Thinking of going O/O..help me out

[LBF]

great post, asdfghjkl !

For the uninitiated, that list is completely normal and the basic upkeep and replacement of the consumable parts on a truck. The special needs of an auto hauler with all the crack welding and tired hydraulic hoses thrown in for good measure.

If you can do some of your own maintenance, you are way ahead $$$$ , since you only have to buy the part, and pay yourself the $70 shop rate.

Aspiring O/O need to hang around the shop, not the driver's room, you already know how to drive, you need to learn some wrenching to save/make some really good money. Yes, pay yourself.... the accountant will show you the choices for least tax exposure.

Your competitors won't tell you to carry spare belts/alternator/starter under the bunk, or to do your own oil changes and grease jobs.

They will encourage you to be a "clean hands trucker", which is code words for "empty wallet trucker"

Sometimes dreams smashed on the rocks are easier to take than really smashing on the rocks, if you know what I mean.

Keep building your plan, and we'll see you out there successful!

[P0rk Ch0p]

I still want to do this, but things are at a stand still.

I've called OOIDA, and apparently, i have to have more experience just to get insurance on my own damn truck.. WTF..

There are still more insurance companies to check with, but it's looking grim right now.

I know you can easily get burnt buying cheap trucks, but, if you're mechanically inclined, you know things to look at,listen to,feel, to see if the truck is in decent shape.

I found a 94 Freightliner FLD, flat top, good looking truck, Cummins N-14, 10spd, asking 6k..tempting..

Even if i couldn't get my own insurance, I'd still buy a truck and just let it sit in the driveway for a year or so until i could go o/o.

[Orangetxguy]

I still want to do this, but things are at a stand still.

I've called OOIDA, and apparently, i have to have more experience just to get insurance on my own damn truck.. WTF..

There are still more insurance companies to check with, but it's looking grim right now.

I know you can easily get burnt buying cheap trucks, but, if you're mechanically inclined, you know things to look at,listen to,feel, to see if the truck is in decent shape.

I found a 94 Freightliner FLD, flat top, good looking truck, Cummins N-14, 10spd, asking 6k..tempting..

Even if i couldn't get my own insurance, I'd still buy a truck and just let it sit in the driveway for a year or so until i could go o/o.

This is the "Kid" in you talking.

As a "businessman" WHY would you waste the money like that? You have already acknowledged that you lack experience, and others have suggested that your age will work against you. Why blow good money? Instead of blowing the money, start an investment account, build it while you build your driving experience and your knowledge of "trucking".

Mackman is a great example of how to do it. He has been on this forum longer than I have, and everything I have seen from him, he is always inquisitive. He did several types of driving, besides dump truck, before he stepped out and bought that Mack of his. BUT...He used the knowledge that he gained by doing....as well as the knowledge that his father and others, experienced in "Dump Trucking" em-parted to him.

Figure out what it is you want to do, then begin learning. Save every dime that you can save, without foregoing a life for yourself. Give yourself the benefit of time, to gain experience and knowledge.

[tracer]

Didn't u spend like 4 months out?

No, not that much.. I'd go crazy. One time it was 2 months and a big chunk of that was spent sitting 2,000 miles away from home looking for a load.

[tracer]

I still want to do this

I would do it in steps:

Step 1: Work as company driver for 1 year
Step 2: Buy a used truck and work as owner-operator for 1 year
Step 3: Buy/lease a trailer and work as owner-operator for a company that hires people with own trailers (ideally, it'd be the same company you used in Step 2)
Step 4: Get authority, insurance and become independent

[crb]

I concur with a minimum one year as a company driver OTR! If you ask me it makes good business sense learn on somebody else's dime. I'm third generation trucker my grandpa started on horse and buggy literally! I couldn't imagine buying my own truck right out of the gate it sounds like a recipe for disaster the odds are against you my friend sorry to be blunt! Think with your head!

[rank]

We bought a 1998 $18,000 truck in 2007...$13,000 in repairs first year (2 head gaskets, 2 heads, turbo). Have since done all the air springs, tires, shocks, 5th wheel, in frame, rad, charge air cooler, auto slacks, clutch fan, shoes and drums.

Bought a 2005 $45,000 repo truck in 2009. Spent $18,000 on it in the first year. Cylinder head assy, bunk extensions, stereo, CB radio, steering box, tires, bunk heater.

Bought a 2008 $115,000 truck in 2008. Spent ~10,000 on it...mostly on the APU. It spet a pile of time in the shop getting warranty work done. Lost some revenue because of that.

I don't care what truck you buy, you better keep $20,000 on hand.....you are betting against the house.

[P0rk Ch0p]

This is the "Kid" in you talking.

As a "businessman" WHY would you waste the money like that?

I see your point.

But, i could get insurance on it if it wasn't for commercial use. So, i could drive it, just not for business. plus, for what they want for it, it would be paid off by time i go to actually put it to work.

I've been wanting to buy a FLD like that, just to chrome up and take to car shows etc around this general area.

[asdfghjkl]

Pork Chop, you do not lack the ambition necessary to make lots of profit in trucking. Someone with your motivation and apparent lack of 'that next step' can easily get trapped in a lease purchase program as an 'easy' way to become an o/o. I don't personally know much about them other than stay away from them.

Myself I am not mechanically inclined at all. I have always been of the mind that I make good enough money hauling cars that I can pay good professional mechanics and welders to maintain my equipment. My 4 kids take up my hometime. The labor portion of those bills was at least 60-70% especially the welding but ultimately the customer gets to pay it for me!

[P0rk Ch0p]

Yeah I know better than those " lease purchase" deals. They'd give you just enough runs to pay them for the truck, and that's it. 0 profits. No matter what company it was with, I can't count all those lease purchase horror stories i've heard.

[crb]

I've given up on the idea of going owner operator. There are a lot of jobs that pay too well as a company driver especially when figuring risk into the equation. So I went and bought a Harley instead. LOL! I'm gonna work for the man and let him take the risk besides I want a family in next couple years.

[tracer]

Thank you so much for posting that. I'm so very tempted to start with an el cheapo high mileage truck but there's a voice in my head telling me I wouldn't know how to pick out a good one and not get burned.

I know the sage advice from GMan and others is the $10k special, but man I'd be broke down on the side of the road again and again wondering how I could be so stupid as to think I could pick out a diamond in the rough when the guys that DO know what they're doing have passed it by.

Exactly! That's why I bought a $64,000 truck. Somewhere in between, you know? Not too cheap - with only 165,000 miles on it in 2007. This was a 2004 model International (in the picture) and despite some upgrades and repairs it has served me well. It's paid off now and I thought of getting a new truck with $2,500/mo payments but decided to upgrade my trailer instead. I'd say get a decent truck with roughly $1,500/mo payments for no more than 48 months and be happy. Mileage: 300,000 miles or less.

[GMAN]

I see your point.

But, i could get insurance on it if it wasn't for commercial use. So, i could drive it, just not for business. plus, for what they want for it, it would be paid off by time i go to actually put it to work.

I've been wanting to buy a FLD like that, just to chrome up and take to car shows etc around this general area.

Do you want a truck to just drive around at car shows or a truck that you put on the road and use to earn a living? Personally, I would not buy a class 8 truck unless I could put it on the road and make money with it. You may check with Progressive. They insure inexperienced owner operators or drivers but usually have mileage restrictions on how far you can drive. I believe that it is about 500-800 mile radius of your home base. If you buy a truck and just drive it around locally, it will not count as over the road experience. It is the otr experience that most commercial insurance companies seek.