| There are a lot of good trucking companies out | | | | Pitfall #2 Work harder, not smarter |
| there. I have known company drivers for US | | | | The goal is to work smarter, not harder when it |
| Express, USA Truck, Schneider Trucking, Werner | | | | comes to being a successful owner operator. Cheap |
| Trucking, and LTL trucking companies like Yellow | | | | freight may get you 5,000 miles a week solo, but it |
| Freight and Roadway Express that were really | | | | also gets you a million mile truck long before |
| knocking back the cash. I personally have worked for | | | | it’s time. Choose your loads and the company |
| Continental Express and Digby Truck Lines and did | | | | you lease too carefully. You’re not a company |
| quite well. But for some drivers, working for | | | | driver anymore, so just because they promise you |
| someone else just isn’t enough… | | | | the miles doesn’t mean they’ll deliver |
| The problem for some is that the lure of the open | | | | the money. Remember, the more miles you run- the |
| road tricks them into becoming owner operators | | | | more fuel you will burn, the more maintenance |
| before they are ready. | | | | you’ll require, the more wear and tear |
| I have been an owner operator for nearly a decade | | | | you’ll have on your truck and yourself. |
| and I would estimate I am pretty high on the food | | | | Pitfall #3 Been There, Done That |
| chain. “Making it” as an owner operator | | | | Some truckers seem to know everything. |
| in trucking isn’t easy. I didn’t get here | | | | Unfortunately for them, ignorance is bliss. If you |
| by luck, I asked a lot of questions and listened to | | | | want to truly get ahead in trucking, always keep |
| what other drivers said their mistakes were. Learning | | | | your eyes open for new opportunities. Don’t |
| from others’ mistakes has helped me avoid | | | | quit your contract on a whim, but always know what |
| some of the pitfalls they fell into. | | | | your options are. Network with other drivers and try |
| Pitfall #1 Lease Purchase | | | | to sift through the bologna to gain as much |
| If you don’t have the cash or credit to go | | | | information as you can. You never know when things |
| buy a truck on your own, you aren’t ready. | | | | are going to go sour and you need to have a back |
| Spend a few years as a company driver- I suggest | | | | up plan or two waiting in the wings. You may find |
| at least two years- and get informed. Check with | | | | that you aren’t doing nearly as well as you |
| trucking legal resources like OOIDA about the | | | | thought you were compared to other owner |
| problems with lease purchase deals. Many drivers | | | | operators out there. |
| have lost a lot of years and gained a lot of ugly | | | | Certainly there are other pitfalls out there. Just being |
| spots on their credit report because they | | | | aware that there are things to watch out for is a |
| didn’t investigate the drawbacks and | | | | major step toward success in owner operator |
| consequences. | | | | trucking. |