Thinking of becoming a owner driver help please

[danny27404]

I’ve been thinking about this for a while now and have started on my way to my cpc then international cpc maybe. I’m going to comercial motor show but its a good idea to go there with a good idea what i need.

This is my plan and i would apreciate any help from anybody where i could go wrong etc.

I am going to hire a unit to start with untill maybe the 2nd year when i hope to have made enough money to purchase my own. My therory is to get fixed contracts and minimise running empty and use companys trailers. Insurance is one i’ll most probably leave for advice at Comercial Motor Show. But where do i begin to start looking for contracts? I found 1 site on yahoo but it didn’t seem that busy with loads just tons of drivers looking for loads or is that the key? i need to be waiting for people to contact me? But then to me that seems a lazy and slow way of doing it. My other idea is to ring up large companys like Stobart, Tesco, Sainsburys, Malcom Brookfield etc and see what they have to offer? I suppose i sound clueless but i really want to give this a go and i’m not stupid its just haulage to me needs to be a well oiled machine and one running empty or parked up for a day can blow your proffits out the window. Otherwise your best just sticking with your PAYE job? - I currently earn a Take home £500 a week for 5 days so the next question is. Is it worth becoming a Owner driver if i’m earning that kind of cash currently?

Thankyou to anyone/everyone who can assist.

[shuttlespanker]

thinking of becoming a owner driver help please.

go see a doctor

is this a wind up?

if you are being serious, please do a search on here for the same subject!!!

it will save you a lot of time and effort that may be wasted.

from what you have posted, you would be better off staying where you are as an employed driver if you are already taking home £500 for 5 days, most drivers on here would love to get that.

[silver_surfer]

“I currently earn a take home of £500 per week”

Stick with what you are doing chief, I don’t mean to sound harsh but you sound a bit clueless.

[scotstrucker]

£500 a week, i wish i was paid that

[rob_k]

Danny27404:
I’ve been thinking about this for a while now and have started on my way to my cpc then international cpc maybe. I’m going to comercial motor show but its a good idea to go there with a good idea what i need.

This is my plan and i would apreciate any help from anybody where i could go wrong etc.

I am going to hire a unit to start with untill maybe the 2nd year when i hope to have made enough money to purchase my own. My therory is to get fixed contracts and minimise running empty and use companys trailers. Insurance is one i’ll most probably leave for advice at Comercial Motor Show. But where do i begin to start looking for contracts? I found 1 site on yahoo but it didn’t seem that busy with loads just tons of drivers looking for loads or is that the key? i need to be waiting for people to contact me? But then to me that seems a lazy and slow way of doing it. My other idea is to ring up large companys like Stobart, Tesco, Sainsburys, Malcom Brookfield etc and see what they have to offer? I suppose i sound clueless but i really want to give this a go and i’m not stupid its just haulage to me needs to be a well oiled machine and one running empty or parked up for a day can blow your proffits out the window. Otherwise your best just sticking with your PAYE job? - I currently earn a Take home £500 a week for 5 days so the next question is. Is it worth becoming a Owner driver if i’m earning that kind of cash currently?

Thankyou to anyone/everyone who can assist.

Best laugh I’ve had in ages. Stick to your day job fella.

[globby_480]

Is this 1st of april?? sure its only mid march

[danny27404]

Yea thanks for the no help of a couple of you… obviously when i do my cpc more and more would have been clear!!! The helpfull comments would have been Like shuttlespanker who said i’m best staying where i am. Obviously showing that there isnt much in been a owner driver. More contructive comments would have been nice. There is a big difference in becoming a successful owner driver and been a driver at a firm who has never looked into owner drivering before, tips etc would have been nice. Didnt think this was a school playground!!! well thanks to shuttlespanker for the only proper comment i’ve recieved. I am never the best at writing things and actually put my point across. Given the fact that the market at the minute is not at its best by the time i’d of done the cpc and then international and set everything up your looking at a year from now seen as the cpc exams are only 4 a year!!! Not totally stupid then EH!!! no point in setting up now when the market is dry as a river in a desert!! Planing is the key to any success rushing never served anyone good!

[globby_480]

planning is the key success!!! read my dear boy!! read posts you dont need planning if you care to read this forum with out posting what has been posted on here a thousand of times, so obviously you aint that clever in planning as if you was you would have checked the posts on here and basically not let yourself wide open for silly and lame brain replies from us all

[bige]

My advice is go for it, just make sure you check it all out before hand. If you don’t do you will always regret it. I would advise you not to put your house up for it, you say you would hire to start with, I think this is wise as if it all goes ■■■■ up you can just hand the truck back. The trouble with people on this site is there are to many that are negative and will slag you off for trying to better yourself. I am putting a truck on the road this year myself I no I wont get rich doing it but than I wont get rich by not doing it, I’m doing it because I want to and because I believe that a lot of hard work and determination will see you through. I am 43 now and by the time I’m 60 I can take a back seat and let someone else do the driving and use that as a pension as I cant rely on the government for any help. It wont be easy what with the price of diesel and companies paying on time, but this country was built on people taking risk, all these employed drivers would not be working now if there bosses just had “the don’t go down the owner/driver route” how do they think these companies started, they all started with one truck and the one’s who worked hard expanded, sure a lot of folded over the years through no fault of there own but at least they gave it go. Nothing ventured nothing gained as Del boy would say he who dares win. GOOD LUCK

[danny27404]

globby 480:
planning is the key success!!! read my dear boy!! read posts you dont need planning if you care to read this forum with out posting what has been posted on here a thousand of times, so obviously you aint that clever in planning as if you was you would have checked the posts on here and basically not let yourself wide open for silly and lame brain replies from us all

true been a culprit of that before not using the search function fair point i guess so not off to a good start here am i lol

[danny27404]

BigE:
My advice is go for it, just make sure you check it all out before hand. If you don’t do you will always regret it. I would advise you not to put your house up for it, you say you would hire to start with, I think this is wise as if it all goes ■■■■ up you can just hand the truck back. The trouble with people on this site is there are to many that are negative and will slag you off for trying to better yourself. I am putting a truck on the road this year myself I no I wont get rich doing it but than I wont get rich by not doing it, I’m doing it because I want to and because I believe that a lot of hard work and determination will see you through. I am 43 now and by the time I’m 60 I can take a back seat and let someone else do the driving and use that as a pension as I cant rely on the government for any help. It wont be easy what with the price of diesel and companies paying on time, but this country was built on people taking risk, all these employed drivers would not be working now if there bosses just had “the don’t go down the owner/driver route” how do they think these companies started, they all started with one truck and the one’s who worked hard expanded, sure a lot of folded over the years through no fault of there own but at least they gave it go. Nothing ventured nothing gained as Del boy would say he who dares win. GOOD LUCK

Yea your right. I do want to give this a good go as i have been thinking i’m sat here in traffic earning money for the boss i could be doing this for myself and having a reason to be sat in traffic and stuck in place’s. My CPC books arrive soon and from the mock tests i can see the cpc will teach me allot. As i’ve already shown i run before i can walk so i have got to wind my kneck in and slow down. My biggest fear is those loads and getting them set in stone.

[globby_480]

is everyone on magic mushrooms or acid on here lately Gordon Bennett, advise costs nothing big e, and this is what people are trying to give but when some one posts silly thousand times asked questions you leave yourself wide open as Danny just realized, big e price of diesel/rates etc and 95% of hauliers out there are struggling/times hard, and if you think you can do what your predicting big e and take a back seat etc, well i dont know which earth you are on this or fuller!!!

no one was digging at danny far from it,

[bige]

if you think you can do what your predicting big e and take a back seat etc, well i dont know which earth you are on this or fuller!!!

Read it again globby when I’m 60 I would like to take a back seat, that’s 17 years away

[rob_k]

BigE:
My advice is go for it, just make sure you check it all out before hand. If you don’t do you will always regret it. I would advise you not to put your house up for it, you say you would hire to start with, I think this is wise as if it all goes ■■■■ up you can just hand the truck back. The trouble with people on this site is there are to many that are negative and will slag you off for trying to better yourself. I am putting a truck on the road this year myself I no I wont get rich doing it but than I wont get rich by not doing it, I’m doing it because I want to and because I believe that a lot of hard work and determination will see you through. I am 43 now and by the time I’m 60 I can take a back seat and let someone else do the driving and use that as a pension as I cant rely on the government for any help. It wont be easy what with the price of diesel and companies paying on time, but this country was built on people taking risk, all these employed drivers would not be working now if there bosses just had “the don’t go down the owner/driver route” how do they think these companies started, they all started with one truck and the one’s who worked hard expanded, sure a lot of folded over the years through no fault of there own but at least they gave it go. Nothing ventured nothing gained as Del boy would say he who dares win. GOOD LUCK

Another one with the financial nous of a 5 year old.

By the way, I’d love to see the faces of those that try “just handing the truck back” when the hire company point to the small print in the contract about minimum term and early contract termination penalties…

[denis_f]

Danny27404:

globby 480:
planning is the key success!!! read my dear boy!! read posts you dont need planning if you care to read this forum with out posting what has been posted on here a thousand of times, so obviously you aint that clever in planning as if you was you would have checked the posts on here and basically not let yourself wide open for silly and lame brain replies from us all

true been a culprit of that before not using the search function fair point i guess so not off to a good start here am i lol

OK, Lets give you something sensible to discuss

This is my plan and i would apreciate any help from anybody where i could go wrong etc.

I am going to hire a unit to start with untill maybe the 2nd year when i hope to have made enough money to purchase my own.

why did you decide this ? Do you know how much it costs to hire a truck ? Do you really think it would be cheaper to hire than buy a decent s/h truck ( such as this cgi.ebay.co.uk/DAF-XF-95-480-6x2 … 3ef9219d8e )

Insurance is one i’ll most probably leave for advice at Comercial Motor Show.

you have a lot of confidence in the CV show I’d start by ringing round the companies who advertise in CM or ask for recommendations here !

My therory is to get fixed contracts and minimise running empty and use companys trailers. But where do i begin to start looking for contracts? I found 1 site on yahoo but it didn’t seem that busy with loads just tons of drivers looking for loads or is that the key? i need to be waiting for people to contact me? But then to me that seems a lazy and slow way of doing it. My other idea is to ring up large companys like Stobart, Tesco, Sainsburys, Malcom Brookfield etc and see what they have to offer?

this is the big one and something that needs sorting long before you start thinking about going into business !! The websites you mention might be ok for finding a backload every now and again but if you’re intending to source all your work from them your business will be doomed from day one !! I doubt Tesco or Sainsburys will be interested in taking on a subbie with only one truck, the others might if it’s going to be cheaper than running one of their own trucks

I suppose i sound clueless but i really want to give this a go and i’m not stupid its just haulage to me needs to be a well oiled machine and one running empty or parked up for a day can blow your proffits out the window.

without trying to be rude, you do sound like you need to do a lot more research before you commit yourself to anything!

Otherwise your best just sticking with your PAYE job? - I currently earn a Take home £500 a week for 5 days so the next question is. Is it worth becoming a Owner driver if i’m earning that kind of cash currently?

you’ve really answered your own question here

Thankyou to anyone/everyone who can assist.

not sure this will be much assistance

[globby_480]

BigE:
if you think you can do what your predicting big e and take a back seat etc, well i dont know which earth you are on this or fuller!!!

Read it again globby when I’m 60 I would like to take a back seat, that’s 17 years away

yep one thing i can do is add up with ur age big e, and you still wont make enough to take a back seat if any thing you prob be sinking at a fast rate like most are at the moment with costs of fuel and rates there are out there, and it will get worse not better, again big e…on this earth or fullers,

read what Dennis has posted and read again, and again then shake your head, come down from fullers earth and then you may realise your living in cloud cuckoo land

[bige]

Another one with the financial nous of a 5 year old.

By the way, I’d love to see the faces of those that try “just handing the truck back” when the hire company point to the small print in the contract about minimum term and early contract termination penalties…
[/quote]
Sorry but what’s make you an expert■■?

[globby_480]

i no expert big e… if i was a expert i wouldnt be running trucks but you realy need to pull your head from up your own crack mate and step into the big wide world but who knows you may be the next eddie wanna be or norbert, good luck with your idea hope it works, just like the rest of us out there with the same big ideas once anyway,

[danny27404]

Denis thankyou i see your points… didnt quote would have taken up loads of space. This was my point of asking now make sure i do things right and really get this worked out right. I understand the machine has to be well oiled and starting out has to be the hardest thing. With buying a truck i’m in a finance agreement for years where as renting you can do short contracts so if it goes belly up your not in half as much crap as you would be buying. Recently read a article on RT where a irish driver is auctioning his truck off because he has gone belly up and needs to raise tens of thousands to get in the clear.

I was using web sites as a example for loads but yes the loads are best set in stone before you go for the truck. Once when my truck set on fire i had a super space for a few days and i saw the bill for my company it was £400 a week and i think that was a special deal. which i do believe is still cheaper than buying one in a way but then you dont need a £100k truck to start with but a half decent truck is needed to show your company image.

I think rather than posting anymore i’m best asking for advice on certain points in the future more so when the cpc is over with and i have a much better understanding of what it takes to be a owner driver. There is definately money in it with the right or “lucky” contracts otherwise every haulage firm would go bust. Who i work for now started as a 1 man band now 20 years later 100 trucks in the fleet and 160 trailers 3 warehouse’s and 4 yards spread across UK.

Slowly slowly catchy monkey i think?

Despite my previous failings all your comments are taken on board definately not run before i can walk and i think patience and slow workings can result in my woking it out. If not i’ve given it a go. But i will be watching this if anyone has anything else to add but i wont put much faith in Comercial show

[bige]

globby 480:
i no expert big e… if i was a expert i wouldnt be running trucks but you realy need to pull your head from up your own crack mate and step into the big wide world but who knows you may be the next eddie wanna be or norbert, good luck with your idea hope it works, just like the rest of us out there with the same big ideas once anyway,

So globby you run trucks of your own for this I admire you, you decided to go it alone and I hope it works out for you, sure its not going to be a bed of roses I’ve had my own company since 2003 (a 7.5 ton and a van) both on with national parcel companies so I no what it’s like, maybe I will make it, maybe I wont but until I try I wont no. Tell me globby do you really regret going it alone?