Commercial Motor is looking to do an article on how difficult it is to start up as an O/D at the moment.
If you have recently started up in business with your own truck and wouldnt mind spending a bit of time talking to CM then drop me a PM with a phone number and best time for CM to call
I hope that CM does their own research before publishing any articles. 
The vast majority of O/D’s on here reckon it’s all a bed of roses and you should sell your wife and remortgage your house to raise the cash needed to make it happen, because it’s the best thing you’ll ever do.
In the current climate, setting up as a new O/D is probably one of the dopiest things you could do. It’s financial suicide to a factor of ten.
Let’s look at some facts :
There’s little point in CM speaking to a fresh O/D because they’re still going to be in the honeymoon period all excited from running their own truck and probably not even received their first payment yet. What CM needs to do is speak to those O/D’s that have recently shut up shop out of choice to get a true picture of whether it’s worth it or not.
Rob K:
:!:I hope that CM does their own research before publishing any articles.
In the current climate, setting up as a new O/D is probably one of the dopiest things you could do. It’s financial suicide to a factor of ten.
Let’s look at some facts :
- Second leg of recession already underway (current interest rates rapidly losing the fight with rising inflation, house price indexes all down for past 3 months, mortgage approvals down, GDP growth figures for 1st quarter only just made it positive even after all the stimulus, Europe is falling apart at an alarming rate, etc) and it will quickly gather pace after 22 June when Cameron has his axe out.
- Fuel costs still at silly levels despite dropping a good few pence over this past month, but long-term oil prices are predicted to be off the dial
- Haulage rates are still pathetic and haven’t risen with inflation. In fact when adjusted for inflation they’re probably worse now than they were 20 years ago
- Still far too many trucks chasing too little work, which is definitely a contributory factor to 3.
There’s little point in CM speaking to a fresh O/D because they’re still going to be in the honeymoon period all excited from running their own truck and probably not even received their first payment yet. What CM needs to do is speak to those O/D’s that have recently shut up shop out of choice to get a true picture of whether it’s worth it or not.
That would be me then
I still reckon with a bit of money behind you,and a well thought out plan, a living can be made as an OD. I packed in because I fell out of love with the job, not that I couldn’t make it pay. There are no fortunes to be made, but if anyone is prepared to work it should pay better than driving.
renaultman:
Rob K:
:!:I hope that CM does their own research before publishing any articles.
In the current climate, setting up as a new O/D is probably one of the dopiest things you could do. It’s financial suicide to a factor of ten.
Let’s look at some facts :
- Second leg of recession already underway (current interest rates rapidly losing the fight with rising inflation, house price indexes all down for past 3 months, mortgage approvals down, GDP growth figures for 1st quarter only just made it positive even after all the stimulus, Europe is falling apart at an alarming rate, etc) and it will quickly gather pace after 22 June when Cameron has his axe out.
- Fuel costs still at silly levels despite dropping a good few pence over this past month, but long-term oil prices are predicted to be off the dial
- Haulage rates are still pathetic and haven’t risen with inflation. In fact when adjusted for inflation they’re probably worse now than they were 20 years ago
- Still far too many trucks chasing too little work, which is definitely a contributory factor to 3.
There’s little point in CM speaking to a fresh O/D because they’re still going to be in the honeymoon period all excited from running their own truck and probably not even received their first payment yet. What CM needs to do is speak to those O/D’s that have recently shut up shop out of choice to get a true picture of whether it’s worth it or not.
That would be me then
I still reckon with a bit of money behind you,and a well thought out plan, a living can be made as an OD. I packed in because I fell out of love with the job, not that I couldn’t make it pay. There are no fortunes to be made, but if anyone is prepared to work it should pay better than driving.
viewtopic.php?p=699315#p699315
To[o] much hassle for too little reward Is the reason for me
viewtopic.php?p=700127#p700127
I consider myself lucky enough to be in a position that I am able to get out at a time when the job isn’t very good
I fully admit to cherry-picking these two quotes from your thread, but the rest of the thread is irrelevant as these are the two key points for your packing up.
I am now into my 8th year as an O/D and up until the past 6months i,ve made a good living,i own a 5yr old fh12,bought new and paid for and i really need to be changing it but i havn’t got the guts to start hp again cos this recession is just about to start in my opinion.I’ll plod on for now and hope for the best but i wouldn’t change anything i,ve done in the past 8yrs,its been hard graft and some weeks now i could earn more working for somebody but nobody tells me when i have to work or looks over my shoulder all the time which was the main reason for going down this route
Davyboy:
I am now into my 8th year as an O/D and up until the past 6months i,ve made a good living,i own a 5yr old fh12,bought new and paid for and i really need to be changing it but i havn’t got the guts to start hp again cos this recession is just about to start in my opinion.I’ll plod on for now and hope for the best but i wouldn’t change anything i,ve done in the past 8yrs,its been hard graft and some weeks now i could earn more working for somebody but nobody tells me when i have to work or looks over my shoulder all the time which was the main reason for going down this route
All that hassle and effort for ~ £500 per week gross profit? 
It’s quickly becoming apparent that being an O/D isn’t actually about making any money, it’s merely the illusion that “nobody tells me when i have to work or looks over my shoulder all the time”. And yes, it is an illusion because unless it is your own product that you are hauling then you are told when you have to work by whoever you are subcontracting to. How is that any different from working for a company as a driver? 
Similarly, whilst you don’t have a ‘boss’ as such looking over your shoulder, you do have the tax man, bank manager and VOSA doing it instead.
If that’s the only reason why people become O/D’s then just become an agency driver or go s/e. Far more lucrative, be your own boss, work when you want and none of the hassles.
give it a rest rob, you are sounding like an old record with the needle stuck. dont mock it if you hav,nt tried it. lets have some real facts, its not about buying a truck and doing any old work. Its about starting and growing a BUSINESS and runnig it properly to make a profit, even in these hard times. Ask yourself how stobarts, malcolms, pollok,gregory, curries to name afew got started all those years ago ■■?. its a true saying you get nothing in this world for free only hard work will make any business succeed. its not about being an o/d you have to have many heads for every day 2day event
i.e driver, transport manager, accountant, salesman, administrator, and many others besides. its also about goals, what do you want to achieve and not deviating from that target. every decision has to be made with the words PROFIT/COST EFFECTIVE in mind because thats the magic words in any business.
business is simple, its the way you conduct it and the people you deal with on a day2day basis that will see you succeed or fail, so dont be so quick to dismiss everybody on here that fancies a shot at it, ive been self employed for 10+ years and do okay, but i am STILL LEARNING.
weewulliewinkie:
give it a rest rob, you are sounding like an old record with the needle stuck. dont mock it if you hav,nt tried it. lets have some real facts, its not about buying a truck and doing any old work. Its about starting and growing a BUSINESS and runnig it properly to make a profit, even in these hard times. Ask yourself how stobarts, malcolms, pollok,gregory, curries to name afew got started all those years ago ■■?. its a true saying you get nothing in this world for free only hard work will make any business succeed. its not about being an o/d you have to have many heads for every day 2day event
i.e driver, transport manager, accountant, salesman, administrator, and many others besides. its also about goals, what do you want to achieve and not deviating from that target. every decision has to be made with the words PROFIT/COST EFFECTIVE in mind because thats the magic words in any business.business is simple, its the way you conduct it and the people you deal with on a day2day basis that will see you succeed or fail, so dont be so quick to dismiss everybody on here that fancies a shot at it, ive been self employed for 10+ years and do okay, but i am STILL LEARNING.
In the 1970’s Eddie Stobart built its high profile brand on the courtesy of its drivers, the quality of its fleet and exceptional service. These benchmark standards remain important, but we also understand the customer service, employment practices and environmental challenges that face modern business today.
W H Malcolm
W H Malcolm owned a small family coal business when he came to Brookfield in 1925. In the 1940s when his teenage son Donald inherited the business, its assets were a horse, a cart and one truck. The business grew and became a large haulage company with depots all over Britain. The business is now known as “The Malcolm Group” and is still based in Brookfield.
It was in 1935 that George (WGD) Pollock started his local cartage business in Corstorphine just to the west of the city of Edinburgh. The business grew until 1949 when road transport was nationalised.
As a consequence the fleet became part of British Road Services and George was appointed Group Manager for East Lothian and the Borders.
1919
Archibald John Gregory started the business we now know as Gregory Distribution, hauling coal from the station to a local wool factory with a horse and cart. Nine months later, the horse died and was replaced by a 2.9 litre, 4-cylinder Model T motor lorry — the beginning of the Gregory family’s entry into the motor transport industry.1933
After new vehicles joined the original Model T and the enterprise expanded into moving livestock, meat, agricultural feeds and fertilisers, the business moved to Fore Street in North Tawton.1939
The business had expanded rapidly and acquired seven vehicles. However, the war resulted in the Fore Street premises being taken over by the war department. Some of the vehicles were engaged in military ventures, and by the end of the war the fleet was in a sorry state.1947
AJ Gregory’s only son, William John, known to his friends as Jack, joined the business, aged 23. Jack had a strong grasp of business and was an excellent book keeper. He learnt the ropes quickly, whilst also learning to drive.
Founded by Norman Currie in 1971, Currie European initially focused on full load transport between Scotland and Western Europe and within the UK domestic market.
As part-load and groupage operations developed, Currie European established a compatible depot network, with sites in Paris (1990) and Nijmegen (1995).
I don’t see what any of these companies have in common with the new owner operator trying to enter the market in this economic climate. Look at some of the questions been asked about starting up in business, it just shows to me that many are ill prepared and are doomed to fail. Unfortunately many of these new start entrepreneurs are here because they cannot get a start with a company through inexperience, attitude or economic reasoning. How many can argue there is a need for more truck on the road, how many have the nouse and financial clout to compete with anyone of the above companies?
Yes they did start off small, but many many years ago, either just before or straight after a war. The exception being Curries and Stobart. It is quite strange that there isn’t the same vitriol spouted about Curries men as there is about Stobart even though most of the red fleet are from much further afield than Nijmegen or Carlisle.
I don’t often agree with Rob Knapp but his posts speak for themselves, how many successful operators have pulled the plug or taken the prepack route? How many small operators with one or two trucks have decided they are much better off with a wage rather than a wage bill?
I don’t even know whether Rob has a background in running his own transport company, but I know he has worked hard and can string a sentence together. I am quite sure he could sell his van, house and girlfriend to buy a truck. He hasn’t done it as far as I know. I did, and in 1990 decided that a wage was the easy option after some bad luck with an engine and a couple of tyres. Ill prepared, perhaps. Ill advised. I don’t think so. I went into it with both eyes open after a well written business plan was submitted to the bank, a finance company and a fuel account.
One bit I do agree with you is the fact about learning. I have been involved with haulage since 1974 and never stopped gaining invaluable knowledge.
Can’t resist the neighsayer anymore. I started as an O/D 5 years ago. After a year or two, I got the turnover up to nearly a million quid a year off just 3/4 trucks and made about £130k per year profit to me. One of the depots I was working out of closed after about 3 years of that turnover so I am now doing about half that off 2 trucks but still a good living I think you’ll agree. Yes, I was and am very lucky and yes the majority of owner driving isn’t worth doing but you can’t just say Rob that’s it’s all a waste of time at every opportunity, particularly as you’ve never done it. If nobody ever had a crack of the whip, the world would still be in the dark ages, owner driving can be for the lucky few a stepping stone to better things.
the comparision i made to those big companies was merely to say everybody started small and look what can be achieved if you go about your business
in a professional manner.it may take 10,20,30 years but the principal remains the same for everyone. strangley enough the companies i mentioned are excellent for giving new starts a leg up( stobarts excepted ) and you know you will get paid on time. although i would not recomend it long term, finding your own work direct is the answer.however the song remains the same “it will only work if you make it work”. the economic climate at the moment only makes it that little bit harder but like any business you just have to reign in your costs, and dare i say it put your prices up.
It really annoys me to hear some on here dissmissing o/ds especially if they hav,nt tried themselves, if you go about it the right way you can have a
successfull business and make a good living for yourself, however im now curious just how many on here are for and against being an owner driver,sensible debate please not a slagging match, so com,on lets hear it start your posts with the word for or against
weewulliewinkie:
the comparision i made to those big companies was merely to say everybody started small and look what can be achieved if you go about your business
in a professional manner.it may take 10,20,30 years but the principal remains the same for everyone. strangley enough the companies i mentioned are excellent for giving new starts a leg up( stobarts excepted ) and you know you will get paid on time. although i would not recomend it long term, finding your own work direct is the answer.however the song remains the same “it will only work if you make it work”. the economic climate at the moment only makes it that little bit harder but like any business you just have to reign in your costs, and dare i say it put your prices up.It really annoys me to hear some on here dissmissing o/ds especially if they hav,nt tried themselves, if you go about it the right way you can have a
successfull business and make a good living for yourself, however im now curious just how many on here are for and against being an owner driver,sensible debate please not a slagging match, so com,on lets hear it start your posts with the word for or against
This is getting to the stage of needing to be added to the driver’s urban myths thread.
ok rob, you,ve got me askin, just what do you do for a living, seriously because if you think all owner drivers/self employed dont make any money
your needing your bumps felt 
driving the truck and loading/ unloading is the easy bit the rest is all hard graft.
weewulliewinkie:
ok rob, you,ve got me askin, just what do you do for a living, seriously because if you think all owner drivers/self employed dont make any money
your needing your bumps felt
None of your business. I never said that all O/Ds don’t make any money either, although judging by the posts from them on this website it’s probably not too far from the truth. 
everyone is entitled to an opinion, but i just cant get my head around why rob k is so infatuated with owner drivers, i mean really, its getting a bit boring now , i just dont seee what his problem his, has an O/D gone ■■■■ up owing him money or something? or has one ran off with his missus
Rob K:
Davyboy:
I am now into my 8th year as an O/D and up until the past 6months i,ve made a good living,i own a 5yr old fh12,bought new and paid for and i really need to be changing it but i havn’t got the guts to start hp again cos this recession is just about to start in my opinion.I’ll plod on for now and hope for the best but i wouldn’t change anything i,ve done in the past 8yrs,its been hard graft and some weeks now i could earn more working for somebody but nobody tells me when i have to work or looks over my shoulder all the time which was the main reason for going down this routeAll that hassle and effort for ~ £500 per week gross profit?
It’s quickly becoming apparent that being an O/D isn’t actually about making any money, it’s merely the illusion that “nobody tells me when i have to work or looks over my shoulder all the time”. And yes, it is an illusion because unless it is your own product that you are hauling then you are told when you have to work by whoever you are subcontracting to. How is that any different from working for a company as a driver?
If that’s the only reason why people become O/D’s then just become an agency driver or go s/e. Far more lucrative, be your own boss, work when you want and none of the hassles.
I don’t want to get into an argument with rob k,he has his axe to grind about o/d’s,maybe’s he’s been one and had a bad experience or maybe jealous cos he’s not had the guts to try it 
but i did say SOME WEEKS JUST NOW i don’t make a lot but other weeks its ok.Last year i turned over £145 000 and was left with a profit of £25 000 after evrything was taken off (fuel,wages,hp,tax the lot) so it is worth doing,the point i was trying to make was this year might not be so good.I worked for 15yrs for other people on euro work,was never home ,missed a social life,missed my kids growing up,even missed the birth of my son and never had two farthings to rub together,now i work monday to friday/sat morning and have a comfortable life,so yes i think its worth it in the long run
I think we need to forget the personal jibes and remember the unwritten rule of these forums is attack the post, not the poster.
In the previous post a driver who has gone down the O/D route has found that he can now make 25k profit.
Profit mind, not spending money, well not money to be spent on foreign holidays, kitchen extensions and Botox injections. Every business has to make a profit, although from some of the anti Stobart threads, anyone would think profit is a dirty word.
25k after tax is a good wage for a mere driver but how much of that 25k is then going towards the next vehicle replacement? Profit has to be reinvested to grow the business.
Wheel Nut:
In the previous post a driver who has gone down the O/D route has found that he can now make 25k profit.25k after tax is a good wage for a mere driver but how much of that 25k is then going towards the next vehicle replacement? Profit has to be reinvested to grow the business.
He has said that it was 25k AFTER wages (and everything else) which I would say is pretty good going if it really does include everything. Certainly if I can pay myself a tenner an hour and still make 25k on top of that after everything is taken into account I’ll be very happy. Can’t see it happening though!
Paul
repton:
Wheel Nut:
In the previous post a driver who has gone down the O/D route has found that he can now make 25k profit.25k after tax is a good wage for a mere driver but how much of that 25k is then going towards the next vehicle replacement? Profit has to be reinvested to grow the business.
He has said that it was 25k AFTER wages (and everything else) which I would say is pretty good going if it really does include everything. Certainly if I can pay myself a tenner an hour and still make 25k on top of that after everything is taken into account I’ll be very happy. Can’t see it happening though!
Paul
If he’s paying himself £500 per week (a typical driver wage on tramping) and has £25k left over then yeah, not bad going, but somehow I fear that this isn’t the case here. Clarification needed.
chaversdad:
or has one ran off with his missus
andy.
But it hasn’t been a good idea to start up as a o/d since the late 70"s, But people still do and still will do as well, its all dome and gloom according to special k. Who basically quotes things what is said in cafes, but makes it sound as though its special k who has the brains etc. special k, ain’t got a clue because he only goes on ear say from others, diesel was 32/33ppl when i first started and even then the rates were crap nothing will change fuel will always go up till there is none left, but people still make a living so make a v,v,good livings some just get by some sink even the big boys run out of luck “so to speak” and sink eventually its just a pity special k could come up with something original and not what he reads in mags and ears in cafes as he ain’t got a clue half the time what earth he is on this of fullers a lot of the problem with special k is he is jealous of people making ago of he where he isn’t willing to try to better his sub standard life style and would sooner pull others down for trying to make something of there lives, whats the saying “haulage will either make or brake you”, but special k thinks from ear say it brakes everyone the man is a crank most days with his lame brain answers