I am thinking of setting up a business as an owner driver. I have been an office worker for 25 years spending a lot of time on the road but am looking for a change. I’ve always wanted to drive an artic but the steady office job has always got in the way. Well now i have the chance as i am being made redundant as the work gets sent to india to save money. I’ve got a few quid to do the hgv training and pick up a second hand truck but no experience in haulage, it’s a bit of a leap of faith really.
Doing the maths it looks like the margins are pretty tight but is there enough in it for a single owner driver picking up sub work etc?
Would you recommend the exchange websites to pick up work in the early stages or should these be avoided?
Would you recommend I get a trailer or can I survive with just a tractor moving other peoples loads?
And finally where on earth are you supposed to keep one of these things? Where’s the best place to look (I am in walsall)
Any advice would be usefull as I evaluate if this is a viable business. I know things are tight but can I make a living out of it?
I am aware it’s a demanding job and it’s not all truck stops and Yorkies but I really would like to give it a go, I’m just worried that the expenses might eat up all the profit.
Starting as an owner driver would be hard enough unless you have regular work lined up beforehand but as a new driver starting on your own
It’s not just a case of getting a license and truck, you’ve also got to get an operators license which I believe will involves keeping about £7,500 in the bank for emergencies, someone will correct me if that’s wrong but I think it’s correct.
If you feel it’s something you really want to do why not get the license and get some experience so you can see what the job is about then start thinking about setting up as an owner driver … if you haven’t changed your mind about investing so much for potentially so little by then
I was thinking of a bit of a gap between getting the license and setting up anyway. I was planning to pick up some agency work etc. to get the experience I need. Maybe 6 to 12 months or so.
A lot of the stuff I read shows doom and gloom in this sector but there must some opportunities to make money else there would be no haulage companies left. I’m not just jumping in here though, I’m doing my homework to see if it is a viable option.
I am sure this is an idea that comes to a lot of drivers at some point. I certainly did give it some passing thought and did a bit of research recently. I am (fortunately) in a position to give it a go if I so decided. I have my licences, experience of running my own businesses, a relatively low cost of living (kids grown up, house paid for) and some capital.
In spite of this, a bit of homework soon showed me that it would be a non-starter for various reasons. Without going into details, the main thing I lacked was an in-depth knowledge of the industry. Perhaps if I knew someone I could absolutely trust who had that knowledge (and the necessary enthusiasm, established connections, etc) I would have considered a partnership where we both brought different skills to the table.
Be aware that many established, experienced hauliers are only just breaking even in the current climate and some are progressively losing money. I am not saying there are no opportunities, just that there are many people looking for them.
I was told many years ago, “Invest your money where you made it”. The industry is full of experienced peopple who have done just that and this will be your competition.
Without knowing your personal circumstances I would say the odds will be hugely stacked against you.
Don’t stop dreaming - but find a more realistic dream. Good luck anyway.
You guys are obviously having a tough time of it at the moment. It would appear that it’s probably a non starter based on the comments here. Maybe another time I guess. What I have learnt from this forum backs up the other research I have done.
I’m making a reasonable living at it but I have 26 years of experience in the industry as an employee, and all of the contacts made in that time. Although it can be viable, if you don’t even have an HGV licence yet then I would respectfully suggest that you are trying to run before you can walk.
However, if you are determined to do it, then my advice would be to do it. It may all go ■■■■-up but in my experience it’s the things you don’t do that you regret, rather than the things you do do, even if those things don’t work out quite as well as you had hoped.
Work for someone else for a couple of years first, just get the hang of driving and doing the job without the added pressure of running a business aswell.
You will be at a very big disadvantage to anyone with experience. They will know what are common things that go wrong and how to put them right whilst you’ll have to stop and phone a fitter every time something on the dash goes amber. Those people have already made all the mistakes and if they were working for someone else at the time that someone else paid for them.
