I am looking into becoming a owner driver and have loads of questions. So here goes…
How much do you get paid per load?
How do you find loads?
How much should I set load in transit insurance to,
Do I need to hire/ buy a trailer if so what type? ie are there jobs using other company’s trailers?
How much is general servicing and 12 weekly inspections?
What is the average litres per mile rate?
Is fuel cards worth it?
What’s the average insurance cost for 1 trailer and tractor?
Do I need my own yard to store my truck when applying for a o licence?
What’s the adblue costs per mile?
That’s probably enough questions for this post.
Dave
There have been so many posts about becoming an 0/driver in the past, the irony being there does not seem to be many now, and yet there is no better time to get your own truck. If you can’t make a success of it in the current climate, then you never will.
If you rang any company or organisation local to you, and offered a unit, I would say the majority would ■■■■■■ your hand off.
Q1. There are no across the board fixed rates for loads. Each company will either negotiate or tell you what they are prepared to pay.
Q2. Approach a company and offer your services. In the current climate, any company.
Q3. Most companies will have their own demands, and will be a considerable uplift on RHA limit. Approach a broker, and discuss cargo you intend to carry. You can’t sort this until you know what sort of cargo you will carry. If you don’t, and are only covered for say 900 quid a tonne, and load is worth 100,000quid, then if you have a claim for damage or loss, the insurance co will not indemnify you, and you are going to be living in a tent somewhere.
Q4.Traction only is easily doable at the moment. Offer your unit to companies with big trailer fleets.
Q5.12 weekly inspections? Perhaps you need to consider sitting your TM CPC. Fixed term maintenance contracts, for a fixed monthly fee are available for all trucks. Contact dealer of truck you intend to buy and discuss what is best for you. You could get it done by a man in a van, but would not recommend it. Scania labour costs are about £70 per hr I think.
Q6. Lts per mile? Surely MPG? Depends on weight, traffic, height, terrain, weather, and whether you can drive properly or not.
Q7. Fuel cards offer a bunker price, which should be cheaper than the forecourt, but you will get no credit.
Q8. Insurance costs for a new start o/driver will be higher than average. Contact a broker for a quote. You could be an ex DD.
Q9. An unlicensed truck, and I assume untaxed, will need to be parked off the road, until taxed and operator licence is showing. Does not have to be your own yard, just not on the road.
Q10. Adblue usage is directly linked to your fuel consumption. A rule of thumb is 6ltrs of Adblue to 100ltrs diesel. There is a bigger differential in adblue cost than with fuel, as it can be sourced by the barrel from any number of suppliers.
In the current climate, why would you want to use a broker for any haulage job? You will get the bare bones of the rate on a back load, and lose at least a morning as you try to get rid of it.
Negotiate round trip rates. If you can get something back, then it is a bonus.
Once you satisfy O licence requirements, and insurance is complete, and assuming you have licence and driver qualification, then you are free to trade with a road legal truck.
Nothing to stop you double-shifting it, although that will bring issues re finding drivers and extra wear and tear on truck. Age of truck and availability of work will determine this.
Theres gold in them there hills…allegedly. Did forget to mention that drivers’ wages have increased so much, and conditions improved that o/d ing looks increasingly onerous.
I know of one ferry trailer company that are struggling to get hauliers, because the ones that they have, have decided to look elsewhere to make money in the current climate, but will reap what they sow when that bubble bursts.
It is indeed a good time to be an OD, i.ve never seen anything like it in the 20yrs i.ve been on my own,
ive made over 1k a day and been home every night this week, it wont last forever but i intend to make the most of it while its like it is