Is it worth starting up your own business?

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS OWNER AND FLEET OPERATORS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
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Wheel Nut:

Stanley Mitchell:
Its certainly picking up, and there are plenty of opportunities out there, and, if I`m getting the vibes right, a SHORTAGE of trucks on the horizon, and, would you believe, DRIVERS are in short supply.

Tesco are starting to panic regarding drivers, and, the job i`m on 99% of the time has sounded out the regulars for commiting till CHRISTMAS :laughing: :laughing:

They are bricking it, with extra work coming on with new contracts, rivals wobbling, ENGLAND winning the world cup, ect ect ect, it all looks more promising than the last few years.

Is the new government helping the new found enthusiasm I wonder ■■?

I think there is movement, the daily job pages are filling, from a single column in the papers to 3 or 4 pages of jobs in this area. I would not think there is any actual shortage of trucks or drivers, but it could be perceived that way.

Is the new government helping? I am sure it is. everyone was so downbeat with Brown and we had just about given up on living.

Using a seafaring analogy, the country was in the doldrums, the sails were slack and the crew were asleep. From rock bottom, the only way is up, but it could get rough for the passengers :laughing:

Only going by what I`ve either been told, or, overheard, working for a couple of big players lately. At the moment the slack is being taken up by “backhaul”, but, the moment it picks up seriously, the supermarkets revert to their “own” work, getting back ASAP for the next shop delivery and / or next shift change.

This is when the “shortage” will become apparent, the gradual errosion of the haulage supply base, will expose a shortfall, its becoming an issue already, or so i`m told :unamused: :unamused:

The driver shortage, i.e., drivers trained to the exacting standards of the “BIG” boys, will also become an issue sooner or later, a lot depends on how well ENGLAND do in the next six weeks, then before you know it, its the CHRISTMAS rush :open_mouth:

I`m off today and tomorrow, as its my legal break, I could have worked ten fold today and tomorrow, its that busy !!!

22

Thanks for all the advice everyone it is defo something to think about :open_mouth: :open_mouth: I will keep you all in the loop if anything happens…

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its always worth starting up your own business, just do it in a proper and professional manner. there is plenty of work out there if you are willing
to go out and find it. but forget the back pages of t&d go out and find your own work direct and always remember the magic word PROFIT cos thats
what its all about.

good luck if you decide to give it a try

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Rob K:

Goaty:

Rob K:

sparkydave35:
Hi all i’m a newby to this site and apologies if this question has been asked before. :smiley:

I’m 30 years old, from Sussex and having been driving for as long as I can remember (with and with out a licence lol) I have been working full time for the Royal Mail for 6 years now (class 1) and GOD I’m BOARD!!! I did general haulage before working for the RM and I did a few years fitting for DAF trucks so have a fairly good knowledge of how the business works.
I was just wondering if it worth thinking of starting up on my own? I completely understand how much hard work it would be and willing to put the time and effort in.
I have been looking in the back of T&D and there seems to be a lot of owner driver work around “or am I being a little green” :grimacing:

If any of you have any advice it would be very much welcomed!!!

Anyone that sets up as a new o/d drivers needs ‘mug’ tattooing across their heads. Red tape-orama everywhere, VOSA on every corner, £1/mile rates, £1.20/ltr fuel, far too many trucks chasing too little work already, etc etc. How many more indicators do you need? There’s a reason why there’s so many o/d’s packing up every week and it isn’t because they’ve got bored of it… :bulb:

A bit strong Rob. I still know a lot of o/d’s that’ve been through a rough time in the last 12 months BUT are still going strong. Now the work is improving: rates/volumes things are looking up. Certainly from my point of view, I’ve recently taken on a subbie !

I do agree with you about the red tape, it’s ■■■■■■■■ BUT it affects everyone not just prospective o/d’s.

I think a lot of people starting up as an o/d would do better to view it as a business instead of an opportunity to own a showtruck. These, I think are the “Mug’s” that run at £1 per mile you speak of.

You do seem to constantly berate anyone that show’s any interest in becoming an o/d. Are you one or have you been one yourself and had a bad time of it ?

Show me some work the distance work that’s paying at least £2/mile and I’ll say it’s maybe worth considering. Until then, it isn’t.

Very in depth reply Rob. :unamused:

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Rob K:

sparkydave35:
Hi all i’m a newby to this site and apologies if this question has been asked before. :smiley:

I’m 30 years old, from Sussex and having been driving for as long as I can remember (with and with out a licence lol) I have been working full time for the Royal Mail for 6 years now (class 1) and GOD I’m BOARD!!! I did general haulage before working for the RM and I did a few years fitting for DAF trucks so have a fairly good knowledge of how the business works.
I was just wondering if it worth thinking of starting up on my own? I completely understand how much hard work it would be and willing to put the time and effort in.
I have been looking in the back of T&D and there seems to be a lot of owner driver work around “or am I being a little green” :grimacing:

If any of you have any advice it would be very much welcomed!!!

Anyone that sets up as a new o/d drivers needs ‘mug’ tattooing across their heads. Red tape-orama everywhere, VOSA on every corner, £1/mile rates, £1.20/ltr fuel, far too many trucks chasing too little work already, etc etc. How many more indicators do you need? There’s a reason why there’s so many o/d’s packing up every week and it isn’t because they’ve got bored of it… :bulb:

Whats your problem RobK, you are so downbeat about everything!! More as the point whats the problem with O/D’s or potential O/D’s, do you think fleets just start up with 10 trucks and start chasing work, O/D’s if they want to can expand to become small fleets in to large fleets!! We’ve all seen owner drivers who go down the all flash no cash route, fair play they get a nice truck and ride round for a few months then find that they have a massive VAT bill to pay and they’ve either taken the money from the business or paid for something else, diesel etc! You have to remember no one actually wants to wind a business up, struggling to get credit etc!
The problem is lack of understanding, do a business model to see if everything works, its still involves a bit of guessing, tyres, fuel, deprieciation, maintenance!! The list goes on!!
Get the business manager @ the bank to have a look at it even if you don’t need finance, he will have seen many!!
Buy a sensible truck there are plenty of decent ex fleet trucks for not alot of money, theres a good reason why the big fleets buy them in the first place!!
Look for good work, despite what folk on here say there is still good jobs you just got to find them!! I’ve no idea what the likes of Tesco and Stobarts are paying subbies but it could be a winner!!
The most important thing to bare in mind is cashflow, people will promise you the earth, “Yeah Sparkydave, we’ll pay you in seven days!!” generally its poppycock and your’ll find its at the minimum 30days and more likely about 60 days!! We’ve got outstanding invoices (only a couple of hundred quid going back as far as February, big blue chip companies they will hold onto the money for as long as possible!) Meanwhile you’ve got to live and pay your diesel and other expensives!!
I’m not trying to put you off, I started my a business with my brother and a friend last year and you get the naysayers, and people like RobK saying you won’t make a go of it!! Prove them wrong and it will be the best thing you’ve every done!! We’ve just taken on our first driver, getting a new motor next month so we must be doing some thing right!! Its hard work and keeping everything in check, it will be long days because you will have paperwork and accounting to do after you’ve finished the driving!! Another thing if you start working for company as a subbie if after a couple of weeks its not paying how you thought it would ask for a rate increase or get rid, nothing will change it will eat any money you’ve got saved and it goes quicker than you can put in!! I think thats it for the time being and just my personal thoughts and advice!!

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Many olds’kool taken in and digested it’s something to think on. It is funny to see how many people have soooo many views on O/D’s and how much some people hate them lol… But it is worth thinking on.

Thanks again everyone!

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It is good thing that you want to start your business but it need a lot of efforts. At the starting time you may gain some loss or no loss or no profit. I was suffering from the same problem and I had started my own business from last two years and I think I will get profit on this year more than last year. You will find out lots of work outs if you are really willing to go out.