Quote:
Originally Posted by merrick4
Hey GMAN, I asked earlier in another thread but I don't know if you saw it as you are pretty good at answering questions. I called Crst and I need another month where I am. I asked them If i could use a penske truck and the recruiter didn't know the answer. I could buy a truck for cash without a problem and I have enough for breakdowns, but I figure just starting that that might be the smarter thing to do for the first few months anyway. Besides I never did flatbed and I want to make sure I'll like it. If not, and I don't see why I won't, I don't want to be stuck with a truck and have to lease on to these big companies for 90 cents a mile. Any opinion on whether this is feasible?
Thanks
By the way Cam, I'm glad things worked out for you. You were smart and did what was good for YOU. Many won't need to do that, but if that's how you work, well like I said, I'm glad it worked out for you. I do do as GMAN said, everytime I have a repair, I'm either standing there while they fix it and asking questions or after I ask a bunch of questions.
I don't know what their policy is concerning taking a rental truck. You may need to get approval for that from operations. I haven't checked the cost of renting a Penske or Ryder truck, but I would think it would be rather expensive. I believe they have a base rate plus mileage. CRST Malone will train you on securement. If you are going into flat bedding, you will also need to either rent or buy a trailer. You can rent one from CRST for about $165/week. You will also need to purchase tarps, binders, etc., You can buy them through CRST Malone for about $2,500 (new). They sometimes have used you can buy for less money. They will do a weekly deduction along with a deduction for your base plates and permits, tarps, etc., If you rent a Penske truck you probably won't need to worry about an additional charge for base plates and permits. All of the deductions add up to a lot of money. CRST Malone pays percentage. I doubt whether you will be offered anything for as little as $0.90/mile.
I think that if you plan on becoming an owner operator you should just jump in and give it your best shot. Whether you pull flats or vans you will need a truck. If you get a good buy in a truck, you can always sell it and get your money back. I would imagine you will pay at least $500/week to rent a Penske truck.