Hi everyone
I’ve been reading the post on TruckNet for the last few years about owner drivers starting up and everyone saying don’t do it or think very carefully before you do, well at the begining of July I decided to take the giant step and buy a truck. Unlike a lot of guys on here who want to become O/D 's and buy a unit I decided to look more into it and came to the conclusion that buying a unit would be suicide so instead I bought a 7.5ton curtainsider with a tailift and put the word around that I was available. Within a few days I had countless offers of work as it seems I’m the only guy in the area with a 7.5 ton truck available. I’m now working for a local haulage company doing day work delivering goods for one of the overnight pallet companies with the rates that I want.I could put another truck or 2 on the road and they would be kept busy, but for now just the one will do, I will look at adding another truck in the new year. My weekly earning are not that far off what my mates get for running 44ton and being away all week and my diesel only accounts for 28% of my turnover. Only time will tell if it works out but the early signs do look good. My advice to anyone looking to become an owner driver is to forget about artics and look into 7.5/12 ton work after all your doing it to make money and not have a big gleaming truck sat on your drive.
Always reading the pallet volumes are consistently rising year on year with the increasing number of networks being formed to create some cost-effective synergy for customers.
The larger fleets that I know quite well up-here have all increased the amount of 7.5t and 18t rigids significantly over the last decade, while keeping their 6x2 unit fleet numbers pretty static, which is a good reflection of the rising volumes in this field.
As you said your mileage will be a lot lower which in turn will help keep maintenance costs steady over time.
pompeyian:
Hi everyone
I’ve been reading the post on TruckNet for the last few years about owner drivers starting up and everyone saying don’t do it or think very carefully before you do, well at the begining of July I decided to take the giant step and buy a truck. Unlike a lot of guys on here who want to become O/D 's and buy a unit I decided to look more into it and came to the conclusion that buying a unit would be suicide so instead I bought a 7.5ton curtainsider with a tailift and put the word around that I was available. Within a few days I had countless offers of work as it seems I’m the only guy in the area with a 7.5 ton truck available. I’m now working for a local haulage company doing day work delivering goods for one of the overnight pallet companies with the rates that I want.I could put another truck or 2 on the road and they would be kept busy, but for now just the one will do, I will look at adding another truck in the new year. My weekly earning are not that far off what my mates get for running 44ton and being away all week and my diesel only accounts for 28% of my turnover. Only time will tell if it works out but the early signs do look good. My advice to anyone looking to become an owner driver is to forget about artics and look into 7.5/12 ton work after all your doing it to make money and not have a big gleaming truck sat on your drive.
I’d like to see your figures behind that.
You’re either :
a) using a broken calculator
b) running on duty-free diesel
c) on some very nice job/mileage rates.
An interesting alternative view as compared to the ‘norm’ on these forums. I do wonder how long those rates will last though.
It appears you are onto a good one at the moment though so good luck to you.
It gives those with a dream a little hope in a murky world.
Dean
Rob K:
I’d like to see your figures behind that.You’re either :
a) using a broken calculator
b) running on duty-free diesel
c) on some very nice job/mileage rates.
I bet you would, for your information i’m on an hourly rate and do about 170 miles a day so work it out, I ain’t going to be using a lot of fuel so it’s C 
.
Good Luck
Dont be too quick to mock !!! It is in fact possible to achieve a low fuel burn , mine is in the lower 20’s and was until the last few months in the high teens , It is possible with the right work to achieve such figures although i run 6x2 tractors but only on last minute or specialist work …In these times to run an artic you need to be starting at £2.10 per mile and sticking to light work or charge more , Running heavy costs a fortune in fuel , every time you pull up it costs the best part of a fiver to pull away again … ,Our mid lifts only drop a few times a month …
pompeyian:
Hi everyone
I’ve been reading the post on TruckNet for the last few years about owner drivers starting up and everyone saying don’t do it or think very carefully before you do, well at the begining of July I decided to take the giant step and buy a truck. Unlike a lot of guys on here who want to become O/D 's and buy a unit I decided to look more into it and came to the conclusion that buying a unit would be suicide so instead I bought a 7.5ton curtainsider with a tailift and put the word around that I was available. Within a few days I had countless offers of work as it seems I’m the only guy in the area with a 7.5 ton truck available. I’m now working for a local haulage company doing day work delivering goods for one of the overnight pallet companies with the rates that I want.I could put another truck or 2 on the road and they would be kept busy, but for now just the one will do, I will look at adding another truck in the new year. My weekly earning are not that far off what my mates get for running 44ton and being away all week and my diesel only accounts for 28% of my turnover. Only time will tell if it works out but the early signs do look good. My advice to anyone looking to become an owner driver is to forget about artics and look into 7.5/12 ton work after all your doing it to make money and not have a big gleaming truck sat on your drive.
you sound as though you have your head screwed on Good luck Fellor
pompeyian:
after all your doing it to make money and not have a big gleaming truck sat on your drive.
A very wise comment, in my opinion.
The few successful owner drivers that I know either don’t run premium 44 tonne trucks or if they do, they don’t shine, aren’t new and mostly do local work.
The most successful run vans and 7.5 tonners on last minute specials.
Regards,
Nick.
A friend of mine is an Owner Driver. Recently we were both at a mates wedding and we got chatting to another truck driver.
When this truck driver found out my friend is an o/d he started the normal cliched spiel…
“no money in’t job, millstone round your neck etc etc”
Generally the normal stuff that comes up on TNUK when someone lets on that they want to own their own truck…
My friend let this driver finish his waffle and simply asked him
“If I didn’t have my own truck how would I move my Piling Machine?”
Good for you for ignoring the nay sayers and sticking your neck out to do your own thing. Good luck for the future.
W
I read this post last night and was going to reply favourably, it is after all how many successful fleets started out, one small truck and let the customer base grow the business if necessary.
Anyway I got waylaid and was quite amazed to see the comments this morning. It has been my advice for a long time. I remember the hotshot work of the 70’s and 80’s. Someone in Aberdeen or Dyce would want a packet of cream crackers and they had to be on the boat that night, they would pay any price to get them there.
recently I have posted a few pictures of my mates Scania from various places around Europe, he started out with a 7.5 tonne VW LT with a tilt body when he was 18, he would go anywhere at the drop of a hat, and he was enjoying himself. He is probably on his fifth or sixth V8 Scania now, they just keep appearing. He has gone down the second or third truck route with F16’s & drivers, but is more reliable on his own.
I wish you luck and sensible payments 
I think that the people who ridicule it on here and slag off owner drivers and constantly ask for figures are just nob heads who daren’t actually have a go themselves and are jealous of other people getting on in life and showing their ambition to make a success of their own business. If you think it pays and are happy to go along with it, don’t let people on here make you think otherwise.
Rob K:
pompeyian:
Hi everyone
I’ve been reading the post on TruckNet for the last few years about owner drivers starting up and everyone saying don’t do it or think very carefully before you do, well at the begining of July I decided to take the giant step and buy a truck. Unlike a lot of guys on here who want to become O/D 's and buy a unit I decided to look more into it and came to the conclusion that buying a unit would be suicide so instead I bought a 7.5ton curtainsider with a tailift and put the word around that I was available. Within a few days I had countless offers of work as it seems I’m the only guy in the area with a 7.5 ton truck available. I’m now working for a local haulage company doing day work delivering goods for one of the overnight pallet companies with the rates that I want.I could put another truck or 2 on the road and they would be kept busy, but for now just the one will do, I will look at adding another truck in the new year. My weekly earning are not that far off what my mates get for running 44ton and being away all week and my diesel only accounts for 28% of my turnover. Only time will tell if it works out but the early signs do look good. My advice to anyone looking to become an owner driver is to forget about artics and look into 7.5/12 ton work after all your doing it to make money and not have a big gleaming truck sat on your drive.
I’d like to see your figures behind that.
You’re either :
a) using a broken calculator
b) running on duty-free diesel
c) on some very nice job/mileage rates.
Having run 7.5 tonners in the past on similar work, fuel costs of 28% of turnover are achievable if not normal. I think you should get your (unbroken) calculator out and look at what the OP says, he is on DAY work not mileage rates and working for a member of a pallet distrbution network, ie LOCAL.
Rok K delving into other’s affairs despite having no clue on the operation. No Way. 
Nice to see it working out for someone, good luck to you
Pompeyjan, good luck to you, I firmly believe you & your fuel figures I’ve a close friend who got rid of his fleet of artics on greek work & now is the proud owner of an 18 & a 7.5 tonner & stays local His fuel is well down in the 20%s. Hourly pay beats mileage money most days for Him anyway.
Keep us informed on here how you get on, a success story will offend a few on here but it will make Me smile every time I see it.
When I started as an OD 25 years ago my fuel on distance work was below 25% each month & incidently that was with an old Bedford. Feel old now I’m off…
yeh but the derv was only 3 groats a gallon john boy!!!
Great to hear a good news story these days…looks like you have your head screwed on the right way as well…good luck in your venture
good luck to you
its not that long ago ( about 7 years) that i could run the truck,landrover,and the car on 30% fuel per month
hope you do well moose
germangeezer:
yeh but the derv was only 3 groats a gallon john boy!!!
They was buying it by the mutchkin and peck as well 
Well done.
But my only concern after reading your post is that all your eggs seem to be in the one basket.
Good luck in the future I really do mean that.