Aimed at ROBROY
I became a millionaire as an owner driver, in fact i owned more than one…but i started off with £2 million. 
Mate, Please don’t do the OD thing, you will be bust in a year at best, look for something else, you will fail, sorry but that the simple truth.
V8MBO:
Mate, Please don’t do the OD thing, you will be bust in a year at best, look for something else, you will fail, sorry but that the simple truth.
Classic example of someone with no ambition in life bar being a slave to his/her employer.
Someone with drive and determination and the will to pick himself when kicked down WILL succeed. Go ahead with it O/P, listen to all the ones trying to put a downer on your plans and you’'ll always look back with regret…
V8MBO:
Mate, Please don’t do the OD thing, you will be bust in a year at best, look for something else, you will fail, sorry but that the simple truth.
Maybe V8MBO did the OD thing and it went wrong? As you (AndrewG) and I have both managed to make it work, we have a different viewpoint?
I still think a few years getting some experience wouldn’t go amiss. At 23 you are invincible…and when things go wrong, it isn’t just the OD, it’s other suppliers that may get burnt, so it’s only fair to say proceed with caution.
I really don’t think being an employee makes you a wage slave at all! If anything your less so than an Owner driver or self employed as you can finish work and switch off not worry about fuel, maintenance, if your contracts gonna last etc etc. Your still lining your own pocket as your getting paid after all.
If the OP wants to work for themselves good luck but as been said already work for others first just to see if the jobs for you and build up a few contacts find the work you like and what your good at.
RB84:
I really don’t think being an employee makes you a wage slave at all! If anything your less so than an Owner driver or self employed as you can finish work and switch off not worry about fuel, maintenance, if your contracts gonna last etc etc. Your still lining your own pocket as your getting paid after all.If the OP wants to work for themselves good luck but as been said already work for others first just to see if the jobs for you and build up a few contacts find the work you like and what your good at.
I always say that although i may be the boss, I’m still just an employee of my customers.
In all seriousness, I think there’s a big difference between being an od and a small haulier in the uk. If you have the one, I personally don’t believe there’s enough meat on the bone above a good employed job. I’ve seen od’s work 6 days a week to be marginally better off than me in 5 days, and I’m driving a better truck with no stress or worry about breakdowns or blow outs. If you intend to get to 5 or 10 vehicles, then sure, it’s a means to an end. Personally I’d buy a van not a truck
There is a difference Ovolv, but I started out with just me. The OP wants to get a truck and then a second…if he carries on and ends up with 20 vehicles, then he’s me.
I started with vans, I’m not sure that is a better route now. 30 years ago, you could make good money, now people like City Sprint have it wrapped up and the rates are scary low, not to mention vans are affected by our EE friends for abroad work and slightly in the UK.
It depends if you’re going to go down the lazy route or carve out a niche. You’re not going to earn a fortune subbing for your local dpd, much the same as picking a traction ad from the back of commercial motor. You could have 20 traction to maritime and only make a wage after expenses. I have a very good friend, an inactive member on here, and just over two years ago, he jacked his job in and rented a van from northgate. He started doing a bit of Shipley work, and stumbled across a niche (I won’t give it away as he’s a bloody good mate). By last October, he was turning over between £1900 and £2800 a week, and paid cash for a year old sprinter. There’s money in transport, you just need to find people who’re not in transport to extract it from 
I wouldn’t say it can’t be done now, just a lot harder IMO. I’m as niche for both vans and trucks as it gets and I never put on here what we actually do
albion:
I wouldn’t say it can’t be done now, just a lot harder IMO. I’m as niche for both vans and trucks as it gets and I never put on here what we actually do
Sounds exactly right. Without some “angle”, being just another traction company isnt the way to go. It worked once upon a time but is very competitive now, and not the place for a new start especially an inexperienced one. The company Im employed by does a lot of haulage, but the boss doesnt describe himself as a haulier. We do look like a haulier from the outside, but have a business model that doesnt rely on being competitive with the rate cutting big boys. We have a few tractionaires on for us, and they do OK. But they are all mechanically “switched on” enough to know where to spend straight away, and when to put a job off until the month`s end. They all know enough to avoid unnecessary expense and not get “done over” on tyres, diesel prices, tolls, insurances etc etc. The guys pulling for us run their own trucks as I say, but managing two or three? Difficult, even for old hands who know the ropes.
Cov:
Lidl
Morgan
Approach firms bud .and good luck.take the negatives and possitives on this joint.
You think he’ll make it as O/D doing multi-drops for MorganMc@ £1.08mile!!![emoji52]
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Big Truck:
Cov:
Lidl
Morgan
Approach firms bud .and good luck.take the negatives and possitives on this joint.You think he’ll make it as O/D doing multi-drops for MorganMc@ £1.08mile!!![emoji52]
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Less trailer hire. 
I was on a quid a mile in 1992 when fuel was 35p a litre.
I’m in the same position as you Matt just passed and looking to be a OD.
Although I don’t plan on doing it for at least 5 years. I only done parcel/pallet work as an employed driver so my understanding of the industry is not great. I plan to do a bit of everything to get a better understanding of the industry before I take that step. I plan on starting with a van as well to keep the costs down.
I cant give much advice as I no eff all but I wish you good luck. There should be a sticky thread about this in the Operator forum as it comes up a lot.
There’s probably not a “sticky” about it as many have come unstuck doing it
flippant comments aside I do admire people that have the drive and ability to work for themselves, my dad had his own business for most of his working life, but it can be hard work and stress getting money out of people I know that much.
OVLOV JAY:
You want to try and get a contract hauling popcorn, nice and light for the diesel and a huge demand for it
popcorn ffs fell of me stool laffing but thinking on a lot on hear eat a lot of it at times 
I got stopped by Dvsa for a check, he said what are you carrying Drive ?
I said a full load of popcorn for the Odeon and Showcase cinemas.
He says, open up the trailer.
Oh dear, not a good idea with it falling out the back door.
I got issued a fine for not ratchet strapping the load .
OVLOV JAY:
There’s money in transport, you just need to find people who’re not in transport to extract it from
As well as the Hungarian transport operation we mostly deal with agg suppliers and mines/quarries direct, collecting/re bagging/packaging into smaller denominations and re bulk bagged for onward transport, this is where we extract the money from and works to both benefit. Subbing off subbies means peanuts and something we dont get involved in…
Matt4ew101:
I know it’s difficult and and I have picked up a lot over the years and I wouldn’t say that I’m a complete novice. And maybe I was naive thinking that a forum site would actually give someone advice. It’s crazy to think not one comment has been positive about the questions asked but more to my credibility on becoming an od.
Tell you what pal, you throw a load of cash into and start up straight away and have fun, you will be bankrupt in months most likely.
I for one was positive on your thread but with a dose or realism, what do you want everyone to say “hell yeah go for it you’ll make millions”.
I worked for a guy who started his own haulage business from his redundancy, he started with one van and it took years to build it up, even then he only a few trucks one being an artic after about 15 years and a van. It never made him loads of money but he had a nice living generally, but he also had plenty of heartache and worries and no pay for him when things were bad so he could pay his drivers.
Your best bet would be you and one truck on good work to make a comfortable living, employing people and running more trucks becomes very expensive. But I guess that’s also not positive enough for you.
Learn to take criticism and accept that sometimes people offer good sound advice.
simcor:
Matt4ew101:
Your best bet would be you and one truck on good work to make a comfortable living, employing people and running more trucks becomes very expensive…
Sound advice. The only times in 20+ years ive had another truck on the road is on the few occasions ive picked up extra (well paid ) work and rented another truck and trailer. Ive made plenty over the years but only with being frugal (aka tight 
) with expenditure, ive always run well maintained good looking units but up until this year every single one has been bought used. To start out from scratch with the view to running a fleet could be a tad unrealistic…