some good points made there wheel nut, i have low overheads as the yard belongs to family,the truck and trailer are paid for, most repairs/servicing are done by myself, all pm inspections carried out by myself, and all tools/eqpt for said repairs belong to me !! so dont have to pay anyone to do any of the above
as an o/d i cant afford/wont work for some of the silly rates on offer but some still do the work before any of the above costs are taken into account and thats before finance,tax,ins,derv,breakdowns, so after all that i fail to see how some folk can make it pay
TBH i can see that a large % of o/ds would be better off (£) being employed as they will be far from being there own boss anyway if they are willing to work for crap rates!!
i dont want to put anyone having a go or being an o/d but unless you have some decent (£) work its not worth the time trouble or risk
moose
theres a shed load of PAST posts on setting up as OD with more or less SAME answers .
Bit of digging on this site would help you am sure.
routier:
theres a shed load of PAST posts on setting up as OD with more or less SAME answers .Bit of digging on this site would help you am sure.
It’s good to repeat it every now and again. I think some of most hardened ODs on this site and now starting to wake up to the fact that they’re on a hiding to nothing.
Moose:
the truck and trailer are paid for
Isn’t the expense the depreciation?
Biscuits:
Moose:
the truck and trailer are paid forIsn’t the expense the depreciation?
Indeed, even if the tackle is all paid for you need to be putting something aside each week as it isn’t going to last forever and at some point (unless you’re nearing retirement) you’re going to have to replace it.
Paul
fair point about the truck and trailer will need replacing at some point,the trailer was bought as an accident repair job that i have just finished and tested this week so the trailer is now worth twice what i paid for it and the truck being a 52 reg fh is now at the point where depreciation is not a real issue to me as it has made its money over the 6 years that i have had it and with this in mind i can afford to park it up rather than take on crap work due to finance payments
the fh has been a real good truck it will be a sad day when it gets to that point!!..i may keep it anyway
gb1:
toby1234abc:
I ran about europe for ten years without an o licence,got to Portugal and half way back with cherry from my farm,or use heating oil or fridge juice on as 24 pumps in France,did my own servicing on route,and a full service in the uk,and had my trailers shipped out to me in the French ports.
One chap loaned me his permit,another chap made one up on his computer,he died in Spain,went off the mountains near to Baillen,he was beheaded in his Ford Transcon.
My truck was on a permanent export certifcate from the DVLA,so when stopped,it was on its way out of the country.Back then the red was about 12 pence per litre,got nicked for it a few times,700 pound a time,but not an arestable offence,pay up,move on,from the French Douanes.
I never ran bent,only the once to Lisbon,did not want to attract future attention.
Years ago,depending on the reg of the truck,you could not go home at the weekends,i had a way around that,so was allways on the move when other nations had to stop.So, running round Europe for ten years without a permit is not running bent?
Portugal and halfway back on cherry is not running bent?
Borrowing a permit is not running bent?
No wonder the honest one’s amongst us struggled to compete!
Get over yeself, theres 100s like Toby!
Toby fair play to ye, if ye can do it cheaper and make money then me hat off to ye!
routier:
gb1:
toby1234abc:
I ran about europe for ten years without an o licence,got to Portugal and half way back with cherry from my farm,or use heating oil or fridge juice on as 24 pumps in France,did my own servicing on route,and a full service in the uk,and had my trailers shipped out to me in the French ports.
One chap loaned me his permit,another chap made one up on his computer,he died in Spain,went off the mountains near to Baillen,he was beheaded in his Ford Transcon.
My truck was on a permanent export certifcate from the DVLA,so when stopped,it was on its way out of the country.Back then the red was about 12 pence per litre,got nicked for it a few times,700 pound a time,but not an arestable offence,pay up,move on,from the French Douanes.
I never ran bent,only the once to Lisbon,did not want to attract future attention.
Years ago,depending on the reg of the truck,you could not go home at the weekends,i had a way around that,so was allways on the move when other nations had to stop.So, running round Europe for ten years without a permit is not running bent?
Portugal and halfway back on cherry is not running bent?
Borrowing a permit is not running bent?
No wonder the honest one’s amongst us struggled to compete!Get over yeself, theres 100s like Toby!
Toby fair play to ye, if ye can do it cheaper and make money then me hat off to ye!
We all did it, but using Toby Mitty as a role model aint going to win ye no prizes, top o’ the marning to ye!
Wheel Nut:
We all did it, but using Toby Mitty as a role model aint going to win ye no prizes, top o’ the marning to ye!
Sarcasm at this early hour, nice one Malc. (now famous Malc ‘Wheel Nut’ with a mention in CM!!) 
Ross.
bigr250:
Wheel Nut:
We all did it, but using Toby Mitty as a role model aint going to win ye no prizes, top o’ the marning to ye!Sarcasm at this early hour, nice one Malc. (now famous Malc ‘Wheel Nut’ with a mention in CM!!)
Ross.
Ooh, not seen that one, do I get a free copy? Rikki!!!
Wheel Nut:
Rob and I are from Yorkshire, we tell you how it is, not what you want to hear
Remember delivering to a place in London a few years ago, where the locals were giving me some stick about my accent, being tight etc, all the usual stuff I take as compliments, when I remember saying to one guy “No lad, remember I’m from Yorkshire - where we call a spade a spade!”
The black guy stood near him thought I was having a dig and took umbrage 
Stan
Wheel Nut:
Do a business plan, do a good month against a probable poor month. Do you understand the tax, NI and VAT requirements as paying an accountant.
Before you even think about doing a full business plan do a two year cash flow forecast. Include everything, absolutely zb ing everything. Print it off and peruse at your leisure.
Then take 10% off your income and add 10% to your costs and print it off again. If you still feel comfortable looking at the revised forecast do the full business plan and go for it - if you don’t then forget it. If just a 20% swing on paper makes you think twice your not cut out for what will happen!
Stan