Hi folks. Im a newbie here and hope be a third generation trucker. My father owned a small trucking buiness with 3 petes before he passed hauling sand and gravel in North Jersey. Im in the corporate world and hate it. My wife is a nurse with good income. Im studying for my CDL as we speak and hope to have it this year. I want a single truck with a dump trailer and hope to one day get a low boy and flat bed. I hope and wish to do local runs only. Maybe start out only 2 or 3 days a week as my full time job is flexable. Hoping to do it full time after a few years with one driver. Any contructive crisitism is appreciated. Thanks.

 

Good Luck. (you will need it)

 

My best advice would be to make sure the truck you plan on buying is something that can be put to work and even try to make some good contacts before jumping the gun. I'm on the opposite coast as you, but things are in the toilet right now for the type of work it seems you are interested in. My previous employer (paving/excavating outfit) seems to be on a sinking ship. They have sold off all of there extra equipment (2 transfer trucks, excavator, backhoe, sheep's foot compactor, heck even their office/shop building). They are not alone, either. Most paving companies are barely working anymore.

My current employer has two semi tractors, only one of which is registered, a 10 wheel Mack (for small loads), a couple of flatbeds, an 8 and a 16 wheel lowboy trailers and he cannot even keep me (only driver) busy. We will pretty much haul about anything, but work is still scarce. One limitation he has it that his trucks are daycabs so long haul isn't really possible, but we still to the occasional trip to Lancaster, CA area (near Los Angeles & for a good customer).

Profit margins are slim and the slightest hiccup or miscalculation can cost you dearly. For example, I did a load last week that the boss quoted the customer for 4 hours to move a small tractor and an attachment. It would have been enough time if everything went fairly well, but customer couldn't get it started to load when I arrived, then I couldn't get it started to unload it. I had to wait for a battery then I had to install the battery, because it was an older couple that I was delivering to and the last thing I needed was to have one of them injured getting on or off the trailer. Then thanks to a plugged fuel filter I had to wait on the side of the road for about 1.25 hours for the boss to bring some filters. By the time I was done, my 4 hour load became 8 and boss was a little peeved, to put it nicely (but he knows sh*t happens).

I wouldn't say it's impossible, BUT I'd put in a serious amount of research into it before going too far.

 

Get in contact with some of your dad's old cohorts, even if most have retaired you could still find a gold mine of contact info! Don't rush it and don't jump in and buy a truck you can't afford, get some driving exp on someone else's dime in other words plan on doing some OTR work for a while before getting a truck. BOL it's tougher out here than alot think!

 

And if you are not gonna listen to these guys:

Buy a cheaper model truck and trailer that you and your family will not struggle with;(FYI you may have to drive a ways to get what you want at a reasonable price). I think i am like everyone else though; I would drive for someone else for a minimum of 1 year.......will make your insurance slightly cheaper..........

DO NOT GIVE business leads to another company, save them; call them let them know what you want to do; Tell them the situation; you may find someone that has a truck and trailer they want to sell, and give you business at the same time...............

That is what happened with me; I called one of my dad's contacts and found out that he had a truck and trailer that i was wanting to pull, he financed the truck and trailer for me at a VERY VERY AGREEABLE price; and then turned around and gave me $10-15k a month in freight from his companies that he owned.

Just make sure you know all your numbers, make sure your figures are correct. I know people who make some money pulling sand and gravel; but you have to be on your P'S AND Q'S. I would say move to something that pays better---that is just me............

 

Thanks for all your replys. I know its a gamble but its a passion of mine and I atleast need to try it, I have some cash to purchase a truck and trailer ( used of coarse) and unfortantly I have no leads. But I have to try it for at least myself.

 

Well i have been doing alot of research and studying. About to take my CDL and im very excited. I will be starting with an older but nice Peterbilt or Mack dump truck not an end dump. The two sources I will be getting some work from really have limits on dump trailers so I will be going with $15-$25k dump truck. My biggest hurtle i think will be insurance. Looks like $8500 seems to be about best for me as a new driver. Many people may think I'm nuts. But my current job is flexible and starting out im sure the truck may only be running two or three days a week at best until I build some contacts and reputation. Best case scenerio I have 2 or three friends that have a CDL that can help out as well. Are there any known brokers in the north east area for this type of work? Im sure if someone has a good broker they may not want to discuss it . I have been looking online but don't really see much in this area. Thanksor any replies or contstructive critism