newbie

[ground_pounder]

Hello
this looks like a great place. newbie going O/O. going for my CDL this summer keeping my fingers crossed. i'm looking to go O/O as thats where my heart is with my career. after hearing all the bad rep about the starter companies i have made my mind up that i will be going to a tech college and getting my cdl instead i will come out better off in the long run than goining to a mill school. i have no family so it don't matter how long i stay out or not thats a plus in my ball park i can stay out six months at a time if need to. i won't be leasing as when my dad passed on last year he left me an 09 387 bought and paid for and a 53ft drop deck trailer so thats another advantage i have. i have the financial backing so that i can survive till i get my first settlement from the broker i basicly have enough stached for two new trucks i'm not going out broke that would be insane and yes i would get what i deserve on that note. i already have a broker thats willing to hire me on and run me hard after i get my cdl. i will be going for my DOT and MCC numbers once i get my cdl in my possesion and getting my interstate fuel tax number and my tax id number as well. it would be great to keep my dads tradition going and make him proud and do the job with pride

[ApacheKid]

Sounds like you have a plan! Have you decided what Tech College you're going to attend?

[ground_pounder]

no i havent apachiekid i will keep you posted though still reading the book. so are you an O/O apachie?? yea i have a plan funny thing is i got everything and the links to get my own authority before the darn cdl LOL

[ApacheKid]

No. I'm a CDL instructor at a Tech College. :-)

[ground_pounder]

oh where??

[ApacheKid]

North Central Kansas Technical College
Beloit, Kansas

[ground_pounder]

im in ca

[solo379]

Hi there! So, you wanna prove that you could became millioner in trucking, if you star with 2 millions? Just kidding. If i got it right, you never actually in a trade, and can't even drive, let alone your CDL....? In that case, why don't you want to start an easy way;- Go to a "mega" carrier, get your free CDL, and get your least experience in a trade on someone else dime. In a mean time, you could get your ###, and other "paper work" in order, so it will be ready when you are. I honestly believe, that would be the best course of actions for you. Unless you wanna gamble.... Good luck to you, anyway, and i'm sorry for your loss.....

[ground_pounder]

Hello
i know i'm not gonna become a millionare in trucking but it can be a good carreer. i took that millionare as a joke so no worries. ( If i got it right, you never actually in a trade ) hugh?? my dad willed over the truck and tralier after he passed on as it sits in the yard doing nothing . i remember him taking me out and letting me learn how to drive it and shift it on short runs only and not under a load. it felt good going down the road it was pure freedom. why won't i goto a starter co i heard to many horror stories with them but who knows the real truth to em some do have good luck and some have bad luck how do we really know unless were there. i want to avoid the free traing and the contract as it's not free and if they get shady then i can take my shiny toys and move on. i am thinking about latching on with someone as i think that would be a good option to after i drive for em for 6 months then if i feel comfortible then i will advance. yea it's exciting knowing i have all this lined up but i'm gonna do it the right way then move up as i think it would be in my best intrest to atleast to latch on to someone and get the feeling of owning my own truck then move up. yea it's a big gamble and i'ts not cheap to run a truck eathier. thanks for the good luck and the condolances.

[firebird_1252]

its not just drive straight.. i'd sign on work for a mega company and bang up their stuff first.. hell cant hurt right? after all your dad's truck is paid so it costs you nothing for it to sit. dont say you wont bang it up. i've been around trucking my entire life, been driving since 04 and now a o/o.. i banged my truck up on a rock today.. mistakes happen!

[ground_pounder]

Yea I know it's not just strait. I'm gonna sighn on with a mega carrier first and tear there junk up and if it breaks down it's there problem not mine. Yep my dad's truck is paid for it don't cost nothing for it to sit and it will still be there as well as the broker. I know I'd'e probily bang it up or some butt hole would go flying down the freeway and rip one of my mirrors off. Yes mistakes do happen

[RostyC]

stick around
ask a lot of questions.
go to OOIDA website, they have a free cost calculator, they also offer courses on various subjects pertaining to trucking.

[moe]

You can get operating authority without a cdl but you probably will not find an insurance carrier to let you drive for your own company. I have been operating under my own authority since 96' and my ins. carriers wouldn't even let me train and hire my own sons to drive. Their requirement was always a minimum of 18 months with a perfect record or 2years over the road verifiable. You may be able to find an ins. carrier who will let you drive, but it would cost much higher than a conventional policy. I bought my first truck and trailer in 1977 and had never driven professionally before. I would never recommend doing it that way today, but since you already have the equipment, after school I would recommend leasing to someone like Malone or ATS where you could learn the art of load securement. I don't know enough about Malone or ATS to personally recommend them. I'm just saying a place to get your feet wet. I am not a big fan of letting equipment sit, it just turns to crap. Go to a good school and start off SLOW and CAREFUL, after about 6 months when you start to get the feel of it and think you know what your doing, go even SLOWER. One more important thing that has worked for me; learn to maintain your own equipment. If you don't start out with your own truck and want to learn to drive, shift, and brake really smoothly, then you might want to start out pulling liquid bulk. [chemicals not fue] Do that for a few months and you will have the smooth driving part down which would be very good for extending the life of your equipment when you do put it on the road.

[Roadhog]

Sell the rig, don't leave it sit, invest the money so it grows.
Learn trucking first, then worry about advancing into O/O.

[rank]

SLOW and CAREFUL, after about 6 months when you start to get the feel of it and think you know what your doing, go even SLOWER.

...........

[ground_pounder]

thanks rostyc
i did join ooida that was the first things i did. i'll be asking alot of questions as well.

[ground_pounder]

learn trucking first good idea theres way to much gamble accidents others stupity ( i do need to know how to get out a situation if i get into one ) and another thing with the way the economy is is also another gamble as well

[ground_pounder]

yes you can get your own authority without a cdl but it's one less hurdle. as far as insurance i can go through massey insurance to the tune of 6000 a month ( no thanks )!!! i'll probily goto werner for atleast 6 months and grin and bear it then if i feel like i'm ready to move on then i will. i'll probily go with malone or ats as they pay for my insurance except for collision thats upto me they pay permits and tags are optional thay can pay for em or you can and you make 75% of the load and the fuel surcharge varies the lady said. i will be getting my tanker and doubles and triples and haz mat endorsements so that i can specialize later on in my carreer as trucking is like any onther carreer you need to specialize!! but you are right on the insurance thing some want atleast two years of otr varifiable experiance same with buying a truck. i'm not a fan of letting the truck and trailer sit there eathier i do have a friend than can start it up for me thats retired and still has his cdl so that would be a plus when i can't be there to crank it over once a month to make sure the engine stays lunricated among other things. i will goto a good school and not a puppy mill i found out thats another plus in my ball park as some companies prefer that you goto a tech college over a puppy mill wich means more offers as i have to make myself as marketable as much as possible. and yes i will be learning diesel mechanics also in case something does go wrong i know what to do and how to deal with it