Quote:
Originally Posted by englishman
you got your truck, you have signed on to haul for .... "whoever truck lines"..........
Would $3K be enough to run with, until the first check arrives?
Sure, I know if I had 3 tire failures, and a A/C go, it wouldn't be enough.....
But come on guys, realistic answers...
Best guess wins a top prize! :lol:
Prizes donate and given at englishmen's discretion!! :sad:
The answer is......maybe. If you lease to a carrier, you can usually get an advance with each load to cover most of your fuel costs. Whether you lease to a carrier or hire on as a company driver, you will likely need to attend orientation. It seems that most of the larger carrier's have an orientation of about 3-4 days. You will probably get your first load on the truck on the last day of orientation. Most companies send their drug tests off and it can take about 2-3 days to get the results back. They will not sign a contract with you until they get the final results of the test. It will take about 1-2 weeks for the first check to get to you once you put the first load on the truck. There are more things that can happen on the road than a blown tire, such as engine problems, rear ends, transmission, etc., Any of those would likely expend the $3,000 and then some. That is the reason we usually recommend having more money in reserve. You never know when a breakdown will occur. I believe I mentioned in a previous post about one of my trucks needing $6,000 of engine work. I have a bad lifter. This on a truck with less than 200M on a rebuild. Buying a new truck is no different. They can all break. If things go smoothly, you will probably be all right. If they don't you could be in trouble.
You also need to know whether the company you lease to furnishes base plates and permits or you do. Some will pay for them and take a percentage out of your weekly settlements. You will need to have comprehensive insurance and either workers comp or an accident policy, with most carriers. These are usually not that expensive, but it is a cost you need to consider.