meanfarmer

I have thought about leaving my 9 to 5 job for quite sometime now and becoming a owner/operator because I don't like the direction my career is going. I have a lot of non-CDL truck driving experience mostly grain trucks in the fall and winter. Do you think it is possible to make it as a owner/operator just starting out or would the price of insurance eat me up? I'm fairly sure I can keep the truck busy around here with all the grain in the area. But I would like to buy a flatbed trailer to haul OTR while I'm still young, and haul grain when I can't find other work. Am I out of my mind or could I make it in today's market? Thank you for your time, any advice you can offer is greatly appreciated.

bmoeller

Unless your truck is paid for, grain hauling isn't necessarily a huge money maker. But that also depends on how far you are hauling, too. I usually can haul 2-4 loads/day, on a good day. Can be some really long waits to unload at times. Lately, it has been anywhere from 45 min., to 2hrs. Have had to wait as long a 4hrs, before. And some guys have told me they have had to wait 6hrs before.

Won't always have a load everyday, either. The elevators and farmers have an x amount of bushels they have sold on their contracts, and once it is filled, there might be anymore sold for a while. Depends on the markets and time of year.

Around here they pay something like 12 cents/bu/load, on up. Will depend on the commodity and distance you are hauling, too. We have to drive a minimum 45 mins one way, to where most of the river terminals are, that we go to. The one I've been going lately is over an hour away. There are a few closer, but the bids usually aren't as good.

IIRC, the truck license alone is over $3k/yr. in IL, for apportioned plates. IFTA, if running out of state. Plus other taxes and fees, plus insurance. Fuel will still be your biggest expense, assuming the truck doesn't breakdown. Some repairs cost LOTs of $$$$. Could be looking at $5k or more, outside of the truck cost.

Is there much road construction in the area? They usually pay pretty good, from what I've heard. Could pull a dump.

If you do haul grain, make sure to get an aluminum trailer with air-ride. The air-ride WILL make a difference. Same on the truck drive axles and cab.

Min. 350hp with a 9spd. I know alot of eastern NE is hilly, so a 425hp engine (min) and a 13spd would be the best setup. Engine displacement of 14 liters or more. Gears somewhere in the neighborhood of 3.90 to 4.17 and 22.5" low pro rubber.

Pete and Ford tractors tend to be the lightest. KW isn't to bad. Mack and Volvo are generally the heaviest.

We run 3 Timpte Super Hoppers. Wilson makes some good ones. Never pulled a Merritt or Cornhusker. Make sure it has smooth side sheets, not corrugated or the ribbed Merritt trailers. The ribs cause more drag, and take more power/fuel to pull.