I came back out driving with the goal of going O/O. I put in the request to go home today to empty out my Company truck, to come back out as an O/O for the same Company. They are not the best for an O/O but they have been good to me as a Company Driver. And after talking to others O/O with the Company they are doing good also.

Leasing on is only a stepping stone, now working on the second Goal, going fully independent with own authority. But first I willl need to save a few more bucks.

 

Good luck on going the owner operator route. Now is not the best time to make major changes. Most are not doing that well. Many are falling by the wayside. Hopefully, you will buy a truck that has a low payment and your living expenses and personal debt is low.

 

Good luck Coastie. Keep us posted! :thumbsup:

 

Hi GMAN, Yes I have been listening to you and the rest. My payments will be 1360.00 a month, and Ins 144 per month. With my current Company I am working for the O/O get the choice on loads, and the ones I talked to are doing good. As a Company Driver, I do not sit, normally have a load less than an hour after I empty. Plus with the Company it seems they are leaning on going more O/O than Company drivers now. Fired near 400 driver last month and not replacing them.

As for my personal debt, my VA disability will cover it.

 

Hey Coastie...seems like only yesterday you were posting from the Phillipines. Now here you are back home and reaching for your dream. Good luck!!!! As Gman said, it's a tough economy out there.

 

That is a lot of money to pay out each month, but with your extra income you should be able to do alright as long as the freight holds out with your company. Who will you lease the truck to, coastie, if you don't mind my asking? If you prefer not answering on the forum that is OK.

I think more carriers are going more toward owner operators than company drivers. It is certainly much less expensive than paying company drivers. The owner operator has the capital investment and the company has the profits. Well, a big chunk of it anyway.

 

Hi GMAN, I They are not the highest paying but they have kept me rolling. I have talked to some of the Owners Operators and they are real happy with them and able to survive. One I met who was leased onto DART, was really happy with them. I met him as he was leasing on. I ran across him a few weeks later and he was telling me he was doing so well he was able to buy new set of tires for his truck and was tickled pink with the company.

So I will lease onto them so I can get a better work history behind me, I do not plan to stay with them for ever. Just my work history does not look good as of now which not my fault, I started back into trucking working for small companies, and most went out of Business. Only one I quit and it was a raw deal from the get go, but they want me back in the worst way, always emailing me begging me to come back to work for them.

 

Thanks GEOMON... Oh yes the Philippines, how I miss that place though.

Yes the Economy tough but when the times are tough, the Tough get going....

 

I met an owner operator with Dart who did one of their lease purchase programs. He is the first guy that I recall having met who actually completed his lease and owns the truck. When I spoke with him he had just leased another truck from them and was planning on staying with Dart. I don't recommend the lease purchase programs with any carrier but I suppose the reason I still remember him is because he told me that he completed his lease and was doing well. That was a number of years ago.

 

Good luck Coastie.