Oil leak $750..............Trailer tires $1600..................New muffler $200..........airline for turbo $86.........Filled fuel tanks $700

Had my return load cancel and already had appointments set up for repair and tires so deadheaded home 350 miles. I got $200 for truck not used. I decided it already was a bad week by Tuesday so I just stayed home the rest of the week. This week has to be better.

Just think if I had another truck I could have doubled my losses, or maybe made enough to pay for the loss on the other truck. Not a game I want to play anytime soon.

This is the best solution for the vast majority of folks out there. Unless you’re a workaholic like me and have a hard time putting up with other’s stupidity, being a company driver is definitely the way to go. That being said, having run under my own authority for over three years now, I really can’t see myself ever having another “job” again. What I do now provides me with a good income and a hobby at the same time. I get to set my hours and decide where I will go, when I’ll go and what I’ll haul. As cut-throat as this business is, I’m averaging $1.88 loaded ($1.77 for all miles driven) on 96k actual miles so far this year, and I’m home nearly as much as I’m on the road… and that’s in the worst economy in my lifetime. Granted, I’ve been lucky in finding a couple good brokers who put a premium on service, but most of it is a lot of hard work and a lot of hard learned knowledge.

Not to be unfriendly, but wtf does that have to do with truck driving? Looks like SPAM to me. Just a way to get his or her link on the board.

Must not be to good of a computer tech! jus sayin'

Yes, a company driver is the way I want to start. If I'm comfortable, or keep hearing how bad it is to own a truck I'll stay there. If I keep being unhappy with my employer, then I'd weight all options and what advice I hear and have just heard and go from there.

Owning a truck is not that bad. When you OWN and Drive the same truck. When you get into more then 1 truck thats when things get hard. REAL HARD

Read Tracer. He has own truck and trailer and new gadgets every week. He makes so much he can't wait to spend it. This has been going on for years. Blows a hole in your conventional business plan.

Steve Booth had no exp. and is doing quite well. He just paid cash for a house and 40 acres. Even Pepe is still in business.

Yes, there are exceptions and I count myself as one of them. I did many things “they” say you shouldn’t do and I’m doing just fine, but that doesn’t negate the fact that there is a huge failure rate for owner operators. Leading somebody to believe that because a few CAD board members have done well they will surely do the same is irresponsible. I love math and the statistics indicate that unless the O/O candidate possesses some qualities that the failing majority does not, he will eventually find himself out of money, credit and business.

I just stumbled across an interesting site where the author conducted a multi-year survey of O/O and lease/purchase programs. The data isn't surprising to anybody who's been in the business for very long, but it is interesting reading.

Here's the link: Trucking Company Lease Purchase Programs for Owner Operators

You can buy his audio books for $37, download his ebooks for $17, or just read the same (probably more extensive) information for free on CAD. :)

I bought my truck with no driving experience and doing very well with my own authority.

Truck is paid for and like last week I said heck with it on Tuesday and spent $3300 and it didn't hurt too bad. I have confirmations for this week that total $4200 on 2150 miles. I will be home 3 nights and back home for the weekend.

I wouldn't even think about buying your own truck unless you have your finances at home under control and alot of cash in the bank for the unexpected.

I came up behind a truck this afternoon doing 20pmh on I-80 by Morris IL. He was burning it down, smoking so bad you couldn't see and I could smell it when I passed him. He was a O/O and I was thinking I hope he has the money in the bank for a turbo and maybe more by the time he stopped.