck is the freedom to fail. But if you manage it right, you can win at the game.

[lowrange]

"...after one year, you get one paid week off..."

How about, when I feel like it, I take a week off.


It took ten years of being in and out of the business to finally buy a truck. Reason being, I never wanted to get all that involved, I just wanted to make the money to pay my bills and have a lot of mental time, thought time to myself. (think, pray, book on tape...) The companies I was with, I felt like I was living to drive, not driving to live. Have you ever had a company job where you load in the morning, drive to your delivery the next morning, deadhead to pickup, drive to delivery the next morning, deadhead to pickup, drive to delivery the next morning... No, I'm through with that.

I was out of work for three months last year. I did about 60,000 hub miles (as a company driver, I'd do 11 or 12k "shortest miles" every month, I forget which, in order to get into my bonus). I still came up with around $32,000 net before taxes. That's not too far from a guy working 40 hours per week for 50 weeks at $15 per hour. I literally had months off.

You have to learn the game, however. After you learn to drive, then you have to learn to buy a truck, how to get the maintenance done, how to manage the cash flows, how to keep records, freight lanes, freight rates... There's plenty more to learn and do with your own truck. It's getting easier, once you learn something you can do it again the next year without thinking much about it. I'm in my third year and I just now got my recordkeeping computerized thanks to Rev. Vassago and Open Office.

One big question for me is this truck with nearly a million miles on it that burns no oil. It had engine work done on it before I bought it. The engine is strong, but man, you have no idea how much money you can put into repairs on a worn out door! Over $300 for a small dashboard piece that controls my heating/airconditioning system! It's all less than paying a truck payment AND repairs! So, I keep it. There's still much more for me to learn. It's getting easier, though (except for the crash of the economy and freight rates)

[Auggiedoggy]

Copperhead, not to be too nosey, but, are you running under your own authority? Also what kind of freight do you haul? I have been kicking around the idea of buying my own truck for years now. But I think that I probably have a good deal where I am at. Hourly pay,1.5 over 40, standard bennies, bla bla bla..... you know. The grass always looks greener on the other side though.