Ok, after my little adventure I was thinking I sure wish I had the time to read every post on this board and GETLOADED so I know what to expect and what to do and not do.
So I figure I would make it easy for some and post up some things here.
Please add to this what information you have when you can so this can be an all informative thread for the rookies to learn from. Things that should be posted up are links to sites and ways to check shippers out and brokers. Also if some one can post a step by step out on what happens after a first phone call.
If we don't help each other no one will and there is no actual class you can take to prepare you for this business, unless GMAN decides to open a small school. LOL
I will be the first to post up some info. I will also copy and paste some info in this thread from other threads. Not to take any thunder away from other threads but maybe it can save people time for searching specific topics for specific answers.
Read everything you can on this web site. It's free and teaches you to do things right.
You need to have at least 1 yr OTR experience to get any kind of decent rate on insurance for your own truck. Insurance company will turn you away if you don't have 1 yr at least. Sometimes local work for 2 yr's will cut it also. But it needs to be in a full size class 8 not something smaller.
If you start a trucking company you need to treat it like a company and nothing less.
You can not start a business without reserve money and expect to make instant money and pay your bills as you learn. Until you start seeing money from loads it will be a few weeks if not months in some cases. A good number to have in a bank account is at least 10k cash and unspoken for ready for you to spend in case an emergency.
Before you buy a truck HAVE IT DYNOED by a reputable shop and even a shake down test. Freight liner here in Portland does a shake down test for like 80 bucks. Thats were they put your truck on a machine and shake each individual axle in different directions to simulate going down the road. They can see warn out bushings and many other things that regular inspections can not catch. Expect to pay some were to the tune of 500-1000 for a FULL and I mean full on inspection to have every little thing gone over with a fine tooth comb. Have it dynoed first and a basic inspection that costs about 300 total and then decide if you want to buy it or not. If you do buy the rig then have a more detailed inspection. Expect to dyno a few trucks before you finally buy one. Tell the seller if its private party, to have it dynoed and inspected before you pay a cent and if it fails you don't buy it or pay for the inspection and dyno and if it passes you buy the truck and cover the bill. This way it shows you are serious about buying and the seller will have a chance to stand behind what he said. If he doesn't walk away because the market is FLOODED and I mean flooded with trucks for sale.
If you buy from a dealer, shop around for interest rates on the truck and do not take what they give you right off the bat for rate or price of truck. EVERYTHING and I can't emphasize it enough, everything is negotiable. Dealers will buy a loan from a bank for a lot less then what they turn around and sell it to you for. Example: F&I manager will get your loan bought at 7% and he will add on 5 points just cause he needs to make money. You do not need to accpect the dealers finance company loan. You can get your own loan on any truck they have in inventory at any dealer or private party and if banks see you have a dyno sheet and a full inspection that shows the truck is good and up to snuff it will help your chances of getting a good loan with a good rate. I can get in to alot more detail about this if somebody wants to know just ask. I have had my own dealers license as a wholesaler and also worked retail auto sales for 5 years. So I feel I can answers some of your questions.
There are a lot of web sites that you can get loads from like Getloadeddotcome (thats what I tried using) . For 25 a month fee you have access to a lot of info that is priceless.
There are factoring companies to help you get paid for loads you shipped but are 30 days out of getting paid. (some one please explain how those work and whats good and bad about them. I never used one.
Also here is a link I copied and pasted from another thread that I think you need to know if you wanna be a "super trucker"
http://www.classadrivers.com/phpBB2/...ic.php?t=29585
One more thing I need to add:
Learn to say NO. NO will help you save money. Say no to cheap freight and save your self the headache. I know its hard when your hurting for money but it needs to be done. If your not making money then find a real job and sell your truck cause you don't need to be working for nothing just so others can get rich of you pulling cheap freight.
Please add info as you see fit. This should help alot of people out.