Career change?? attn. Owner/Operators

[Todd T]

I am presently a Project Manager for a large telecommunications company. I have often thought about this and as the uncertainty in the workplace seems to increase with each months passing. I think I might do this. anyone out here in TDR land run a dump truck for a living? You know hauling rock, sand, dirt, that sort of thing.



I have looked into the cost of a good used truck and they seem reasonable enough. 20K would get me started. What is the best way to get your foot on the door of this trade? I have been told “go to work for someone else don’t run your own truck or business” is this true. I want to be my own boss, can I make it in this line of work as an owner operator? How much income could be expected? Out of that how much goes to taxes, registration and insurance. I need no less than 60K take home. Is this obtainable? More, less, way off, what? I know the work is seasonal and would have to figure out what I could do in between. Just humor me!!



What is the best setup to start out with? Any recommendations on a good truck and what to look for in a truck?



Thanks for any and all help

Todd

 

[nickleinonen]

you could run a plow in the winter to make it not so seasonable. .



just a thought... i know nothing about this industry

 

[DGFoster]

I did this in Florida,I had two trucks of my own,it was great til all the Cubans got into it with low interest loans and under cut everything we did,so I got out of it and came back to Michigan.

But I think if you keep it small and cut out the middle man you can make it happen. If you do your own oil changes,and most of the light maintaining yourself. I know a few guys here that do this and are quite well off,just as long as you don't hire someone to drive for you,it should work. .

 

[M Barnett]

I think you will have a real rough time making that $60,000. There are so many vairables to think about. One of my insurance policys went up $3,000 this year and I've got no ticket and/or accidents. When I really pressed them as to why, I was told because of the terrost attack. Look what fuel prices can do. Is construction really booming where you live? When your engine goes down, you will be looking at $15-$20 thousand. Dump trucks are hard on tires, $6,000 a set. Not to mention brakes. Its not much different than McDonalds, if they can just make a few pennies a burger, they make lots of money because of volume. With only one truck, you will just be buying a job that won't pay what you need to make.

Michael

 

[Todd T]

my plan was to put things in my wifes name. that way we could have a chance at winning minority bids. in a few years when the kids start school, she could start running a second or third truck for us. she has bought into the idea as well. i know the insurance taxes and upkeep are the killers in this line of work as well as the weather.



if i could walk away from my job and pretty well know i could make it, i would do it tomorrow.



and yes i would do ALL my maintenance. including painting the trucks and signage.



so 60K is hard to do. what if i bought a truck or two and put someone else to work for a year or so? any money to be had there? the wife runs the books and scheduling? I keep em running in the evenings.

 

[M Barnett]

If you could run four to five trucks, it might pay out. I have drivers myself, and that opens a new can of worms. Then you have to have workmans comp and do the taxes for them. You have to do something for them in order to keep them from going to somebody else. You will be competing with the big boys that give insurance, retirement, vacation and holidays. Just be 100 percent commited and be ready to work a lot. The more hours a day the trucks can run, the better. Take your time and give it a lot of thought. Don't let me discourage you, I'm just trying to give you some things to think about. Consider your own free time. Now when its five o'clock, you go home and your done for the day. Once you start trucking, you will be on call 24-7. Only good thing is, the used truck market is down now.

Good Luck

Michael

 

[Hummin Cummins]

What Mike said

My brother in law and I sort of have a business togther. We both drove truck for years for other companies. He bought a tractor trailer, and I bought a new Peterbilt ($135,000 later). I work full time at a wastewater treatment plant working swing shift, I leave there and jump in the truck and run a load, then load for the next driver. My Bro in law finds the work and does the mechanics on my truck and I give him 10% off the top for his trouble. Togther we have two trailers, and three tri-axles. We started doing hauling for construction companies but found out quickly the "company" drivers get all the good runs and "lease" trucks get the junk. We leased onto another trucking company for a year and got our foot in the door hauling other materials. (zinc, stone, lime, fertilizer and other products from the terminals in pittsburgh. Once the terminals knew they could count on us to get them out of a jam when they needed trucks, we went in with them on our own and stay busy year round. I can keep my truck running almost around the clock between myself and my other driver.



I'm not gettin rich, its some long hours. I make enough to pay the bills and thats about it. Bottom line for me is I love to truck, I get on the road and the stress of other things goes away. I wont be able to keep this pace up forever though.



Good luck in whatever you choose to do

Chris

 

[Todd T]

thanks Chris and Michael, you're not discouraging me you are telling me what i need to know and that is what i asked for. BTW my job is not 8-5 its whatever my customers and I work out. i have cuts going on about 3-4 times a month and they are usually always out of hours. its hard to find a customer that will let you turn off a 600 station call center before 3am on a sunday.



insurance is HUGE. since my wife doesnt work i need to supply myself a package. that means the more employees i can bring on the better the package. we have two kids 2yr and 7mo's old. they will need a good policy too. I'm young and in good health just have to stay that way and stay safe.



I think what i will do, is buy a good used truck and put it to work between myself and two brothers. one works straight midnites the other is in college and could work part time with all different hours.



lets talk trucks. is it safe to assume a 14ft bed is the shortest i would want? what about these lift axles? do you just pay taxes on when they are in use or the overall GVW of the truck. example 3rd and 4th axles. what about the ability to haul asphault. what should a look for there. I know i would need a set of steel wheels on the back. what else?



what HP level should i not go under? what about trannies. is more better on the # of gears

 

[Hummin Cummins]

Uh, slow down a little....lol

First it all depends on what you want to haul.



If you are going to do all construction (on site dig outs) lots of rocks, you will want a steel bed.



If you are thinking of asphalt, stone, sand and other const. materials, then aluminum is the way to go. Remember, if you are getting paid by the ton like we do, LIGHTWEIGHT LIGHTWEIGHT LIGHTWEIGHT. I had to have a big, bad shiny "largecar", so I wound up around 26,000 full of fuel. (19. 5' aluminum bed, aluminum wheels all the way around, 18spd transmission, and a boat anchor 475 cat under the hood) My inlaw's one weighs 23000 (same truck, smaller engine, smaller transmission, and shorter bed, not as many shiny goodies either) Each load we haul, he makes 1. 5 tons more than me. But I look better doin it.



As far as axles, again it depends on what u want to do with the truck. On site hauling a 15-16' steel bed tandem axle would be fine. Usually this pays by the hour. On the road hauling alot it depends on your laws. In PA we are allowed 73,280 lbs (where they came up with that weight I'll never know) in a tri-axle. Tractor trailers are 80,000 if they are long enough. Tandems are 56,000 lbs. Ohio runs quad-axles (2 lift axles) but I am not familiar with any other state laws other than PA



You will need a good tarp for asphalt. Preferably one that is electric motor driven. Most plants around here really frown on drivers crawling along the sides of truck beds cause of insurance stuff. For asphalt, aluminum bed with a pigeon hole (coal chute)



As far as taxes go, we pay for the Gross weight of the truck i. e. a tri-axle is 73280. I'd feel safe sayin every state is different.



I wouldn't go less than a 13 speed cause its nice to have a gear inbetween every know and then



Depending on how old a truck you get if its fairly new, you'll have all the HP you need. They dont put little engines in these things anymore. But I wouldn't go less that 400-425 HP around here. You're probably pretty flat out there.



Step 1

Shop around for trucks, and Insurance

Step 2

Find work!!! Tell the companies you are buying a truck, approx. when you will have it on the road, and get a commitment from them that you will go to work then. (weather permitting) Nothing worse than having a new truck sitting in the driveway If you are financing this truck the bank will want to know who you are going to work for.



Chris