RE: o/o
Easy Answer to me... Drive for an O/O FIRST... To see if you like the industry. Ask the co. about the O/O though. Make sure they're in good standings with the company. Get pictures of the rig via E-mail or snail mail - don't say yes to a rig and then go up and find out you're in a former Ryder truck that's got a handy man special for a sleeper.
The "Gentleman's Agreement" or handshake doesn't work as well as it used to, so get as much as you can in writing.
Look hard, and you will find Owners out there that pay for the fuel.
You won't have that many tolls, the main thing will be your fuel.
Sounds to me like you're not sure though, that's why I say run for somebody else 1st, get the feel of things and then decide if you want to take the plunge into becoming an O/O or not.
Owner Operators incur alot of expenses. That is a Biiiig Decision.
Many on EO will tell you the same thing...
Spend some time out there driving for somebody else 1st, look at the equipment other drivers are using... specifically expediter's.
Ask questions to those drivers if you're able to...
either on the CB or in person.
Look back in the archives of "Newbies Paradise" and "Truck Talk" forums... as well as "General Expediting" and Read as much as you can - and you will learn and quickly get an idea of what to do and what not to do. There are soooo many ways to buy the wrong truck and equipment. Davekc, and other moderators and regular posters are Drivers and Owner Operators themselves, read what they've written in different posts and replies to different posts... you will learn alot just by reading the replies. Sometimes the replies get off track of the subject, but sometimes you learn things by going off track.
My advice, read through "all" the "Different" forums in the message boards on ExpeditersOnline.com, and drive for somebody else first.
Let them pay for the tires and fluid changes and broken stuff and repairs first.
Better to learn mistakes on their dime than your own dime.
What can you do while you are driving for somebody else?? You can read magazines, talk to drivers, and learn the ropes... without having to worry about having to make that next truck payment, or figuring out a way to get money together to pay for that new set of steer tires you're gonna need soon. or Drive tires.
Tires cost hundreds of dollars on a truck. For Semi's it's alot!
The "average" price for a (one) truck tire is gonna be about $200plus. Need a tire on the side of the interstate?
Plan on kissing 300+ goodbye. In Canada, that price can go up to over 500 CANADIAN DOLLARS (in some area's more). As an expediter, if you're allowed, you'll more than likely end up in Ontario atleast once with freight. The first time is a real experience.
You'll see by being out there what works and how it works for people in expediting. Teams versus Solo's... tag axles versus pusher axles.
Lift gates, straps, padding, loading, unloading, how to deal with dispatchers... then there's the paperwork aspect of it. That's a science all onto itself.
Tip, places to do 34 hour restarts... virtually anyplace between I-55 and I-77, north of I-64 and south of I-80/90 is always good for expediters. Esp. bewteen Louisville/Lexington KY along I-65/I-75 up to Chicago area's and Toledo area's.
Notice how I worded that... the key word is "area's". You don't have to drive into Toledo to get a load... if you're within 30 min. of an "area" and another truck is 45 min. away - guess who's QC gets beeped 1st? The difference is gonna be team versus solo. Now if that load requires a team and you're a solo - they're gonna beep that team rig 1st.
There is No argument, Teams Do Make More Money...
By the way, being an Owner Operator requires more than just "some other stuff" as you put it... there's a whole bunch of stuff.
Permits, tags, all different kinds of insurances you can get and have to get, tire choices, wheel choices, sleeper and engine choices, cargo box size, the type of truck - van/sprinter, straight, semi tractor. The models to choose from within those are endless with straight trucks and semi's. as are the options available within those trucks.
Planning on buying a truck & becoming an O/O despite what you've read??? Well, read the message boards on EO... and you'll find a ton of advice on equipment and trucks... and if you're curious... post a message in the truck talk board about your rig questions.
There's a good many O/O's on these boards, and some have had many different rigs over the years. There's everything and everybody here on EO... everything from the cargo van driver driving for somebody, to the cargo van owner that runs like the wind, to the tractor trailer drivers on here that have worked in big truckin' co.'s and got tired of it and wanted a change.
There truely is a wide mix of drivers found within these message boards on ExpeditersOnline.com
There's a good many straight truck drivers and/or owners on here too, some that have driven big trucks and either gotten tired of it or simply wanted a change yet wished to stay in the freight relocation business. Others have started out driving expedited cargo vans and/or sprinters and moved up to a straight truck, then some have even moved up to tractor trailers. Some of the folks in expediting have come straight out of years of office work and/or a "typical" 9-5 job, and taken the plunge into OTR work.
Questions you need to ask yourself...
Are you running team? are you running solo?
That could effect the type of truck you want to run in, and the size of the sleeper. You don't really want a team in a truck with a beautiful 60" sleeper if you can get your self into a rig with a beautiful 72" sleeper, let alone a beautiful merciful 96" sleeper.
Don't think that 12" will make a difference? Try out a 24" sleeper for 2 nites and then move up to a 36" box sleeper... you'll see.
Many cargo vans will have a 24"+ sleeper.
The Sprinter's... which is basically a cargo van on some good drugs... has I think a 60" stand-up sleeper. They're pretty neat, if you're into that stuff. Though if you're tall? I sat ina Sprinter once, I'm 6'1", and personally I didn't think it had much leg room up front. The cargo vans though, you can get creative with them, making fold-away beds and stuff, I've seen people do all kinds of sleeper set-ups with cargo vans. Same with Sprinters, along with "cube vans". That seems to be a growing trend... it's a van front, with a big square box behind it... though I'm seein' more with an aero-style roof over the cab and they're making themselves a walk-thru sleeper boot.
Average Straight truck is gonna have about a 60-72" sleeper on it.
The next "standard" size sleeper for a straight truck is gonna be a 96" sleeper. Those are awesome - you can do alot inside with that kinda room.
Your average tractor anymore is gonna have a 72" sleeper, typically.
How long are you willing to stay out for???
Some teams like to run out for 6 or more weeks at a time while others like to come in every 2-3 weeks.
Some solo's like to be home every other weekend, if you live in OH, lower MI, or the Chicago area that is very possible.
Do you want to go into a Straight (box) truck, or a semi tractor?
Do you want to be home often? or stay out 3-4 plus weeks? The longer you stay out, the more room you're gonna want, and the more things you're gonna want to have with you.
Do you have pets?
Do you have OTR Driving experience??
Have you run witha QC before? All Major expediting co.'s run QC's.
are you married? do you have kids? do you rent a home or own a house?
That has to be considered, example: somebody that's single, with no kids, if you want to be out - why keep a 2 bedroom place?
If your married, does your wife agree with your choices?
or are you going to write country music songs? Catch my drift?
There is an awful lot that has to be considered.
Another thing... if you read a post that's over a year or so old... and you want to reply to it... do it... it'll boot it back up to the top of the lists of posts.
Give us all some time too, there are many "Drivers" on EO, myself included, so give us time to reply as we might be out there hauling that gravy load to buy a faster laptop so we can read what you wrote faster.
I don't know how much of a newbie you are,
but by the way you worded your question/post,
it sounds like your still in need of alot of information.
Bare in mind, we're trying to help you, not scare you off or intimidate you. No Driver likes to see another driver in a jam or look stupid 'cause they didn't ask the right question(s).
In order for us to help answer your questions and/or help you in general we're gonna need to know some of the answers to some of the questions I asked... that'll tell us alot about you and what you want to do in expediting - besides make money.
One more thing? what part of the country do you live in?
That's going to make a difference when it comes down to home time.
The only dumb question is the one you don't ask.
Any questions on here... just ask away.
BigBusBob
