Hello everyone…
I have always been around the haulage industry…my dads always been a owner driver and its something i have always wanted to do ever since i was a kid. I am now 24 years old and passed my class one when i was 22, since that time i have saved up and with financial help from my dad (who is owner driver on the mixers) I have now managed to get my own class 1…Fair enough its nothing fancy but least its a start.
ive only been doing it a couple of months and have come straight into the haulage industry as a owner driver. Things seem to be going quite well I have a 1994 SCANIA R113 Sleeper Cab 4 x 2 with flat trailer but plan on getting a new truck once i have gained afew years experiance.
Anyway hope to see some of you around…
Matt
Welcome to TruckNetUK Matt
Where are you based and what are you hauling ■■
I am based about 2 miles from forton services, lancashire
I carry timber & steel mainly…the trucks loaded with timber ready to be taken to kent early monday morning…I would like to deliver bricks but i think a flat with hiab would gaurentee me more work rather just my flat trailer, when it comes to bricks.
I dont know how long i want to do long distance as my father is thinking of retiring within the next couple of years so i might take over from him (mixers) on the other hand im really enjoying long distance so keep my options open and see how things go.
is there alot of owner drivers out there my age■■?
Thanks alot
Matt
Welcome to TruckNet UK Matt 
Owner-Driver1980:
is there alot of owner drivers out there my age■■?
No.
They’re still doing decent jobs and enjoying life!
I’m 22 and seriously thinking about it, did my class 2 last year and absoultly love it! Am doing my class one when I’ve saved enough money!
My dilema is I’ve got a great job with the ambulance service 17.5k a year and guarenteed work so going the OD route could be suicide!! 
Welcome to Trucknet Matt. 
Nope, there certainly aint many O/D’s your age. I admire your determination & wish you good luck.
Are you having to pay a fortune to get insured?
I’m only just down the road from you in Kirkham. Tried it with a 1984 Scania 112 back in '99.
Regards, Jonathan.
a mate of mine has been an owner driver for a while now, he started with a LT pickup when he got sack for writing off his bosses new Transit 
He was 17 then, he has since learnt a lot and took some good advice from, me, my mate and his father.
He is niow running a FH16 at 27 year old, after having a 7.5 Renault, Scania 113, 142 and 143, at least he has seen sense and bought a Volvo now. at least he listened to one bit of good advice
There is money to be had in owner driving, but not at £1 per mile
Owner-Driver1980:
I am based about 2 miles from forton services, lancashire
I carry timber & steel mainly…the trucks loaded with timber ready to be taken to kent early monday morning…I would like to deliver bricks but i think a flat with hiab would gaurentee me more work rather just my flat trailer, when it comes to bricks.
I dont know how long i want to do long distance as my father is thinking of retiring within the next couple of years so i might take over from him (mixers) on the other hand im really enjoying long distance so keep my options open and see how things go.
is there alot of owner drivers out there my age■■?
Thanks alot
Matt
welcome matt,
think you’ll find that brick grabs are rapidly becoming a thing of the past, moffets are the way to go, quicker unloading you don’t have to get the wagon squeesed into some tight hole to tip and if your doing a flatbed job you just leave the forks in the yard and carry full weight. had a spell on grab work with a six wheeler and to be honest the rates were very poor, if i was going to have another go i’d deffinately go with the moffet.
as for your age, i wish i’d started at 24 and not 39!
ianyng:
Owner-Driver1980:
is there alot of owner drivers out there my age■■?
No.
They’re still doing decent jobs and enjoying life!
lol
yeah it does stop any social life but the money more than makes up for that
Super Dan:
I’m 22 and seriously thinking about it, did my class 2 last year and absoultly love it! Am doing my class one when I’ve saved enough money!
My dilema is I’ve got a great job with the ambulance service 17.5k a year and guarenteed work so going the OD route could be suicide!!
If you are going it alone and looking for the work yourself with an artic its more risk but getting a contract might be better for you??
But you should easily at least double the wage your on now if you look into it properly dont rush into anything
Ive got good contacts because family as been in every kind of haulage and so are all our friends so i know where pays the good rates and they usually pay on the agreed time too.
You could get some kinda deal going with a transport manager if you want to do artics they have a good idea on which firms to get loads from and would chase up non payers for you but of course thats more out of your profit.
in past 2 month ive earned around £15 - £17grand thats before everythings taken out…there is a lot to be taken out of that…got to put money to one side for over heads and incase of any repairs breakdowns and blow outs then tax, insurance ( im 24 so you can imagine how much it costs me ) and finally diesel…but still great money. i dont know what other long distance owner drivers are on so it could be more than that or less…ive already broken even and made profits…i paid a insurance deposit which ive had to make back plus what i paid for the truck ive also made that back…so like ive said in other peoples posts…look into it if its a frenchise you decide to do then dont sign anything untill your totally happy.
I have no complaints good money, working on my own open road and all that…dont have much of a social life but i manage to get out on saturdays for afew beers or get to the gym…but im saving as much as i can while i can then i can get a early retirment and not need to worry about money.
At the moment im at home managed to finish down the road so instead of staying in truck over night got a mate to pick me up so im home for the night then heading into scotland in afew hours…heading out at 4am its 2.16am at the mo…wont be back untill end of week though so keep ya posts coming…then ill have somethin to read when i get back lol
hope to see some of you around
Matt…enjoying site so far 
