3 Tips For Becoming An Owner Operator Truck Driver

Taking the plunge to start your own trucking business can be risky, yet it can also offer great rewards. The key to success in this industry is lining up enough work for the year, and as an owner operator, you will need your own truck and several other things. Here are some tips to help you start a successful trucking company of your own.

Get the Right Things

Owner operators must purchase their own semis because this is what they use to transport goods for businesses. In addition to having a truck, you will also need to purchase insurance coverage for the truck. As an owner of a company, you should also consider all the other expenses you will have, which include:

• Repairs and maintenance on the truck
• Fuel costs
• Health insurance
• Travel costs (food, lodging, etc.)

Creating a business plan is a great idea prior to leaving your current trucking job to start a new venture in life. A business plan forces you to think of every angle relating to this business. It will help you determine if this is a feasible opportunity, if you can make money, and the steps you must take to ensure that your business is profitable and successful.

Network Like Crazy

If you decide that this is a good move, one of the steps you will need to take is to locate jobs. Finding owner operator trucking jobs is not a difficult task necessarily, but finding jobs you are willing to do can be hard. When companies need transportation services, they may advertise jobs. Some of these will be local jobs, while others may be jobs that require traveling for days or weeks at a time.

When you create your business plan, this is a thought to consider. Do you want to be home each night, or do you mind being gone for days at a time? As you first enter the business of an owner operator, you may have to take jobs that require you to be gone, but this can change over time and it helps if you spend a lot of time networking.

Networking helps you build relationships and a good reputation, and you can do this in many ways, including:

• Talking to trucking companies
• Staying current with trucking related social media sites
• Getting involved with trucking websites

The trucking industry is huge. According to the Truck Info, there are currently approximately 3.5 million truck drivers, and 70% of freight in the U.S. is transported by truck. With the right connections, you may be able to take part in this large industry and be very successful with it.

Provide Great Services

As with any business, providing good services is a key to success. When companies need merchandise transported, they want to know three things:

• It will safely arrive at its destination.
• The load will arrive on time.
• The price they pay will be fair.

If you are reliable, hard-working, and trustworthy, you should be able to meet these expectations. Keep in mind too that if you can make it easier on the company that needs the transportation services, they will continue hiring you for services.

As you plan for this new job opportunity, there are many things you must consider. This type of work requires the right equipment, a good plan and hard work, and it requires finding jobs.

Before you even purchase a truck and insurance for it, you should begin searching for owner operator trucking jobs. Have some jobs lined up before you start investing money in the business, and this will help you feel confident in your new venture.