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Started By
Message
re: Owner/Operator truckers can make $300,000 a year?
Posted on 7/2/18 at 10:37 pm to toosleaux
Posted on 7/2/18 at 10:37 pm to toosleaux
quote:
All the trucking threads made me Google it out of boredom. This company in Port Allen is boasting you can make $300,000 a year? What’s the catch to this? I know it says Gross, so I am assuming this is before you factor out all business costs, diesel, etc? Still seems solid.
There is a huge demand for truck drivers right now, and it's only going to get bigger.
The expenses are impressive though. Trucks are expensive, trailers are expensive, insurance is outrageous, the job is incredibly stressful, you work nonstop, and it costs about $500 to fill up.
Still, it's not unreasonable for a professional driver that works their arse off to take home six figures.
0
Posted on 7/2/18 at 10:43 pm to tigerinthebueche
quote:
I’ve been told there are 100 loads for every truck/driver in Houston right now. Trying to get pipe moved is fricking ridiculous. They’ve gone up on rates by $300-$400/ load. I have no problem with them making money while the market is good, but they better remember what comes around goes around.
Assuming you can still find all the truckers that are making that much right now. A lot of those independent guys might drag up and haul something a little more lucrative when the market slows.
Driving a truck can be hard, and owning one is stressful, but life isn't always easy for the brokers either.
Posted on 7/2/18 at 10:46 pm to Ponchy Tiger
quote:
He also told me that the best job is driving for Walmart.
My wife’s uncle lives in a very nice house, nice cars and retired early driving for Wal Mart for 30 years. He and her aunt just travel the country now.
One downside, he has some pretty major back problems
Posted on 7/2/18 at 10:46 pm to tigerinthebueche
quote:
Trying to get pipe moved is fricking ridiculous
Hopefully the current freight market will get pipe yards to change their methods. I have ZERO pity for a pipe yard having trouble moving their freight.
Posted on 7/2/18 at 10:54 pm to toosleaux
Truck note
Insurance
Diesel
Maintenance
Repairs
Depreciation
Food on the road
Tolls
Taxes
Hotels/motels when you don't want to sleep in the cab
Tickets
Lot lizards
Amphetamines
300k gross gets whittled down real quick. The last two are tongue in cheek, but are real outlay for some truckers.
Farmers are real similar. They make BANK. Their expenses to be able to keep doing that job year after year, though, seriously eat into what they bring in.
Insurance
Diesel
Maintenance
Repairs
Depreciation
Food on the road
Tolls
Taxes
Hotels/motels when you don't want to sleep in the cab
Tickets
Lot lizards
Amphetamines
300k gross gets whittled down real quick. The last two are tongue in cheek, but are real outlay for some truckers.
Farmers are real similar. They make BANK. Their expenses to be able to keep doing that job year after year, though, seriously eat into what they bring in.
This post was edited on 7/2/18 at 11:02 pm
Posted on 7/2/18 at 10:56 pm to fishfighter
quote:is there another kind?
over the road trucking.
Posted on 7/2/18 at 11:19 pm to airfernando
quote:
is there another kind?
Localized. Day driving.
You look at loggers, dirt/aggregate trucks, a lot of building materials suppliers - most of those guys stay within a couple hundred miles of dispatch.
Posted on 7/2/18 at 11:21 pm to cajuncarguy
quote:
Could be gross before expenses. Like the truck and fuel. ?
It is. Add in taxes and it's $75k a year
Posted on 7/2/18 at 11:33 pm to toosleaux
Haven’t read through the entire thread, but I’m an o/o.
First year, I grossed $184K driving a dedicated route. Drove weekdays and home every weekend. Sounds awesome, but I netted less than $45K. here were my annual expenses:
Fuel $52,000
Truck Payments $24,000
Insurance $24,000 (extremely high because I had <2yr experience)
Maintenance $18,000
Various tag/sticker renewals $5,000
Professional fees (CPA, Drug Pool, ELD) $3,000
Taxes $15,000
This year, my truck is paid off and my insurance is almost halved, plus my taxes have changed due to marriage and a baby. So, I’m making great money considering I’m home far more often than those long haulers.
First year, I grossed $184K driving a dedicated route. Drove weekdays and home every weekend. Sounds awesome, but I netted less than $45K. here were my annual expenses:
Fuel $52,000
Truck Payments $24,000
Insurance $24,000 (extremely high because I had <2yr experience)
Maintenance $18,000
Various tag/sticker renewals $5,000
Professional fees (CPA, Drug Pool, ELD) $3,000
Taxes $15,000
This year, my truck is paid off and my insurance is almost halved, plus my taxes have changed due to marriage and a baby. So, I’m making great money considering I’m home far more often than those long haulers.
Posted on 7/2/18 at 11:51 pm to The Quiet One
I’m ready for Tesla to cut you all out and my transport bills be cut in half. It’s coming, just wait.
This post was edited on 7/2/18 at 11:52 pm
Posted on 7/2/18 at 11:54 pm to Retrograde
Won’t be in our lifetime. I want to see an AI truck navigate a Los Angeles port before I start worrying about that crapola. 
Posted on 7/3/18 at 12:00 am to A Menace to Sobriety
quote:
Working every day sitting in a truck all day every day while almost always being away from your family. That figure is nice, but it ain't worth it.
Dont forget not showering for a week at a time.
Posted on 7/3/18 at 2:51 am to toosleaux
300k on the books, but it gets much higher if you're willing to haul a few thousand lbs of Columbian bam-bam.
Posted on 7/3/18 at 3:36 am to The Quiet One
Most of the time the advertising is for lease purchase programs which are an absolute scam - last I had heard over 80% of drivers fall into bankruptcy through this garbage. I'm a company OTR driver and not really interested interested in becoming o/o. Too much added stress when I have a pretty good gig now, plus eventually when I get clear of my student loans from college I'll go find something else to do - maybe office work since I've been offered those jobs multiple times already.
Posted on 7/3/18 at 5:12 am to wadewilson
quote:
but life isn't always easy for the brokers either.
No doubt. I talk to several every week and it’s gotta suck being in the middle of the equation.
Posted on 7/3/18 at 5:14 am to lsuhunt555
quote:
Hopefully the current freight market will get pipe yards to change their methods. I have ZERO pity for a pipe yard having trouble moving their freight.
You mean you don’t like Womble making a driver sit there for 5-6 hours before he even gets loaded ?
Posted on 7/3/18 at 6:08 am to Horsemeat
Most lease programs are sucker bets. Just like leasing a car...you’ll always be making a payment and never get ahead. Plus, you’re slaved to the kind of work you wanna do.
Advice for anyone thinking of owner/op...
Know how to budget realistically
Know how to set up a LLC on your own
Know how to maintain records & receipts
Be willing to document and track sales/expenses at least weekly
Know how/where to file 2290, UCR, cab renewals, IFTA, & quarterly taxes
When ready to begin hauling, have at least $10,000 in your business account
Never buy fuel from Loves, Pilot or Flying J (ridiculously expensive)
Know quickenbooks or other budgeting & tax software
Have a list of tire, parts and service vendors
Know how to properly maintain your truck
Don’t expect to get rich
If you halfass any of the above, you’ll be out of business quickly. Stick to company driving. No shame in it. Tons of headaches being an o/o. But you can’t bullshite yourself and expect to be around long.
Advice for anyone thinking of owner/op...
Know how to budget realistically
Know how to set up a LLC on your own
Know how to maintain records & receipts
Be willing to document and track sales/expenses at least weekly
Know how/where to file 2290, UCR, cab renewals, IFTA, & quarterly taxes
When ready to begin hauling, have at least $10,000 in your business account
Never buy fuel from Loves, Pilot or Flying J (ridiculously expensive)
Know quickenbooks or other budgeting & tax software
Have a list of tire, parts and service vendors
Know how to properly maintain your truck
Don’t expect to get rich
If you halfass any of the above, you’ll be out of business quickly. Stick to company driving. No shame in it. Tons of headaches being an o/o. But you can’t bullshite yourself and expect to be around long.
Posted on 7/3/18 at 6:12 am to tigerinthebueche
(no message)
Posted on 7/3/18 at 6:31 am to ZekeTheTeke
quote:
But they probably have 50k a year in repairs and upkeep and that’s just routine stuff. I’ve seen guys pay 22k to rebuild their turbo
I paid $4995 for a new turbo yesterday. You can rebuild and engine for $22k. Are you sure you have seen all these “guyS” pay this?
We hire a lot of hauler and these guys make bank. I could see a specialty equipment hauler with a very high weight capacity making $300k. Driver would have to be a bad arse and a workhorse. Specialty guys won’t start the truck for under $1500 per local load.
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