Machines | Should I Become an Owner Operator?
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Many company drivers wonder if they should climb the ladder and become an owner operator. With the high operating expenses, particularly the high cost of diesel fuel, the advantages of becoming an owner operator are almost non-existent in the present economic climate in the trucking industry. A well paid company driver at a decent carrier, may very well be better off financially than an owner operator these days. Is there enough money to be made to make high dollar truck payments nowadays? Dave is a 35+ year trucker, who has been a company driver, an owner operator and a fleet owner over the years, gives his opinion, regarding this dilemma of many company drivers. For more articles and information, check out the section on our website dedicated to owner operators. http://www.smart-trucking.com/owner-operator.html ------------------------------------------------------------------------ If you're a truck driver, or interested in becoming a truck driver, be sure to subscribe to our Smart Trucking Channel for tips and advice which may be useful in your trucking career. SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHANNEL! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDLY... CONNECT WITH US! Smart Trucking -- http://www.facebook.com/SmartTrucking -- http://www.google.com/+Smart-Trucking --http://www.twitter.com/Smart_Trucking --http://www.pinterest.com/smarttrucking Music From Apple Inc. Song: Windy City Medium
Comments
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This is now almost 4 years later, and diesel prices have cut in half since then. I'm wondering if you still feel the same way? Please do an updated video if you find time, as I am looking into being an O/Op. Thanks for your great videos/advice btw.
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Your right theses are lies
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If good drivers keep choosing to run as company drivers, it will not benefit drivers as a whole. the more of us who become contractors, the more leverage we have in the industry. the reason driver pay sucks is because company drivers can't do shit about it except go to a better paying carrier, and there's not that big of a difference between the big carriers wages.
If owner ops encouraged the good drivers they see to get thier own equipment, then boycotting certain shippers, brokers, carriers would actually have a measurable impact.
curating a new population of professional acting and looking owner operators should be the goal of the old school guys, rather than complain about how it's not like the 70s. -
damn lie
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thank you again sir
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well I'm thinking of being a
o/o in a year or so. i got my eyes on a 1997 pete lol. I'll pay around 5 to 10k. save up around 10k for major repairs and keep the rest in my pocket. and rinse and repeat... -
Well your Pete there is a highly un aerodynamic BOX. Which means bad milege. Get something like a Pete 372 they get 10+ mpg pulling a load.the downside is that your driving a football helmet.
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$1900 for about 300 gallons comes to about $6.33 a gallon. Not too surprising with higher fuel taxes in Canada. Canada has been pretty much controlled by tax and spend liberal loonies even more so than America.
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Ive been driving for 10 years and have YET to meet an OO making good money. Not one
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I agree 100% . I did the OO gig for seven years, and Im STILL paying back taxes !
I figure I could have saved 100K in the same time frame as a driver. Instead Im dead broke, threw away 60 grand, and now Im starting from scratch. Luckily I found a good paying company and making my way back.
I can't tell you how much STRESS I got rid of the day I sold that thing !
Owner Operator business is a RACKET ! ! ! -
There is still money to be made as an O/O. It all depends on the person and how hard they are willing to work. The last study done in 2014 shows only 40-50% of all freight was moved in America by truckers. The other 50-60% needed trucks to move it.
I'm just not sure why you tell others to not be O/O. Also... Why do you still drive your own truck?
This is not to be an ass, just curious. -
any of you hauled hazmat tankers? i was owner/operator hauling containers for 4 years...no money at all a lot of corruption ended up selling my rig and becoming a company driver and made 75k my first year...but work was plentiful then..now im struggling to get hours. a buddy asked me to try chem trans hauling tankers resins and polymers...over 150miles you get $3.00 per miles under 150 miles you get 67% of the load...they have plenty of work..says minimal net is 2500 a week after deductions...should i go for it?
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I'm about to graduate truck driving school here in the next few weeks. I would like to put money down and buy my own truck (Owner Operator ) instead of driving a company truck once i graduate. Is that a good idea? Advice please
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dont buy a truck..do the math first and u will see that the numbers dont add up..no money in it.
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if there's no money why are u still an O/O how come u don't become a company driver
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Is that a Jimmy powered 359 there?
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I'm new to the owner op life and I make out pretty good . 4500 - 8000 weekly gross . it's all about how you wanna work . if you work hard there's money to be made but if your lazy don't get mad when you don't get a check
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it all depends on what you do. Fuel haulers in my local area who gross over 200k a year…can't tell me theres no money in that..I know freight is more difficult but like anything, if you want it bad enough you will succeed.
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I was thinking of saving up $80,000 and buying a truck for around $80-$90,000. I want to put 50% down and make double payments a month to pay the truck off sooner. The truck would be bought separately, but leased on to a trucking company. The other $40,000 would be for emergency costs. The truck practically would be my home. I own a car that is paid for. My personal yearly expenses are only $3,000. No wife, or kids. Do you think I would be on the path to being a successful Owner Op?
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Owner Operator is for the truck drivers that are entrepreneurs, which means only a minority of truckers should even think about this market. Before you become an owner operator find a decent amount of clients, and establish a business relationship with them.
Also, I think it would be hard by yourself, you will need more then one driver, as most contracts for transportation will require multiple trucks to fulfill the demands of the company. While a single truck driver may be able to fit the requirements for a small business, but the income generated will be limited. I do not see it as a dead market, but more of a market for those who are well versed in the truck industry, and the marketability to gain clients.