Question:
Ok, I realize in retrospect and from comments of helpful members, that my previous idea was unrealistic... so here is my new idea let me know what you guys think.
Alright, I am currently in college for Aviation:Professional Pilot, and will be done in 2 years (2007-2008). I will be able to persure an airline job at this point, however, I was thinking of waiting on that and giving trucking a shot.
My new plan is to graduate, then go get some experience via Swift or Schneider. Then take a crack at being an O/O through help of the dreaded SelecTrucks Programs (I must be a sucker, becuase the offers look decent). I will take out a loan through them (with a senior co-signer) for a 2000-2005 Freightliner or International (if you can get another brand through the program). Then I will buy a Reefer and go with that on my own authority or leasing to a company (preferably own authority). With little debt and no tie downs, I think I could make it work. I would be young and willing to work hard to secure my business. Also being college educated and knowledgeable in basic business practices (I believe SelecTrucks can help with this as well) I think I can make it work. My girlfriend at this point is a business major and I could probably convert her to run team with me also. If I crash and burn then so be it, I would fall back on my Aviation Major.
Let me know what you guys think...

Answer:
Truck Specs would be as follows:
Freightliner Century ($20,000-45,000)
Detroit 12.7 or 14L 380-450HP
Eaton 13 Speed
Twin Outboard Exhaust
3.53 Rears
24.5 Tall Rubber
70" Condo
300 Gallons Fuel
Thermo King APU
Freightliner Classic XL ($20,000-45,000)
Detroit 12.7 or 14L 450-500HP
Eaton 13 Speed
3.53 Rears
24.5 Tall Rubber
70" Condo
300 Gallons Fuel
Thermo King APU
International 9400i ($20,000-45,000)
Cummins ISX
Eaton 13 Speed
3.53 Rears
24.5 Tall Rubber
72" Hi-Rise
300 Gallons Fuel
Thermo King APU
Trailer would probably be a Great Dane (1998-2000)
Super Seal, All Aluminum Spread Axle
or a Transcraft Flatbed

Answer:
You've got too much brains my friend to be getting yourself into this. You'll see it on your 1st week while riding with a trainer! You'll also learn by driving company trucks with high amounts of mileage that they'll break down often which more than likely those Select Trucks may give you a good amount of problems! Better start packing away a good savings account of breakdown repairs. Your relationship will go to crap. No woman will put up with her man being gone for 5-6 weeks at a time only to see him 3 days and gone again. You may think we're all BS'ing you here, but I'm sorry.. OTR is a lot more crappier work than what it looks like on paper. Do yourself a favor and try your best at getting into the airline industry before trucking. You should be able to make enough money to where you can buy your own truck just to pull a camper behind and play with during your time off!

Answer:

You asked I think you need your head examined by a
Mental Health Professional. A College education for drop out employment? IMO niether of the Vocations,over supply of labor depressing wages,is a wise choice as a carreer today.
Answer:
I'm a firm believer that no one should attempt to become an owner operator without 5 solid years of experience driving a truck. During that time, learn the business and what you want to haul, learn where you want to run, do all the things on someone else's dime, not on your own. Keep track of your costs and figure in expenses as if you owned the truck. Do everything like you were the owner of the truck. In the meantime, you can figure out how and where you are going to maintain the truck. You need some mechanical skills, or the costs of maintenance will run you under. You need a place to keep and park the truck, and get yourself ready to own and run your own business, while running it from a fixed location.
Do all this on someone elses dime, and then think about buying a truck. As for buying strategies, you can't even think about the Freightliner program until you know what you are going to haul. 99% of the specs of the trucks in that program are set up to haul vans, so if you want to do something else, they are not the right truck. You are only going to pick out the right truck by experience, and that takes time.
If you want to work, I would suggest doing regional work, vice long haul over the road stuff. Your chances of getting home are better, you may not have to drive as many miles, and by primarily sticking to a 4-6 state area, you will probably be a much happier driver. Don't be afraid of the occasional longer run, but don't be a gypsy out on the road for weeks at a time. Most people that claim bad experiences in trucking usually were sent out long haul as soon as they started in the business. Regional work seems to not make as many unhappy campers right from the start, and many regional jobs pay pretty decent money.

Answer:
Thanks fo the replies, I guess it should be in my thick skull by now that trucking sucks for the most part. I think Bananna Unit has a good idea with just buying one as a toy haha. I could probably just save my massive pilot earnings and buy a reefer and truck for 80k and run around on my days off playing trucker. Thanks for the advice again, either way I have 2-3 years so I wont be making any decisions any time soon.
P.S. I had my head examined and it was determined that I have Bipolar disorder haha but thanks for the good advice and not sugar coating this industry.

Answer:
No, I wouldn't say that it sucks in general, since it's what I do for a living and what I choose to do for a living. And I would not suggest that someone not get into this business, but there is a way to do it and a way to not do it. And clearly, it's a business that has some differences from running a restaurant or a comic book store. But it is a business, and it has to be approached in a hard numbers, financially planned, non emotional' way if you want to succeed. You need to know the business thoroughly before getting into it as an owner operator. There are some very smart people that make a good living doing this, but they studied the business thoroughly before making their move. There are very few people that make a good deal out of the "start your own business" type of truck purchase programs, and the ones that succeed are the guys that clearly defined what they were going to do, what equipment they needed, and how they were going to run their business.
I'm working right now on becoming an owner operator, and I figure that it's 3 years worth of planning before I pull it together to make it successful. And, I will make it when I start, but that's going to be the result of all of the planning and the effort to pull this together. No one starts out knowing the ins and outs of the business, and that's what you need to succeed.
That's why so many people recommend coming in as a company driver, and, then learning the business on their dime. You can get a solid feel for the business and how it all works, learn driving and how to handle things on the road. Use the time wisely, and you have enough experience to become a successful owner operator, not just another guy sitting around talking about how he "owned a truck one time". Those guys are a dime a dozen, and most failed through their own efforts, just like the ones that succeed do it through their own abilities. My 02.

Answer:
(edited) is you crazy?
I would go for the pilots licence first and foremost because:
1) You'll be making $136,000 and above soon after getting the licence; Despite my demonstrations and attempts and best wishes, you can't make more than 80K as a company driver. (See my posts concerning this: http://roundtable.truck.net/viiewt.php?t=52026&...sc&highlight=
(the exception is driving in iraq which can gross you almost 3K per wk, but you don't want to do that)
Trucking doesn't suck, it just doesn't compare money-wise the flying. Although, i personally feel it is safer than flying.
Actually, you could break 100K as a driver, but it wouldn't be legal.
much more later.

Answer:
Yeah, it depends on the future of both industries... they both depend on DIESEL for the majority of their operating expenses. Actually with all my ratings I would only make around 30k flight instructing till I accumulate enough hours to become eligible for a commuter airline. However, with trucking I can get my feet wet with Schneider, then buy my own rig/authority (yes alot of starting capital, but such is the case with all business) and then make hopefully at least 70k to the truck per year. I would also still be Private Pilot, Commercial, Multi Engine, ATP rated so I could fly whenever I want.

Answer:
If you're getting your ATP ticket, heck... fly the friendly skies! I knew a guy who flew 747s for UPS. He pulled down a couple hundred G's a year.
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Why don't you become a doctor. Since you're just pulling everybodys leg anyway you might as well make it really ridiculous.

Answer:

Uhhh how am I pulling everyone's leg again?

Answer:

Hmmmm...interesting theory. If that 70k is gross you're
in financial trouble,if it's net you're dreaming.
Answer:
Ah ok, and I forget, Net is before taxes right, and gross is after? So what ur saying is before taxes I could make around 60-80k to the truck?

Answer:


There isn't a business principal that is more basic than knowing the difference between 'net' and 'gross'. 'Gross' is the total amount of revenue that your business generates; 'net' is the amount remaining after all expenses, including taxes and salary, have been paid.

Who said that? There is absolutely no way to determine what you might make in a proposed business sometime in the future.
I would suggest that you would do well to abandon terms such as "to the truck", which has a different meaning to each person who uses it, and stick with commonly accepted business terminology. Operating a trucking business (which is what you propose) has very little to do with driving a truck (which any monkey can do) and a great deal to do with number crunching.
BTW, it makes no sense to train with a carrier which deals primarily with dry freight (Swift, Schneider) if it's your intention to run a reefer.