Quote:
Originally Posted by BanditsCousin
I think LOADIT meant are you hell bent on hauling dry vans.
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Just trying to inject some humor into the situation. No I'm not bent on driving only dry van. In fact, I'm considering obtaining additional endorsements to my CDL to expand my marketability and increase my range of experience in this industry. I feel by only holding class A I'm really limiting myself and my opportunities. I'm also considering buying a couple of trailers and having someone pull them, although the same factors being discussed here would apply to that situation as well.
I couldn't help but notice how many EMPTY flatbeds I saw running between Cleveland & Syracuse yesterday. I must have saw at least 15, and these were just the ones I saw. How many vans are running empty as well?
Maybe its just not the best time to get into this business as an owner. Maybe I should get into tanker or something else for a year and learn that aspect as a company driver. At this point I'm leaning strongly towards NOT purchasing a truck at this time. I see alot of blood and tears down that road, at least right now. The freight rates & availibility I'm seeing and hearing are not conducive to having $700-1000/month truck payments to deal with.
I realize that being an owner and running your own trucks is not going to be a walk in the park, even by my unexperienced calculations and a paid off truck, best case scenario is you're only going to clear .5-.15 cents per mile putting a driver into the truck, and this is before taxes even, so it's not really "clear". In the current market, it may be even worse. I would have to have three trucks or a combination of trucks/trailers to eventually make any substantial dollars.
I haven't completed my research on having only trailers pulled by leased on trucks, but if I would do the standard 20% on some trailers being pulled by a leased on truck, I can't imagine making more than .08-.13 cents per mile after expenses and BEFORE taxes.
My eventual goal is not to become rich, but to be home more for my wife and son. I have no illusions about "getting rich quick", I just want to have enough to live on without financial worries. We live frugally, so that "magic $$$ number" for me may be lower than most. For me it represents a dream of being able to call your own shots, with the ability during the day to take 5 minutes off and hug your wife , or go outside and throw the baseball around with your son, and not running the rat race every day. To me that means more than the money.
Before I started driving, I worked in the automotive world. I started in 1989 when I left the military, with the last 14 years of my tenure as a manager. After losing all three jobs to bankruptcies, I decided to do drive. With the current state of the automotive world, I think that was a great decision. I will not go back, and will put in whatever effort it takes to succeed in this business. If not this year, than next. It's looking more and more like next. :surrender:
I can work as hard as I want, but if the frieght dollars aren't there, they're not there. I can't make them appear. I agree with Gman, I certainly can't operate the truck for a buck a mile, I would be living in the truck and probably calling the bank within 3-6 months to come and pick up the truck. I love to play poker and gamble, but I try to get my $$$ in the middle when I have the best of it. Right now I seem to holding a flush to the other guys full house. Not a good place to be! When I take risks they're well calculated ones.
This board is a great learning tool for anyone interested in this business. I have picked up alot of things since coming here, and I thank all those that take the time to respond all the posts here, including mine. The willingness here to share knowledge and experience far exceeds alot of forums, trucking and otherwise. I continue to welcome any and all comments and advice.
I have the rest of this week to research and make my decision, so we'll see what happens.
Best Regards,
Tad