5 Tips for New Owner-Operators

Here are five tips for new Owner Operators

Becoming a truck driver has a multitude of benefits, but it is not a career someone can simply hop into. Joining the trucking industry as an Owner Operator takes patience, diligence, and plenty of learning. So if you’re looking to become an Owner Operator in the current thriving market, then you’re in luck. As a motor carrier, we have the privilege of working with well-trained and seasoned drivers across the country, so we’ve curated their best advice for first-time Owner Operators to the 5 Tips for New Owner Operators we will share in this article.

There are several things for you to learn as a new Owner Operator like the 70 hour 8 day rule, how to do a split sleeper, how to plan for your 34 hour reset, and much more. The tips from these Owner Operators will get you mentally prepared for what to expect in your future career as a truck driver and hopefully lead you on a path of success. So buckle up because these are the five best tips for new Owner Operators!

Save Up

William Larabee has been a driver for over eleven years and hasn’t turned back. His best advice for Owner Operators starting is to save, save, save! You can learn more about William Larabee’s success as a truck driver here.

“Some advice I would give a new Owner Operator would be to plan on being out on the road for a while and make as much money as you can when you’re starting out. Keep in mind that you’re starting a trucking career from scratch with no money, so you want to save up. Stay out as long as you can till you have a financial cushion. Have at least $1,000 weekly set aside to start off. You also have to know that fuel is the biggest expense. Watch your bills and your expenses and keep track. But the main thing is to make sure you have money put aside for maintenance on your truck.”

Stay Organized

Ezequiel Jean traveled from Haiti to the United States and fell in love with trucking. He has been a driver for over seventeen years and has plenty of wisdom on the subject. When starting you don’t have to go at it alone, perhaps start driving for someone else who can guide you along your journey. You can learn more about Ezequiel Jean’s success as a truck driver here.  

“I would have hoped someone could tell me more about the business, shared more knowledge about the trucks and how to make money in trucking. It would have been helpful to have someone support me in making a better choice about the truck I wanted to purchase. I wish someone would have helped me handle all the paperwork and how hard it is to manage it by yourself as a truck driver owner It would have been nice for someone to encourage me to train with someone as a way to learn more about the trucking business—especially to avoid trying to do everything by yourself with the help of a reputable trucking company.”

Expect To Be Busy

Jamie Acree keeps her wheels moving, and that’s the way she likes it. Growing up in the trucking industry with her Father she adopted plenty of lessons that have made her the great driver she is today. Her word of advice is to be ready to be away from home. You can learn more about Jamie Acree’s success as a truck driver here.

“Expect to be away from home if you’re starting a trucking career. If you’re going to be an Owner Operator, and you want to make any type of money, you can’t just stay out for three or four days and then go home for a week. You can’t expect to make money in trucking if you’re driving that way. If you’re going to go out on the road when you’re starting out you have to stay out at least a minimum of four weeks before you decide you want to go home. If you want to be an Owner Operator and you have family and kids that are home and you want to see them and maybe catch sports games on the weekends, whatever it is, just know you’re getting into the wrong business. Because if you want to get into this business, you’re going to have to run often to be a successful Owner Operator. And it’s not the life for a young family. So it is stressful for you, particularly when starting a trucking career.”

Choose a Bank Over a Company

Oscar Lindelof followed his passion for sightseeing on the road and now gets paid to see what the United States has to offer. His word of advice to new Owner Operators is to be careful how you buy your truck. You can learn more about Oscar Lindelof’s success as a truck driver here.

“When you go to purchase your first truck as an Owner Operator, go through a bank. Do not purchase a lease from a company, that way you leave your options open if something happens and you are not tied down to any one company. I would say have the courage to do it, have about $20,000 saved up for the down payment, and of course, come to Status Transportation because they’re a reputable trucking company.”

Keep A Smile

Steven Thomas started as a dishwasher at a restaurant and now is an Owner Operator with three trucks under his belt. He’s managed several drivers of his own and continues to grow his numbers. His advice is to stay cool and keep a smile on your face. You can learn more about Steven Thomas’s success as a truck driver here.

“When starting a trucking career, always keep a smile on your face, because not every day is perfect as an Owner Operator. One of the things that used to aggravate me the most was sitting at the shipper or receiver for long hours. I had to learn to be patient—so, learn to have patience. Everyone will have bad days, but you also have great days. If you come across someone having a bad day, just don’t let it affect you. Brush it off and keep moving—you will be happier and focus on figuring out how to make money in trucking. It’s the nature of the industry we are in and focus on working with a reputable trucking company. If you are starting a trucking career, you can definitely make money, but you have to be patient with all the situations that come with being an Owner Operator.”

Be prepared as a truck driver to be dropped into an ever-evolving industry. As technology develops, drivers are having to constantly learn new ways to improve their craft. Even as tech changes, the one thing that is constant is the love of the open road. As you can see, there’s plenty to learn but you don’t have to do it alone.

The market is booming right now but there’s a shortage of drivers, so now is the best time for you to seize your new career opportunity. So whether you’re a veteran driver looking for a reliable trucking company or a new Owner Operator wanting to get their feet wet, Status Transportation has you covered. Make $4500-$7500 per week and get loads across all forty-eight states with Status. See how Status Transportation can work for you!